Category: japanlife

I am back home in the England at the moment and I got a train to take me about 20km to the nearest town so I could visit my cousin. The ticket cost about 14 pounds, which is about 2,500 yen. In Japan, the train from where I live to Shinjuku, also a trip of around 20km, costs 420 yen. The difference in price is shocking. ​ Not only this, but the trains in Japan are cleaner. They look more nicely designed inside and are more frequent, too. It really frustrates me that we can't have nice, clean, reasonably priced public transport here. When I come home, public transport here despresses me and I find myself missing Japan, where they do it properly. ​ I mean, the ticket I bought here yesterday was about six times the cost for the same distance, and on a grubbier train. Ugh.

Huge earthquake (7+) in Ishikawa Prefecture. Please stay safe everyone. Tune into TV and internet for latest updates. This seems very serious.

Hello, I currently live in Ishikawa but have been stuck inside the Hokuriku Shinkansen since 3pm yesterday. The trains back from the station we're stuck at to Kanazawa are due to start up again at 10am, and this train is supposed to continue to Tokyo from 12pm. I currently can't decide whether to go back home and check out my house, or just continue my plans to take a week off in Tokyo. Not knowing the damage is killing me but I think the further from Ishikawa I am, the safer I'll feel. Which is the safer option, or are both equally risky? Thanks. Edit: Thank you to everyone for the kind words! I hope all of you and your family and friends are safe. I'm probably going to head to Tokyo and see how the next few days are. Take care everyone!