Few participate in 2008 Yamanote Halloween Train

I’ve gone out to Shinjuku in the last few years and last night was a farce.

Coming into Shinjuku from Ikebukuro we could see a group of around 15-20 police officers in uniform grouped around where the 6th car would stop. On the otherwise quiet platform there was a tight group of people, many Japanese people with DSLR or video cameras taking photos of something. I walked over to take a look and there was maybe 15 or so people in costume talking, waiting for the train. At just past 9pm an officer brought over the white placards and they lined up along the edge of the platform holding them up and periodically turning them around (they had English on one side, Japanese on the other). Around 9:15 people moved onto the train, along with their 2ch paparazzi brigade.

At Harajuku, Shibuya and Ebisu there were large groups of police officers (at Ebisu I counted 12 uniformed officers, 3 plains clothes officers, and possibly 2 more), but considering that these people were merely riding the train and not being violent or causing any damage to the train, they simply stood there (and remained there for at least 15minutes after the train left).

The halloween train previous to 2006 has always been just a bit of fun with simple rules – don’t do anything stupid. There is nothing illegal/wrong with being in costume on a train – but it might annoy someone. There is nothing illegal/wrong with drinking on the train – hell, thats pretty normal here (and there is no law regarding alcohol consumption in public places). There is nothing illegal/wrong with being a little noisy on the train.

But I found the actions of some people last year – in particular leaving rubbish on the train, being destructive (technically they unscrewed an overhead light), and some idiot who was running around naked – have really put a bad light on an underground event that has quietly been going on since the 1970′s.

I’ve also found the reactions and actions of certain people from 2ch and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police to be offensive and radical. I saw police officers pulling up foreigners and Japanese in costume to question and warn them. I saw many Japanese people with cameras getting into peoples faces taking photos. I didn’t have my camera, but it was a real circus last night.

In all the years this has been going on there has never been any injuries or (with the exception of last year) there has never been any damage or negative side effects. The event has always been like a flash mob, when its all over there is nothing left to tell we were there.

In the end the reason why this year was such a fizzle is because after last years stupidity people are disenchanted, there is too much attention and stupidity for what is supposed to be some fairly quiet fun. On top of that is that there was not really any organisation this year – a single blog post a week out from the date, or an event on facebook does not hack it. As for the 31st, thats just a club event.

It should be great to take pictures of salary men who are reading porn on the train, or taking pictures of old japanese men who are drinking beer in the train .
Gaijins maners are rude ? At least its not worth then japanese people .
2ch sucks

“It should be great to take pictures of salary men who are reading porn on the train, or taking pictures of old japanese men who are drinking beer in the train .
Gaijins maners are rude ? At least its not worth then japanese people .
2ch sucks”
-Tommy

I was expecting one idiot who would complain of “discrimination” against gaijins, especially when they are doing the things people will hate. And i found my idiot named Tommy.

Go to pub. Do not mass paty in public transportation. It is just what I say.
Xenophobia? Ha!, sorry it’s word is not effective already.I know most foreigners in japan are losers in your homeland. They export poisonous meats, poisnous money, poisnous people.