International Railroad Discussion > Trains in Western Japan, 2013

1 --  Eiden Railway in the mountains of Kyoto Prefecture.

2 --  First early morning Keihan train to Yodoyabashi (Osaka) standing at Hirakata station.

3 --  Waitng for a Keihan train to pass at Hirakatakoen.

John

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What I notice,how nice and clean everything is.
Compare that to the USA trash everywhere.

Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.

retcsxcfm Wrote:
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> What I notice,how nice and clean everything is.
> Compare that to the USA trash everywhere.
>
> Uncle Joe
> Seffner,Fl.

I lived there for 10 years and it seemed to me that Japanese people can be a lot more self-reliant then we are.  In this case, they don't feel entitled to other people cleaning up their messes.  Exceptions everywhere, here and there, but overall I'd say that's a fair generalization.

John

retcsxcfm Wrote:
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> What I notice,how nice and clean everything is.
> Compare that to the USA trash everywhere.
>
> Uncle Joe
> Seffner,Fl.

At busier stations, railroads have janitorial/cleaning staff to clean everything up. For rural stations, local people often volunteer to clean the stations out of civic pride - I've encountered such people in my travels.

One elderly man reminded me to shut the door on the station shed when I board the train, to prevent leaves from blowing in, and I complied. Another time, I saw one elderly woman standing near the station with a rake and a basket, waiting for the train to depart - the local volunteer cleaner.

Korigaoka1811 Wrote:
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> Exceptions everywhere, here and
> there, but overall I'd say that's a fair
> generalization.
>
> John

I agree. I still see bottles, cans, and wrappers, and in Tokyo anyway, graffiti. Trash cans are not everywhere, but for railfans, they SHOULD know where they are (on station platforms), so no excuses to litter - store the trash in the convenience store bags until a trash can is found, which is what most Japanese people do.

cchan006 Wrote:
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> Korigaoka1811 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Exceptions everywhere, here and
> > there, but overall I'd say that's a fair
> > generalization.
> >
> > John
>
> I agree. I still see bottles, cans, and wrappers,
> and in Tokyo anyway, graffiti. Trash cans are not
> everywhere, but for railfans, they SHOULD know
> where they are (on station platforms), so no
> excuses to litter - store the trash in the
> convenience store bags until a trash can is found,
> which is what most Japanese people do.

And there is one thing that I've forgotten about that could blow my generalization on cleanliness right out of the water.  Men's rooms in the big train stations were pretty bad!  Especially JR West stations.  And, of course any place teenagers were hanging out could be well-littered too . . .  kids will be kids, anywhere.

John