Train culture is a fine-tuned, well-oiled mechanism for travel around Japan. It is hands down the most efficient method of transportation within cities and cross country.
Like any sort of schedule, Japanese adhere to train routes and times to the T. There are hardly delays of major concern and there are train lines that can take you to most areas, even rural towns and outskirts of major cities. Buses of the same caliber and dedication pick up where the trains left off. JR (Japan Railway) is the largest train company in Japan and extends to every region and area of the country.
I could venture to say some Japanese are fanatical about train culture. There are various types of contests every year to see who can make it from one cross-country destination to the next first. Since trains are such a popular way of commute, many non-fanatical Japanese have their train schedules and other alternative train schedules memorized.
I also see quite a few people in train stations taking photos. This, I come to find, is no coincidence. There is a country-wide contest for best train photos every year. Perhaps they have a category for gaijin entries and the above and below could qualify :)
The trains that I have ridden are pristine. There is no trash, already-been-chewed gum stuck to the paneling, graffitied transit ads, or drunkards spouting or splurting. My only qualm about the train system is that there is no room for a bike! If there is a secondary means of transportation in Japan, it is the bike. And for as many bikes as there are passengers, I can understand the reasoning. But, oh what a perfect world this would be if bikes and trains could live harmoniously as one.
Train culture is a fine-tuned, well-oiled mechanism for travel around Japan. It is hands down the most efficient method of transportation within cities and cross country. 
Like any sort of schedule, Japanese adhere to train routes and times to the T. There are hardly delays of major concern and there are train lines that can take you to most areas, even rural towns and outskirts of major cities. Buses of the same caliber and dedication pick up where the trains left off. JR (Japan Railway) is the largest train company in Japan and extends to every region and area of the country.
I could venture to say some Japanese are fanatical about train culture. There are various types of contests every year to see who can make it from one cross-country destination to the next first. Since trains are such a popular way of commute, many non-fanatical Japanese have their train schedules and other alternative train schedules memorized.
I also see quite a few people in train stations taking photos. This, I come to find, is no coincidence. There is a country-wide contest for best train photos every year. Perhaps they have a category for gaijin entries and the above and below could qualify :)
The trains that I have ridden are pristine. There is no trash, already-been-chewed gum stuck to the paneling, graffitied transit ads, or drunkards spouting or splurting. My only qualm about the train system is that there is no room for a bike! If there is a secondary means of transportation in Japan, it is the bike. And for as many bikes as there are passengers, I can understand the reasoning. But, oh what a perfect world this would be if bikes and trains could live harmoniously as one. 
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