While in Tokyo I spent many hours sitting on trains moving through the Yamamoto or inner city subway circuit. This is a continuous loop that traverses the major commercial suburbs of Tokyo. I began to understand that Tokyo train travel is precious "time-out" for its citizens. Although the carriages and views through the train windows are filled with advertising imagery, many passengers use this time to close their eyes and sleep, even while standing with one hand holding the support handle. Train travellers often keep their eyes closed for the duration of their trip having developed an instinct for waking-up at their stop.

Julie Bartholomew 2006