dynamax
Registered: October 2003
Posts: 515
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Life stop's on this photo.But anyway,it looks very "lively". 
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Kjeld
Registered: October 2002
Location: Ashiya, Japan
Posts: 3262
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And this is during 'off' time. During peak hours, the station is a solid mass of people.
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dynamax
Registered: October 2003
Posts: 515
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I somhow know that japanese people very organized.
Even if that a metro.
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Kjeld
Registered: October 2002
Location: Ashiya, Japan
Posts: 3262
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This looks organized? Really?
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Kjeld
Registered: October 2002
Location: Ashiya, Japan
Posts: 3262
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There is something in the station that IS very organized, though. Do you notice the yellow line on the platform, parallel to the train? Those are tiles with little bumps so blind people can find their way. Additionally, there are extra tiles in front of each door. This way, people know where the train's doors will be and can line up in advance. As a result the trains only need to stop for about 20 seconds.
You can actually see a man wait for the next train on this picture. The man in front of the nearest door. He has his hands behind his back and carries a small bag. In front of his feet, you can see the extra tiles.
How cool is that?
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dynamax
Registered: October 2003
Posts: 515
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Yes,that's cool.
Yeah,i see that men.He seems stay still and cool.
Actualy in Saint-Petersburg always happen strange things in metro.Coz i thing that people who drive the trains do not know schedules.
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marumaru_heliko
Registered: February 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 6
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This picture makes me feel nostalgic for Japan. I have yet to visit Osaka, but I really want to the next time I go back. =) I really do like how organized/clean trains in Japan are. People just know how to act with the trains and know the schedules well. Here in the US, even in SF, sometimes I think people just don't know how to use public transportation.
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Kjeld
Registered: October 2002
Location: Ashiya, Japan
Posts: 3262
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I also have many bad experiences with public transportation abroad. Some years ago when I visited the Netherlands, people just about started a fist-fight when they weren't able to sit down! That particular train ride was a nightmare altogether. About a third way through the 200 km trip, the train made an unscheduled stop and we were told that there was no driver anymore...
Another time, a train left 5 minutes early. I was just about to quickly buy a snack on the platform. I was very grateful I hadn't thought of doing that a few seconds earlier!
By the way, I am also starting a (multilingual) site showing photographs of Japan between 1860 and the 1930s: http://www.oldphotosjapan.com
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char
Registered: March 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 55
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i was wondering if you could give me some advice!
i think i will find getting around japan quite difficult. i am planning to travel to tokyo in early november with my boyfriend and stay there for 2 weeks. i have lots of places i would like to visit in tokyo but can imagine getting lost easy, i have no directional sense. haha
i can speak basic japanese and understand hiragana and katakana, though not many kanji characters. i am still in the process of learning japanese so i should have reasonable converstational skills by November. Is learning kanji important to get around? what should i concentrate on.
Any advice, tips and suggestions would be so appriciated.
xoxo
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Kjeld
Registered: October 2002
Location: Ashiya, Japan
Posts: 3262
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Hi Char,
You have a little over half a year, which is very little for learning Japanese. So I would advise to spend all your time on studying speaking and skipping kanji for now. The most important things are written in English anyway, and restaurants have photos in their menu or wax models of the food in display windows.
In Tokyo, you will find enough people who speak English, but the ability to speak some Japanese makes a world of a difference. Getting around is not too difficult if you have some good maps. A detailed map of the subway system which you can get for free at most subway stations and hotels, and a good street map (preferably with both kanji and romaji so you can compare kanji on your map with the ones around you) should do it. Additionally, a good guide book will be a prerequisite.
Japanese public transportation is as good as it gets. You can get pretty much anywhere in Tokyo using subways, trains and buses. From subway and train stations and bus stops you can continue by taxi if necessary, but usually locations are just a short stroll away. So take some great walking shoes and a good backpack to stuff all the souvenirs you'll buy!
Once you arrive at a station, ask the man next to the wickets for further directions. They have maps of the neighborhood and are used to providing this service. Just outside the wickets, there are usually also detailed maps of the neighborhood on the wall.
ENJOY!
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char
Registered: March 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 55
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Hey
thanks for that information. i know 8 months isnt long to learn japanese but i did learnt the basics in new zealand and i am studying everyday! so hopefully conversation will be sorted by the time i get to japan. Even if its not hopefully going to japan will help my japanese language skills :D
Australia has a huge lack of good public transport so Japan will be a refreshing change! haha. I just hope i understand everything. i read that most taxi drivers can't speak Emnglish and that they are very expensive. is that true?
