When people ask me what feels the most different about living in Japan compared to America, I don’t even hesitate — it’s the transportation. Japan’s system is on another level. I honestly thought transportation in America was decent… until I came here.
In the U.S., you can get around if you’re near big cities or main routes, but let’s be real — it’s not always on time, and once you’re outside of those areas, you’re calling an Uber or renting a car. Since I live in America and have my own car, that’s always felt normal. But if you don’t drive, getting anywhere is a whole production.
Even when I recently went back to Seattle, I noticed improvements. The Sound Link under ground train system in Seattle has gotten better compared to before, but it still feels small compared to Japan’s massive system. And while the trains in Seattle are definitely more usable now, they’re not as clean, and buses outside the city still don’t always run on time. I just felt that in Japan trains are punctual to the minute, spotless, and on a scale that makes getting around the country possible without needing a car.
-KUDEN rinlife Magazine vol.1
Writer: Serene M.