Parting Shot

I have so many stray videos lying around on this computer from this trip that I haven't put on the blog -- just because I'm leaving doesn't mean the blog is done. I'll try to find sone of the more interesting ones when I get home and maybe do an iMovie job on them -- editing, soundtracks and so forth -- that are difficult to do here because it's so time-consuming.

But here's a good parting shot for you -- the famed "rush hour" on Japanese trains.

This is actually a pathetic understatement -- you could actually move several inches in every direction on this train, which Tai-chan and I were taking on Thursday night -- whereas the REAL deal -- rush hour trains from central Osaka, for example -- live, seared into my brain from the very few times i had to experience them.

And it was quite frightening. On those trains, you were packed in so tightly that you could not even lift your hand to your face. This journey was nothing like that at all, but it was still more crowded than I like.

They call it here "Gyū-gyū zume" (ぎゅうぎゅう詰め) -- not sure quite what it means but it definitely is something like "sardines in a can."

Enjoy.