Also is hiragana used much? i got taught it in New Zealand and made to know it very well. The same with katakana.
Sorry if these questions are annoying! I just really need all the advice i can get
xx
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Kjeld
Registered: October 2002
Location: Ashiya, Japan
Posts: 3262
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If you study 4 to 6 hours every day over 8 months, you might be able to have sufficient conversational skills when you visit. So I encourage you to be absolutely fanatic about your studies. Hiragana is mostly used for grammatical inflections and by itself not so helpful. Katakana will let you read loan-words from other languages, especially used for names of restaurants, shops and products. You can see how hiragana and katagana are used on street signs at my site japanphotostock.com.
Most taxi drivers do indeed speak only Japanese, but they usually have enough experience with foreigners to figure out what you want. If you show a map of the place where you want to go, preferably with kanji instead of only English, they will have no problem at all. Most will find it very difficult to find a location just from an address, especially one written in romaji, unless it is a well-known place like a museum, large park or big department store.
Hotels usually have cards with their name and address in Japanese, as well as a map, specifically to show to taxi drivers.
Taxis are not expensive at all. Especially not when you share them with somebody else. For a very short distance where the taxi meter doesn't jump to its next price, it is about the same price for two people to take a taxi as to step on a train or subway. Taxi drivers generally have excellent manners, take direct routes and don't need tips.
Important notes: taxi doors open automatically, so don't attempt to open them yourselves and keep away from the door when you want to get in or otherwise it may hit you. The back door on the driver's side doesn't open automatically and sometimes doesn't open at all, so don't try to get into or out of the taxi from that side.
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char
Registered: March 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 55
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Hahah wow taxi doors open themselves! Thats crazy. Thanks for the warning , and a relief to know they are not extremly expensive. Anything else that i should know about like that? I have seen the squat toilets, is it true they are the most common public toilets in Japan? That is so strange.
I probably study about 3 hours a day, and i am revising what i already learnt in NZ for 2 years which was basic japanese language, hiragana, katakana and a little kanji. I have a Japanese tutor at the moment, she is so lovely & helpful. I am really hoping to be able to speak japanese in 8 months time. Where there is a will theres a way,  right? I am really determind. Also it is not like I am starting from scratch. I understand what you are saying though, alot to learn in a short time.
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Kjeld
Registered: October 2002
Location: Ashiya, Japan
Posts: 3262
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You're welcome. In the large cities squat toilets unfortunately have become quite rare. I like them a lot better because there is no contact. On a Western style toilet you never know who sat on it before you.
What you need to know about Japanese is that you need twice as many words to get to the same basic level as English. In English you can have a reasonable basic conversation if you have mastered around 1,500 words (assuming of course they were the right words!). To have a conversation at the same level in Japanese, you'd need at least 3,000 words.
I have seen a lot of people crash because of this. When they arrive in Japan they suddenly discover that they can manage a lot less than they thought based on the time and effort they put into it. They knew basic grammar and all the words that seemed important coming from an English language background and suddenly find out there are lots of other important words that don't even exist in English, but without you can't get by. Steal your tutor's brains as much as you can over the next half year and up the number of hours a day that you study. You'll really find it worth it.
It is difficult to come up with tips when this is your daily life. The taxi popped up because I have the opposite problem when I go abroad, and I often see foreigners doing it wrong in Japan.
Are you already reading a good guide book of Tokyo?
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char
Registered: March 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 55
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Thats a true concept about the toilets! I never thought of it that way. Are there many electric toilets or is that a fabrication? with the bidets etc, haha.
i am not reading a guide book of tokyo. All I have found out so far has been via the internet. Though tomorrow im going to travel agents to get guide books and information of any kind to look at.
I will try and revise more as well. I think it will make my stay a whole lot easier as i am sure not many shop keepers will be able to talk English? also incase i get lost it would be handy to be able to ask for directions in japanese instead of being the totally obvious tourist. haha.
The taxi thing should be interesting, i hope i dont forget and try and tug the door open. . i am not used to subways at all, there are none is Australia, well where i have been anyway.
Also, i will be landing in Narita air port. which is about 80 minutes away from tokyo i think? What is the best mode of transport in your opinion? sorry, i hope you dont mind all of these questions!
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