Bought an one day pass of Tokyo Metro, and tried to reach as many last stops of various lines as possible.
I spent about 12 hours, including lunch and dinner time, covernig Hounanchou(Marunouchi), Ogikubo(Marunouchi), Hikarigaoka(Ohedo), Shinkiba(Yurakucho), Nishifunabashi(Tozaisen), Osiage(Hanzomon and Asakusa), Asakusa(Asakusa), Kitasenju(Hibiya), Ayase(Chiyoda). I have also got out of the sations of Shinjuku, Nakanosakaue, Tukijima, Monzennakacho, Kiyosusirakawa, Sumiyoshi.
The last try was to Ayase, in the first half of 11PM, which was too late for me to catch the last train back home. I could only catch a last train, going to a place 8 stops away from my home, and had to walk all the way back for 90 minutes. The last unexpected long walt was in fact a blessing, because I had eaten too much in the train hopping trip!
The facilities of the subways are technically well designed. Most of the decorations are not realy pleasant looking, but not depressing neither. Ohedo line has the most interesting designs on the walls of platform and passages, probably because it is a newly constructed line. Being new, Ohedo line is also one of the deepest one, having a serial of long stretching stairs or escalators at many stations. In constrast, New York has the dirtiest looking subways, London the most depressing ones (the tube! ). The trains in London subway fit the tube shaped tunnel so well, and the cylinder space is so much less than a cuboid that it feels sufocating to be inside. A bad experience for people with claustrophobia.
Above the ground, there is nothing much exiting to expect. Without exception, most of the stations are surrounded by pachinco or slot shops, one to a few shoppin shreets, with similar varieties of super markets, restaraunts, beauty saloons, greengrocer's shop etc. Newer towns have fancier faces, but more artificial; older towns miserable faces but more human. In contrast, Paris is the most exciting place to travel by subway. Every place is full of historical and culture rich landmarks or facilities. London is between Paris and Tokyo, with the buildingshaving having more variety of styles. Than Paris, and Tokyo. Maybe it is because of the industry revolution.
Talking about history, among the three cities above, Paris might be the only place where no terrorist attacks had happened. New York had 9/11 by Al-Qaeda, Tokyo sarin attack by Omu, London multiple explosion by Al-Qaeda.
Here are the thumb nails of most of the photos I took.
The last try was to Ayase, in the first half of 11PM, which was too late for me to catch the last train back home. I could only catch a last train, going to a place 8 stops away from my home, and had to walk all the way back for 90 minutes. The last unexpected long walt was in fact a blessing, because I had eaten too much in the train hopping trip!
The facilities of the subways are technically well designed. Most of the decorations are not realy pleasant looking, but not depressing neither. Ohedo line has the most interesting designs on the walls of platform and passages, probably because it is a newly constructed line. Being new, Ohedo line is also one of the deepest one, having a serial of long stretching stairs or escalators at many stations. In constrast, New York has the dirtiest looking subways, London the most depressing ones (the tube! ). The trains in London subway fit the tube shaped tunnel so well, and the cylinder space is so much less than a cuboid that it feels sufocating to be inside. A bad experience for people with claustrophobia.
Above the ground, there is nothing much exiting to expect. Without exception, most of the stations are surrounded by pachinco or slot shops, one to a few shoppin shreets, with similar varieties of super markets, restaraunts, beauty saloons, greengrocer's shop etc. Newer towns have fancier faces, but more artificial; older towns miserable faces but more human. In contrast, Paris is the most exciting place to travel by subway. Every place is full of historical and culture rich landmarks or facilities. London is between Paris and Tokyo, with the buildingshaving having more variety of styles. Than Paris, and Tokyo. Maybe it is because of the industry revolution.
Talking about history, among the three cities above, Paris might be the only place where no terrorist attacks had happened. New York had 9/11 by Al-Qaeda, Tokyo sarin attack by Omu, London multiple explosion by Al-Qaeda.
Here are the thumb nails of most of the photos I took.
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