On a recent ride on the Toyoko Line, we had the pleasure of sitting in the “Women Only” subway car. This is the Tokyu Corporation’s answer to the groping problem that has reached epidemic proportions on Tokyo trains in recent years.
I never had any personal experiences with groping but when we lived in Yutenji, many, many moons ago, I used to take the subway to school daily. The start of my journey overlapped with the end of said Toyoko Line (it connects Tokyo and Yokohama hence the name). My route entailed riding one stop, getting off the train, crossing the platform and switching to the Hibiya Line which was often empty since many of its trains originate at Nakameguro. By contrast, the Toyoko Line was usually loaded with commuters on their way to Shibuya and I often had to push my way on to the train. The technique was to enter backwards or sideways and just give everyone a gentle nudge. If all else failed, the famous, white-gloved conductors were on the platform to help out with an added shove. It is amazing how many bodies can squeeze into a subway car!
When I first began commuting I carried a mikan (Mandarin orange) or two in my backpack. That is, until I wised up. You see, my segment on the Toyoko Line may have been short but the train was so packed that the skin of my mikan was ruptured, its juice oozing and the fruit no longer edible by the time I reached Todai. Imagine if subways in New York or Chicago were this crowded! I would never even consider riding them.
During our recent transit, the train was not crowded enough to squish a mikan or even a mosquito. Nor were the passengers in such close proximity that groping might be a threat. Nonetheless, we three women could not resist the draw of a subway car just for us!
I never had any personal experiences with groping but when we lived in Yutenji, many, many moons ago, I used to take the subway to school daily. The start of my journey overlapped with the end of said Toyoko Line (it connects Tokyo and Yokohama hence the name). My route entailed riding one stop, getting off the train, crossing the platform and switching to the Hibiya Line which was often empty since many of its trains originate at Nakameguro. By contrast, the Toyoko Line was usually loaded with commuters on their way to Shibuya and I often had to push my way on to the train. The technique was to enter backwards or sideways and just give everyone a gentle nudge. If all else failed, the famous, white-gloved conductors were on the platform to help out with an added shove. It is amazing how many bodies can squeeze into a subway car!
When I first began commuting I carried a mikan (Mandarin orange) or two in my backpack. That is, until I wised up. You see, my segment on the Toyoko Line may have been short but the train was so packed that the skin of my mikan was ruptured, its juice oozing and the fruit no longer edible by the time I reached Todai. Imagine if subways in New York or Chicago were this crowded! I would never even consider riding them.
During our recent transit, the train was not crowded enough to squish a mikan or even a mosquito. Nor were the passengers in such close proximity that groping might be a threat. Nonetheless, we three women could not resist the draw of a subway car just for us!
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