🌸 Noire Henro-san: Tokyo – Pt 1

A Shinkansen or bullet train in Namba Station in Osaka, Japan.

T

okyo. Most people think of this city of 14 million citizens whenever Japan is mentioned. I thought about it while on my pilgrimage walk on Shikoku island. Of course I was focused on being a mindful ohenro on the trail and at the temples. Visiting Tokyo is something I thought I would not have time for before leaving the country. Here I am, however, on a rainy day in Osaka preparing to travel to the capital city.

Osaka to Tokyo on the train takes nearly 3-1/2 hours. The fastest trains in Japan, high speed bullet trains called the Shinkansen, make that possible. This network of high-speed railway lines connects distant Japanese regions with Tokyo to aid economic growth and development.

The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Tokyo and parts of six nearby prefectures, is the most populous and popular metropolitan area in the world, with 41 million residents as of 2024.

Fast trains running

Nankai Namba Station in Osaka is the main transportation hub in the region. From here, I made connections and travelled to and from Tokushima on Shikoku island, to Koyasan, Kobe and Nara.

Rain or shine, trains operate efficiently and seamlessly throughout the country. Bus lines are also linked to the trains.

Rain, rain, go away… please!

Today, I intended to take a Shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo. My mind was made up but it was raining. The weather forecast was for rain and dangerous flooding all day. Currently, trains are up and operational. As long as they were running, I took a chance and walked to Namba Station.

Why? Today is the last day of my reservation in Osaka and another (prepaid) is waiting for me in Tokyo. I’ll be there for a few days.

I walked to the train station from my hotel. The streets were crowded like any other day. It is not hindering commerce one bit. People are out!

Namba Station

My trip began by boarding a train to Shin-Osaka stop for the Shinkansen to Tokyo. At Shin-Osaka, I purchased a ticket for ¥14,810 less a transfer credit for my trip from Namba Station in Osaka city.

It was certainly a hefty price. But I had a few yen remaining in my budget. There was no shortage of passengers, locals and tourists, lined up to board the train when it pulled into the station.

Worth the price of a Shinkansen ticket

I found my seat in the designated class section associated with my paid fare. At first glance, the train car looked empty. Believe me, there are people in those seats!

The rain got heavier. Soon, the train pulled out of Shin-Osaka station.

The train sped along the tracks.

Shinkansen thriller

I was a little concerned about the train possibly derailing due to the rain and high speeds. More so, I was disappointed that the clouds and rain obscured any view of Mt Fuji from my window. Priorities first, humorously!

Each station stop raised concerns about continuing to our destination.

Announcements about the effect of the rain on rail traffic were not encouraging. Train runs were suspended in both directions, but my train plowed forward. A final announcement on the train’s PA system alerted the passengers that Tokyo Station was the last stop for the run due to the rain. The station was packed with people hoping to board the train for its continuing run.

Unfortunately, no one was going anywhere!

No one gets onboard today

The station PA system repeated that the Shinkansen schedule in and out of Tokyo was suspended. Also, a train elsewhere on the line was involved in an “incident”. That factored in the suspension of service. As a result, thousands of passengers were stranded at the station until further notice.

I was relieved when my train pulled into Tokyo before everything shut down.

News about the suspended service was calmly received by the people in the crowded station. There were no loud complaints or panicked reactions at all. I walked through the mass of people on the train platform and made my way downstairs to the subway.

I found the subway train for the neighborhood where I was staying. After I got off the train, my walk to the hotel was less than 5 minutes.

Tokyo city

Safe and sound in rainy, busy Tokyo city. I was grateful for that today.

I had to wait to check into my room. Despite the wild weather, I arrived at the hotel early. At least I got here safely. I was glad about that!

A cozy port in the storm.

Railway service resumed shortly after I checked in. The delay did not affect me directly, but I was interested, nonetheless. A small television in my room enabled me to follow weather and news updates. I hoped that everyone eventually got to their destinations. And that the sun might show itself sometime soon.

See you tomorrow in Tokyo!

Baadaye and Mata Ne (またね)

Shirley J ❤️

This and several posts this summer chronicled my pilgrimage in Japan where I walked the 1200 kilometer-long Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage and beyond. Read my announcement here.