by MV&R
The monorail service from Haneda Airport to central Tokyo is as efficient as the JR Rail system and all other forms of public transportation in Japan. Very inexpensive too, about US $ 2.50 from Haneda to downtown Tokyo. Not even an hour since I arrived, and something marvelous happened, which showed me again how considerate and aware of their surroundings people in Japan are, even here in Tokyo, the most populous city in the planet.
I got on the train and saw there was a specific place for passengers to place suitcases, this was a square platform at floor level in the center of the car with some kind of protecting railing to avoid the luggage to roll around. There are seats all around it and some standing room. When I got on, I saw that the nearest luggage place was already full, I had a carry-on and a backpack. I started looking around to see where would be the best spot for me to stand, hold on to a handrail at the same time trying to keep my luggage with me and out of the way. Not even a millisecond into this thought, I saw this man get up from his seat, pick his bag from the luggage holding area and sat down again, placing his bag on his lap. He nodded and signaled with his eyes that he made room for me. I then placed my larger bag in the vacant spot and now was able to sit down with just my backpack on my lap. I nodded a thank you back to him and he acknowledged with a smile. I just sat there in awe of what I just witnessed. Here’s the most dense city in the planet with 6,000 people per square kilometer (compared to New York city at less than 2000 / sq km) where an average local citizen, minding his own business was not at all in a bubble or isolated from his surroundings, willing to promptly volunteer helping a fellow human out of the kindness of his heart. Once again, impressed!!
I was even more pumped about the next two weeks in this amazing country.
