A long journey for the boys

Japan is not only known for its great transportation system, it is also known for its train fans.  My son has a love/hate relationship with the trains.  He loves learning about the different trains and going to train museums, but gets tired of riding them for long distances underground.  He absolutely hates riding any train during peak hours.  We try to avoid it at all costs, but every once in a while we get stuck on a crowded train.  I can't blame him because I hate it, too.

Sometimes, to encourage his enthusiasm, I let him find the train station stamps.  He doesn't really have a collection per se, but just likes the activity once in a while. 

While brainstorming last day of summer vacation activity ideas, we checked the weather and realized it was forecast to be a gray and rainy day (not cool, mind you - gray, rainy, hot, and humid).  Somehow the topic of train stamps came up and the boys decided they wanted to ride the Oedo Line and collect stamps from each of the 38 stations.

Oedo Line is the perfect line to choose, since it follows along a "6" shape, and we live at the end of the line.  After a bit of research, my husband calculated that they could do it all in one day if they stuck to a schedule of 6 minutes per station (the time between the trains on this route on Sundays), with a break for lunch, quick snack, and an excursion to a shrine.  By catching each train, they would be able to get to 10 stations in an hour and a half (including the commute and transfers).

Photo credit: kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp

On Saturday evening, we stopped by the bookstore in the shopping center at Hikarigaoka Station and found the official "train stamp passport."  While the salesperson didn't know what we were talking about (even after showing a photo of one), we were able to find it on the shelves ourselves next to all the train books.  The paper is nice and thick so the stamp doesn't bleed through.  Another nice feature is the long piece of paper in the back that is used to make sure your stamps don't imprint on the facing page. 

Before they embarked on their journey, my husband purchased a one-day train and bus pass.  While most of the stamps are located inside the station, some are not.  It would get pretty expensive paying to leave and enter so many stations!  So, the one day pass for only ¥700 ($6.50 USD) makes the adventure much less frivolous. 

I waved goodbye as they headed off.  I decided to stay home and deep clean my shelves that were getting a bit crowded for my taste.  It was also a good chance to put on a cheesy romantic comedy without any complaints or commentary from those less than enthusiastic about my taste in movies.

When they returned at dinnertime, they both had fun stories to share.  My son liked telling me about hurrying in the stations so they wouldn't miss the next train.  He learned how to check the chart to see which car they should ride in to be closest to the stairs at each stop, making him feel so responsible.  My husband was excited that they had the time to stop by a shrine he had wanted to go to.  It was the perfect little break for them.

My husband also told me about asking train attendants regarding the location of the stamps.  Since there are multiple exits at large stations, the stamp could be located near any gate and going to the wrong one would result in getting off schedule.  He would ask a station or two before the big station so they could ride on the correct train car and quickly get to the stamp and back to catch the next train.  Some station attendants were very helpful, while others seemed to be burdened by the request since they didn't know the answer and had to call the other station.  His persistence prevailed, with one exception.  The attendant at Yoyogi Station directed him to the wrong stamp for Shinjuku Station!  The boys were in such a rush they didn't realize they had stamped the passport with the Shinjuku Line stamp and not the Oedo Line stamp until after they had left the station.  It is the right station, just the wrong line.  It was disappointing for them, leaving them feeling like they didn't fully complete their mission.

It was a good thing I had dinner ready for them when they got home, because they were both pretty tired.  According to my husband's tracking app, they walked 11.4 kilometers (7.1 miles) and climbed 107 flights of stairs!!!  That is really far for a 6 year old.  I'm so impressed my son was not whiny when he got home.

Although they were disappointed about the wrong Shinjuku Station stamp, they had a great time today.  They had a goal and they reached it, while having a great adventure together.  I can see many more stamps in our future.