Anyone who has been to the larger cities in Japan such as Tokyo will know how impossible it is to walk in a straight line without being jostled. People come at you from and angles, an especially in the underground subway stations and shopping areas it really does feel like being in a pinball game. I once was suggested to just look down and people will walk around you but found that it doesn’t really work so well any more.

With the big subway (chikatetsu) stations such as Shinjuku or Ikebukuro having a myriad of exits and platforms, it’s suprising there aren’t more collisions as everyone zigzags every which way. Actually I can’t recall ever seeing anyone majorly get bumped into or fall down. If you need to stop its best to head for the nearest wall or pillar though as stopping dead in your tracks without warning is likely to cause a pile up!

Another thing you notice is that apart from on the train platforms themselves it’s very rare to find seating in the stations, and for that matter even benches on the street are extremely rare. However, with the temperature climbing at the moment the humidity is becoming quite uncomfortable so most people are taking refuge in air-conditioned coffee shops and restaurant. With so many tempting places to stop in, I find myself wondering at the end of the day where my money went.