Kids asleep, I'm watching a TV show. Tonight I learned that Tokyo station Shinkansen/bullet train area manages crowd control by ekiben - those lovely gourmet bentos that are meant to be consumed on the train as you watch the scenery go by. Normally, one would never eat/drink on a train so these ekiben are coveted. Just like everyone else, I look forward to riding the Shinkansen for the opportunity to eat these beautiful meals.
Crowd control happens because people getting off the shinkansen from outside of Tokyo need time to figure where they need to go so stop to look around, thus interrupting the flow of people. Tokyoites walk fast (even some escalators go faster than regular ones to keep the flow, and everyone knows if you aren't going to walk up the escalator, you must stay to the left to let the others rush by). Those getting off the Shinkansen and those heading to get on were clashing.
So close to 10 years ago, Tokyo station put ekiben sellers one floor downstairs, encouraging a significant flow of those heading out of Tokyo to go via the basement. They'd get their ekiben, head to their train via another route, and not be in the area of the newly arrived folks.
p.s. It's been long enough since I've lived here, and Tokyo train stations have changed so much with new lines, new connections, new station layouts that yes, I'm one of those who stops to look for signs, and at times have to ask where I need to go when I used to know everywhere. Sigh...weird to be the tourist.
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