Drawing Crowds

Rather a short post, but I wanted to share what I saw tonight as I walked through Shinjuku station in Tokyo. There were easily 100+ women of all ages, taking photos of what was apparently just an advert featuring five boys (men?). I have no idea of whom this quintet comprises, but it's one of those scenes I'll never forget.

Tokyo Taxis

Tokyo Taxis │ NEX-7 & Canon nFD 50mm F1.4 │ 50mm, ISO 160, f/1.4, 1/60, RAW

Taxis in Tokyo are infamous for two main reasons:

1. Design (inside and out) 2. High fares

What they are not famous for, however, is their being either difficult to catch. Because they're not. They're in abundance.

Last night, whilst walking to the station, I saw a fellow foreigner running towards me. The young lady said, in a French accent, " excuse me, can you help me?" To which I naturally replied " of course, what's the problem?"

"Can you please call me a taxi?"

Hmm.

I resisted the urge to say " you're a taxi", and said "err, OK..."

I asked if she was visiting, but she said she lived here in Tokyo. She had an address on her phone, which she couldn't read as it was in Japanese. I told her I could read it, and I noted it wasn't far from here at all, so at least the taxi wouldn't be expensive.

"How do you do it? I've never done it before..."

"Erm, well, I will just put my hand out and get one... like this..."

And a Toyota Royal Saloon pulled up, swung its door open (drivers control this - do not touch doors on a Tokyo taxi), and she hopped in.