Obsessed with watching Japanese trains go by? Now you can indulge your hobby regardless of bad weather or friends who just don't get your hobby — whether you're in Japan or not.
The website Tetsudonow ("railroads now") has elevated trainspotting to a new level by allowing viewers to watch virtual trains zip around the major cities of Japan on a Google map mash-up. Twitter users in Japan were bubbling with excitement yesterday, with some tweeting that the illustrated trains move in real-time. If only. The site's explanation says that the trains actually move in accordance with their weekday timetables, so the map doesn't reflect delays, stoppages or weekend schedules.
The navigation tools do, however, let you see the routes of most major railways in Japan at any time of day. To hobbyists' delight, the trains are all labeled with their actual line colors and approximate shapes, so you can tell a green Yamanote train from a snub-nosed shinkansen at a glance. Click on any moving train to see where it's coming from and where it's headed.
Now you can trainspot with a bag of popcorn in one hand and a Coke in the other from the comfort of your swivel chair with no one jostling or judging you. Us? We wouldn't judge you.