In fact, there's a whole sub-culture of people in Japan called "Tetsudou Otaku," which roughly translates to "train nerd."
Public transportation in Tokyo opened my eyes to a whole new way of living. Each morning, I would wait at a bus stop around the corner from my house and board the next bus headed to Nakano station. I could take that time to see my neighborhood fly by, listen to music or study up for a quiz. At the station, I was only one stop away from Shinjuku Terminal, which connected me to every part of the city. Having train stations all around the city meant that I could explore freely without any risk of getting lost or stranded; I felt safe and the feeling of safety allowed me to be independent in my new environment.
Culturally, I was worried that I would experience the "gaijin complex," which is a term used to describe discomfort that some Japanese people may have around foreigners. I had heard stories of foreigners being actively avoided on trains, with other commuters refusing to sit next to them, even when no other seats were available. I was relieved to discover that the gaijin complex isn't nearly as widespread as people had made it seem, and I have never felt unwelcome on the train or anywhere else!
I've mentioned the "unspoken rules" that govern the Japanese train system, and these rules are also at the heart of Japanese culture itself. Let's take a look at some of the rules I noticed:
