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THE DOORS WAIT FOR NO MAN NOR BEAST!!

This is basically what I hear when the loudspeaker in the station announces the train doors will momentarily close. Although, it seems instead of this, most japanese people hear 'Hey guys! now is a great time to try and board the train!!'.... 
Due to this, their boarding of the carriage sort of turns into a game of 'hole in the wall' where the hole between the doors gets smaller and smaller as they rush towards it. Surprising however, a lot do make it onto the train!!.... My research into this seems to indicate that most Japanese people have a build in transformation device whereupon activation they can not only become the width of a small poodle but also rectangular in shape. 

Here is a photo I took this morning of my train journey to uni:

BRING ON THE DOORS!!!!

I haven't get got this art down to a tee and were I to try Id probably end up jammed between the doors, legs a-flailing as the train moves off down the platform...

Seeing as i'm on the topic of trains, I may as well take the time to explain a little about my daily commute! (it's picture timeline time!)

So I start my travel at the humble 明大前 station, home of the Keio line! This is the station closest to where I live.
It is also really convenient as I can travel to Shinjuku or Shibuya directly!

I then scan in and head up to platform 2 where the trains to Shinjuku pull in as thats where I need to change trains.

Up the stairs!

If you ask me, personally, I think the trains could be more frequent. 

Then I squish into one of the nearest carriages along with a million and one other people

Then we all try and get off at the same time at Shinjuku, promptly all also attempting to climb a tiny set of stairs at once.

My next destination in the Chuo Line. (RAPID). There's a bunch of Chuo lines but this one is most convenient.

I have to transfer to a JR line to get on this train. My stop is Ochanomizu (means 'the honourable tea water')

I just follow the orange signs to platform number 8, this is my favourite entrance as it has an escalator!

Rapid train to Tokyo! It's only 2 stops but it's not really walking distance unless you are penniless or mad (or both)

Here it comes! NYOOM. They trains also often beep when they get to approximately that close to me and make me jump out my skin

The emptiness of that carriage is a misconception, theres swathes of people stood behind me...

Last train, this photo was taken on a shockingly spacious day. I will fondly remember it as i'm pressed up flat against a window next time.

You know you've been in Tokyo too long when you start to see the same person on the trains.... It was a beautiful moment, I recognised the sad eyes of an overworked salaryman on the return journey from Ochanomizu. We had both been there before merely yesterday, and, as he raised his head heavy with the thoughts of spreadsheets and meetings to solemnly nod in my direction I felt at one with the train and accepted as part of the rat race. 

OR, he could have just been angry that I knocked his briefcase over. *oops*

Luckily however, my new zen train powers did grant me the ability to actually cross from one train to another at the next platform in the nick of time without being bashed by countless shopping bags on the way OR being chopped in half betwixt the metallic edges of the doors!

With manoeuvres like that I'm well on the way to becoming a professional commuter if not even a train-hopping wizardy squirrel! 

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