Required post

I am horrible at writing these things, but was demanded by someone (Caitlyn) to update this bad boy. So I'm gonna' do it on trains and other crap! I take the hanbannoriban (Express Train) almost everyday to Tsu. It's about a half an hour train ride, and I normally study lesson plans on the way there. I can typically get a seat, and they air-condition most of the compartment so it's not that bad. The journey does have a tendency of making me tired though, and the majority of people take the time to catch up on a book, play their DS, or fall asleep (on me).

The express train


An interesting and somewhat morbid aspect of the train system is the combination of speeding trains and the high rate of suicide in Japan. In many stations, the limited express train (the fastest train aside from the bullet train) passes by without stopping at a startling speed. Occasionally a sad business man will decide to hop in front of the train, resulting in a "train accident" which holds up that line for an extended period of time. This is one of the poops fast trains:



Zoom!




Additionally, there are some pretty sweet snack stands in every station where you can purchase booze, candy, and newspapers. The booze can really come in handy after a day of smarmy kids. ;)

As mentioned above, the express train only stops at some stations. However, a magical local train stops at every station.

Here is a local train!


As you can tell, it's not that much different from an express train. The biggest difference is that the sign on the trains is either orange with "express" written on it, or blue and reads "local". Of course, that's not even mentioning the dreaded (green) semi-express!

Here are some people leaving.


Ticket machines!


Geographically speaking, Yokkaichi Kintetsu Station is located in the center of Yokkaichi city (where we live). The pictures featured here are all from the Kintetsu line, as that's the one we use the most. Another main station that houses the JR line is the demarcation where Yokkaichi goes from being a pretty sweet city (as well as reportedly having the largest ratio of restaraunts to people in Japan) to an industrial hell. I biked through this area and got a kicking head ache from the fumes.



Yokkaichi used to be one of the most polluted cities, but of course it has gotten better.

Finally some random pictures of dango, banana man and some crazy sports day for some college in Nagoya.