Tag Archive

#commuting

2 rants tagged.

A foreign man stands still in a crowded Japanese train station while commuters walk slowly past him staring at their phones.

transport3 min read

KEITAI ZOMBIES: THE PHONE-STARING PLAGUE OF SHINJUKU STATION

The keitai zombies of Japan will walk into you at a dead crawl, faces welded to a phone, in the middle of Shinjuku station at 8am, and never once consider that other human beings exist. A field report on the smartphone shuffle from hell.

12 August 2026300

A foreign man stuck behind a group of bowing office workers blocking a Japanese train station ticket gate during rush hour.

etiquette4 min read

OTSUKARESAMA: THE THIRTY-MINUTE BOW THAT BLOCKS THE GATE

The otsukaresama group bow is a Japanese workplace farewell ritual performed, for reasons known only to God and middle management, directly in front of the only ticket gate. Hundreds of people, one human dam of gratitude.

9 June 2026300