> While trains have long been part of Japanese daily life after most of Tokyo was leveled during World War II, Japan had to make a post-war decision to either a

> While trains have long been part of Japanese daily life after most of Tokyo was leveled during World War II, Japan had to make a post-war decision to either adopt the American automobile-focused city or to rely on public transportation. Of course, they chose public transportation, likely because of Japan’s lack of natural resources like oil. This is true for Tokyo and other major metropolises and larger cities. Having lived in smaller towns and the country-side, I can confidently say that the rest of the country has gone all-in on the American car-centered infrastructure. Living in a town of 30k citizens in Scandinavia for years, I never felt the need for a car. In Japan, it’s essential. Busses run 1/h or so and stops are sparse. The towns themselves are sprawling and not very accessible by foot. Bicycling is a tiring and dangerous endeavour.