Smoking and Crowded Trains in Showa-Era Japan
There were no non-smoking cars even on the Shinkansen, and you could smoke as much as you wanted in airplane seats.
On top of that, there were doctors who would have a smoke in the examination room even with patients there, and politicians puffing on cigarettes during Diet sessions.
Thinking about it now, it was insane. According to the latest survey, the male smoking rate is 27.8%, but—
Back in 1966 (Showa 41), it was an incredible 83.7%.
So during the morning rush hour, station platforms looked like this.
By the way, our very own Downtown also—
Back then, when we had no work at all and no money, we were like, “We wanna be on TV, we wanna be on TV…”
“Isn’t there at least something like a leather gig or something?” we said.
That’s another feature segment in itself though.
And even after the Heisei era started, they were still smoking away right in the middle of studio talk.
That whole era of public safety was totally insane. Next up is the commuter rush.
Currently, the average morning train congestion rate in Tokyo is 163%.
End of transcript · 188 words · machine translated
Original transcript (Japanese)
新幹線にも禁煙車両はなく 飛行機の座席でも吸いたい放題 さらには病院の診察室で患者がいるのに一服する医者がいたり 国会中に政治家が煙草をくゆらせていたりと 今考えるとめちゃくちゃ 最新の調査で男性の喫煙率は27.8%だが 昭和41年当時はなんと83.7% なので朝の通勤ラッシュ時には駅のホームはこんな感じに
ちなみに我らがダウンタウンも 前なぁ 全然仕事もなかって金もなかった時にテレビ出たい テレビ出たい なんかレザーくらいないんかいってよ これまた特集やけどな と平成に入ってもなおスタジオトーク中にもかかわらずがっつり喫煙
そんな消防めちゃくちゃだったこと 続いては通勤ラッシュ 現在朝の鉄道混雑率は東京で平均163%だが
