Autumn-Leaf Fields, Nightingale Valley, Five Acres, Highfield Stables, Wild Duck’s Nest – perhaps not quite the typical image that springs to mind when we think of Tokyo. But these are just a few of the stations on the most heavily used train line of this huge metropolis – the Yamanote Line.
The quaint names hark back to a more sedate time when Tokyo – Edo as it was then – was the political centre of a largely agrarian nation, quite different from the hustle and bustle of the modern city it is now.
And Shinkuku Station at 8 o’clock on a weekday morning is when this hustle and bustle is at its peak. This is rush hour: when children in their school uniforms, middle managers in almost identical dark suits, white shirts and boring ties, smartly dressed office ladies in the latest fashions, and occasionally, a kimono-clad grandmother, all arrive en masse to catch their train.
The scene on platforms 12 and 13, where the Yamanote Line trains come and go, is almost surreal. Here, orderly lines, four abreast, gather in front of the marks on the platform which indicate where the train doors will be as an army of East Japan Railway Company employees, clad in their customary white gloves, prepares to pack as many arms and legs as possible into the approaching trains.
More than 3.5 million people scurry through this busy station every day, and during the morning and evening rush hours, an 11-car Yamanote Line train carrying about 3000 people, pulls in every 90 seconds or so. This circular route around Tokyo is busy all day long, from the first train out at 4.40am to the last run just after 1.00am. With some 670 trains making a 60-minute lap of the Yamanote circuit every day, this is undoubtedly one of the busiest lines in the world.
The line connects the various hub stations of metropolitan Tokyo as well as the major downtown residential, commercial and entertainment districts through the 29 stations along its tracks. Shinjuku Station is a major hub for trains coming from the west of Tokyo and from the adjoining prefecture of Saitama, and the area around the station is popular for shopping and entertainment. The dizzying array of shopping malls, office blocks, bars, pubs and noodle shops are a far cry from the district’s origins as a refuge for foot-weary samurai in feudal times when Shinjuku housed many inns and taverns for them to stay.
Tokyo Station is another of the city’s largest stations and the departure point for the bullet trains heading to north and west Japan. Many regional lines also leave from Tokyo Station and rush hour here is not for the faint-hearted!
And then there is Akihabara. Now Akihabara Station – Autumn Leaf Fields – is a real misnomer if ever there was one. Perhaps it was once a quiet and peaceful rural area but nowadays it is more famous for its Electric Town than its trees. Residents and visitors alike flock to Akihabara to check out the latest bargains in the many discount electronic shops based here and whether it’s the latest digital camera, computer, I-pad or whatever, if it ain’t available in Akihabara, it ain’t available anywhere.
A few stops down the line is Ueno – Upper Field – and here there really are still plenty of trees! Ueno Park is one of the most popular places in Tokyo to view the cherry blossom in the spring. Mind you, this being Tokyo, crowds are never far away and when the cherry trees are in bloom, up to a quarter of a million visitors descend on the park every day. The park is huge; it is one of the city’s largest, with two national museums, a zoo and a concert hall within its grounds. So, despite the crowds, there is usually enough room for everyone!
The Yamanote Line is Tokyo, and although it’s often impossible to get a seat, the city simply couldn’t function without it. It is the easiest way to get around the city, and with trains running so frequently, waiting time is minimal. Stations names are in English and Japanese so overseas visitors shouldn’t be put off using it, and even the largest stations are relatively straightforward to use.
As is customary in Japan, the conductor announces the name of the next station as the train approaches it. This is much appreciated when you are sharing the tiniest of spaces with half of the city, you can hardly see out of the window – let alone get a glimpse of the station names – and you can’t quite remember whether Shibuya Station is two or three stops from Shinjuku!
