Oshiya

Japan is known the world over for its supreme train network. In the capital, Tokyo, nearly half of all commuters travel by train, much more than other forms of transport like cycling, buses and private transport. Of the 48% of people who use the public rail network, 22% use the city's huge subway network.

Sandra Barron is an American writer who has lived in Tokyo for the last five years. Having spent the previous 10 years in New York, she is used to taking the subway. But the world of Tokyo’s subway is very different.

"The rush hour is really unbelievable. It's just bodies squashed into a small space as tightly as possible. You can see people whose feet aren't touching the ground sometimes because they are pushed in so tightly," she laughs.

On both the rail and subway lines, train operators have "Oshiya" (or "pushers"). Barron says, "It's funny because "pusher" sounds really aggressive but they wear uniforms, white gloves and they have hats. It's like if you had a big overflowing laundry basket and you have to push the clothes down to close the lid. They make sure everybody gets in and nobody gets caught in the doors.”

We asked Barron which subway she likes more, New York or Tokyo. She can’t decide but she says this about Tokyo, “Compared to New York, Tokyo is very clean, efficient and orderly.”