JR Shinkansen

Let's make it clear from the get-go. I'm not at all well travelled. I did however get the chance to spend some time in Japan a number of years ago. I got thinking about it this week and got talking about it with some people I know who have also spent some time there.

We shared our experiences and remarked at how we often say how great it is to live in Australia, and how visitors who come here say how great it is to visit. We hear about how laid back we are, how great the weather is, the beaches, and so on. I've not come across any city in Australia though were the people are just so damn polite as they are in Japan. And everything is "right". The trains run on time every time. There is no litter, no homeless (well, very few, I saw one in Osaka) and nothing is run down. And I was impressed with the trains. Don't freak, I'm no trainspotter or anything. These things were quite the contrast to what I was used to.

On the bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto, the JR Shinkansen, I asked my companion how far we had left to travel to Kyoto.
"We will arrive in twelve minutes."
"OK, but how far is it"
"The train is due to arrive in Kyoto at 10:19am. It is now 10:07am. Twelve minutes."
Fine. So you don't know where we are exactly or you don't understand my question.
"How many kilometres away from Kyoto are we?"
pause...
"I don't know, but it will take us... now eleven minutes"
Sure...
(insert eleven minutes here)
It's 10:19am. Exactly. We arrive.
"The trains always run on time in Japan. Always"
Awesome.

After a great day in Kyoto, we head for the train again to get back to Kansai (Osaka international airport). This time we catch the JR express, the Haruka. This line terminates at Kyoto so we wait for passengers to get off. The area is roped off and a cleaning crew get on to spruce it up. "Cool" I think. But wait, there's more. After they have finished cleaning, the seats start to move. Automatically. All of them at once. They rise up a few inches then take a twist, a full 180 degrees so they're now facing the other way. OK, now the train is ready for us to board. Welcome passenger, I hope your journey is a pleasant one!

Well that's enough for tonight. Perhaps another post soon about what I saw, what I ate (and drank), and who I met.