Enjoyable Commuting

I just finished a multi train journey from inner-city Tokyo to Narita station. Not the airport, just the regular stop. It feels somewhat out of the way and, too many, it would be. 115 minutes is a long commute. In a car, on familiar roads, that’s definitely a long haul. At least for me, I know that driving up the Bruce Highway for two hours isn’t the most exhilarating way to spend my time.

In contrast, to journey through Tokyo for the same amount of time feels like an experience unto itself. The journey is a part of the destination.

…

I watched as people stepped directly off the train and immediately onto another, doors open, awaiting with a warm embrace. Just metres away. This is a regular commute for many. Watching the send slowly sit in the rearview whilst we move further away from the metropolis provides a beautiful highlight for the subtle change in landscape unfolding.

Without having to man a vehicle which gets you from .8 to B, it feels like time gained, not time lost. Time you can spend for yourself, however you please. Time spent in relative silence, too.

vibrant life seems to stretch endlessly from Tokyo, in all directions. The outskirts still provide an incredible glimpse into city life, just with a different flavour. Bustling shopping streets create a vivid collage against interspersed farming acreage, quiet residential areas, or a well maintained baseball field. For mine this thriving, but, in relative terms, not overly sprawled, urban sprawl is possible in large part due to the R100 effective, and enjoyable transport. This wonderful city has to offer.