Yamanote Line Platforms to be Smoke Free... Kind of

I was riding the Yamanote line yesterday and saw a very nice ad on the train's video screen about how, starting next month all the trains platforms on the line will be smoke free... kind of.

Right now they have "Smoking Zones" on each platform with two times of the day marked as "No Smoking". These zones are ineffective as, as everyone knows, train platforms are outside and there's a little thing called wind outside.

I can't tell you my constant frustration every morning on my way to work at Takadanobaba station, standing 100 metres downwind from the "Smoking Zone" and still getting the full blast of the smokers. Shibuya station is more of a joke with the "Smoking Zone" being right behind the main stairs leading to the massive Hachiko exit.

Luckily, JR has decided, in 2007 to install large fish-tanks for smokers to stand in so their smoke won't annoy other passengers. The fish-tanks will have air vacuums to vent the smoke out of the fish-tanks. I swear to God though, if it's vented onto the platform I think my head will implode.

According to this report the largest named group of complaints given to the JR company from passengers concerns smokers. Whether these complaints were about the ineffective "Smoking Zones" or about people smoking in non smoking parts of the platform is unknown. It stands to reason though that these fish-tanks are a response to public pressure to offer a healthier travel service.

Now if only JR would place an occupancy limit on their carriages.

Like this site? Subscribe to my site feed or email newsletter to get our updates as soon as they're online.