Commuter Oasis

Posted by Jonelle Patrick on November 14, 2011 in Just another day in Japan | 2 Comments

Shinagawa is one of the busiest train stations in Tokyo, but right in the middle of it is this odd little alcove. At first I thought it was some sort of art installation, but in fact it’s a place where commuters who have time to kill can sit down without having to buy a cup of coffee at a café. Petite “tree stump” seats are arranged amid bubbling water pipes, realistic-looking greenery, and full-spectrum “daylight.”

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.