Our reporter shares why taking a limited-express prepare house after a weeknight consuming occasion made all of the distinction on the planet for him.
Our Japanese-language reporter Ahiruneko is among the many multitudes of people that benefit from the time-honored custom of nomikai, or consuming events, which are a typical after-work follow in Japan. He enjoys each the drinks and the corporate whereas attending them–particularly when it’s along with his SoraNews24 group members, who occur to be among the most enjoyable and weirdest writers round.
In reality, there’s just one factor that Ahiruneko actually dislikes concerning the expertise of nomikai as a complete–the train-ride house. Particularly, he hates the monotony of the time and would a lot relatively simply go to mattress proper there within the restaurant. To make issues worse, final 12 months h and his household moved to the Hachioji space of western Tokyo, that means his rides house from the town heart at the moment are even longer. That’s why, when the SoraNews24 editorial group determined to carry a nomikai for the primary time shortly, he felt excited and his abdomen flopped on the similar time. He couldn’t cease eager about the lengthy prepare experience he’d have after the festivities, and it was undoubtedly souring his temper.
▼ A SoraNews24-style nomikai must be a full of life affair, not one steeped in blue (Ahiruneko is making a peace signal within the backside proper)
That’s when he determined to attempt a tactic that he’d by no means accomplished earlier than–taking a tokkyu (particular limited-express) prepare house on the night time of the occasion. The actual prepare that may be appropriate for his route is accessible solely on weekday mornings and nights and known as the Ome (working between Tokyo Station and the usually confused Ome Station). It started operation in 2019 alongside an analogous limited-express prepare known as the Hachioji. Each of the trains run nonstop from Shinjuku Station to Tachikawa Station, the place passengers can then get off and switch if they should or stay on board till the ultimate vacation spot.
On the day of the nomikai, Ahiruneko reserved a seat on the final Ome prepare of the night time at 10:30 p.m by JR East’s on-line system Eki-Web. The restricted categorical/seat reservation fare (which included a small ticketless low cost) got here to 660 yen (US$4.50), which was then added to the fundamental ticket fare. Now, some readers could query why he purchased the ticket to this point upfront as an alternative of final minute, since that may presumably put a damper on the occasion enjoyable. The nomikai was to be held within the neighborhood of the SoraNews24 workplace within the Shinjuku space starting at 7 p.m., and in all chance it wouldn’t be over by the point he needed to go away. Certain, it may be a little bit of a bummer to have to go away early, however as Ahiruneko finally met his colleagues and received caught up in a whirlwind of laugher, drinks, and small bites, he was struck by a brand new realization.
Although Ahiruneko was having an absolute blast with everybody…
…the little voice behind his head that stored saying “I’ve received a prepare to catch at 10:30 p.m.” precipitated him to take care of a sure stage of soberness and preserve his senses about him. On every other night time, Ahiruneko would by no means flip down an invite to drink yet another glass, however this night time was totally different. This time, he had a reserved seat ready for him.
▼ In different phrases, it was the final word technique to forestall overdrinking.
And so, when the time got here, he bade farewell to his colleagues and hurried down the road to Shinjuku Station.
A fast scan of the digital signboards confirmed that his Ome prepare was leaving from Monitor 10.
Earlier than coming into the ticket gates, he needed to swing by the New Days comfort retailer for a purpose that he’d reveal in a bit.
Ahiruneko has been utilizing Shinjuku Station since his pupil days, however he had by no means truly been as much as the platform between Tracks 9 and 10. The staircase was additionally tremendous empty in comparison with the opposite ones.
The identical went for the platform, no less than in comparison with the other aspect.
Nonetheless, it began getting slightly extra crowded because the departure time neared.
Because the prepare rolled into the station, he seen that there have been much more extra empty seats than not on its manner from Tokyo Station.
As soon as it was time to get on and discover his seat, he seen that the prepare was pretty full, however to not the extent that most individuals had somebody sitting subsequent to them. If he needed to sum it up in a single phrase, it was comfy.
So far as he might see, most individuals gave the impression to be alone, and the within of the automobile was very quiet. This may need been the primary time in his life that he was on such a peaceable prepare experience house after a nomikai.
As quickly because the prepare began rolling, his ears have been met with a refrain of drink cans popping open. He thought that they have to be individuals about to sit back and chill out on their manner house from an extended day of labor. In reality, he determined to hitch them along with his earlier buy at New Days, and pulled out a Suntory Highball. Cheers for a second time tonight!
It was really an ideal setup. Since he’d recognized that he’d have a reserved seat ready for him, he might purchase a drink earlier with no worries. It will additionally take the sting off him feeling like he hadn’t absolutely imbibed on the occasion.
He had been slightly frightened about what may occur if he grew to become sleepy earlier than the prepare, however that turned out to be no trigger for worry. The bizarre feeling of being on the limited-express prepare at night time, coupled with the novelty of the entire scenario, stored him from getting sleepy. Fairly, he felt downright invincible.
▼ If attainable, he would have caught his head out of a [non-existent] sunroof and screamed, “Particular categorical trains are the beeeeeest!!!”
Shortly after that Ome prepare daydream, he was startled to listen to the announcer state that they’d be pulling into Tachikawa Station shortly. He was shocked at how briskly the experience had been up till this level–solely 28 minutes, to be exact. It was a far cry from the tightly packed, standing-room solely chaos of driving the the common Chuo Line to this similar vacation spot. He hadn’t even completed his drink but, however many others have been beginning to rise up and collect their issues.
Sadly, he must be a part of them. He gulped down the remainder of his drink and dunked it within the nearest recycling bin. From right here he would experience the native Ome Line all the best way again to his native station, however this leg of the experience was often not that crowded. The following prepare would arrive in about 10 minutes.
▼ Ome Line famous in inexperienced beneath
Whereas Ahiruneko often dreads the train-ride house after a nomikai, this new route conversely left him feeling refreshed and energized, and he encourages anybody else who has entry to a limited-express prepare as an choice no less than a part of the best way house to spring for that one. He doesn’t assume he can ever return to the earlier Ahiruneko that he was earlier than this expertise. Subsequent time, he additionally is aware of he’ll need to be slightly quicker about consuming any drinks or meals he brings on board–or maybe save the comfort retailer run for later within the night time.
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