In volume 5, chapter 45 of My Hero Academia, there is a scene where Midoriya commutes to school on a crowded train. As this scene depicts, it is a common sight in Japan to have people packed tightly during daily commutes by train. I have experienced this for almost 20 years during my high school days and as a working adult, but I still cannot get used to it and find it exhausting. (I don’t think overseas readers can fully understand how much energy it drain from people.)
In this scene, Midoriya is talked by another student, but in reality of daily commute in train, it should not very recommended behavior. There is an unspoken rule to refrain from talking in places where a large number of people gather in Japanese basic culture, and normally the only sound in the train car is the noise of the train. This is a very strange sight for overseas people.
In this article, I would like to introduce the intensity and uniqueness of Japan’s rush hour.
Can you imagine 200% congestion rate?
The congestion rate of the Yamanote Line, which is famous for its morning rush hour, is said to be 165%, and the Chuo Line Rapid is 187%, with an average congestion rate of 164%. In comparison, New York’s congestion rate is 71%, so you can understand how crowded it is.
Here are the congestion rate indicators expnalation: 100%…full capacity (able to sit, hold onto a strap or stand near the door) 150%…able to comfortably spread out and read a newspaper 180%…able to read a newspaper if you fold it or make some effort 200%…feeling significant pressure from being tightly packed, but still able to read a weekly magazine 250%…unable to move or even use hands when the train shakes and the body leans diagonally
In my experience, the 250% crowding level occurs once a week due to rain or disruptions in train schedules.
This overcrowding is not only stressful for people, but also creates a breeding ground for sexual crimes. Railway companies are making efforts to ease overcrowding and prevent sexual crimes by operating trains at the maximum interval (trains on the Yamanote Line arrive at the platform every three minutes during the 8am rush hour, but all of them packed), and by establishing women-only trains.
The reason for the overcrowding in the first place is dependent on Japan’s work culture. While diversity is being advocated in Japan, many companies still start work at 9am, as do schools. This is often decided upon due to rules, not rationality. Even if there are no meetings scheduled, people are expected to be at work by 9am, or else they will be seen with disapproval and labelled as person who is not panctual. To uphold this rule in Japan’s highly conformist society, many of Japanese business men/women rush to catch the 8am train.
