Life in Toyko is like nothing I’ve ever really experienced.  Every day, at all hours, wherever you go, there are people.  And not just a few people, mind you, but hordes of people.  Sometimes I ask myself, what are they all doing?!  Well, most people live tiring and busy lives filled mostly with working, shopping, caring for the kids, working, going to school, going out to play, and yes, working.  Strange as it may seem, the busiest times on the train are not the morning rush hours, but the Friday and Saturday gotta-catch-the-last-train rush hours.  So instead of simply not being able to move your arms and legs (morning), which I have gotten somewhat used to, really crowded is when you have to lock your elbows and shoulders against a crush that barely lets you breathe (Friday/Saturday midnightish).  And surely you’ve all heard about the train station employees whose job is to push and pack people onto the trains, but what you may not know is these people tend to take a running football-esque lunge at the doorways and then smush waving hands into not necessarily corresponding faces until the doors close.  So no, Japan is not a good place for the claustrophobic.

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