Tag: Tokyo Shuttle

Tokyo Shuttle from Narita International Airport to Tokyo

travelingpersecond

I jumped from the front door and then white and slanted eyes faces were intently watching me. It was nice to be able to mingle with the middle class citiziens on the bus. I and all passengers would move towards downtown Tokyo. Then I sat down in the third row from back, right next to window pane. I was helped by the presence of an electric socket to increase my smartphone power, but unfortunately I couldn’t use the Wi-Fi.

Bus with green and white color combination consistently emited a mixture of emissions and water vapor from its exhaust at the freezing limit of Narita’s air. The color combination of red-green name was very striking to remember that transportation mode brand which shared the same ownership with the giant private railway company in two prefectures of Chiba and Tokyo. Keisei was the name of that transportation company.

The “Tokyo Shuttle” as the bus was called, would travel for an hour to Chiyoda District where Tokyo Station was located. Down the city streets for 65 Km, bus passed Higashi Kanto Expressway.

Higashi Kanto Expressway in Chiba Prefecture.
JR Bus Kanto passed by.
Willer Express Bus which pursuit it.

The toll road were bordered by guard rails and each segment only consists of two lanes. An ordinary inter-district toll road. Some of trees which looked barren due to dormancy became a frequent sight on this trip, leaving the finger of branches pointing at the sky.

Meanwhile, giant sutets consistently straddled toll road, supplying electricity between cities with valor. Going further, my journey began to show wide and clean canals maintained with several low, medium and high apartments at a distance which couln’t be called close together.

When most of the passengers fell asleep and were swallowed by bus speed, my thoughts were getting worse. I couldn’t feel the smooth stamping of driver’s gas pedal which managed to hypnotize all passengers to sleeping.

“Will it be as easy as turning my palms when looking for a train to Nakano?”

“How to find a button to buy a one day pass at the station later?”.

“Can I endure stifling cold out there?”

I was drowning in my own anxiety in whole way. Unabled to fully enjoy beautiful scenery out there. In fact that all time I had miss Japan. Hmmh….

The shorter of distance from downton, the scenery changed. The canals which were still clean were crammed with apartment and office buildings which closely lined up along the canals. But still, everything looked neat, clean and orderly. That nation was really civilized.

Entering Koto District, Tokyo Prefecture.
Ariake-nishi canal.
Heikyu River.

I arrived at Tokyo Station and was dropped off at bus stop in the shape of a rectangle with 5 feet which placed on its two sides, on the edge of Sotobori-dori Avenue right in front of Tekko Building. I had never found any definitive directions to station gate.

Not even looking for clues, I had been struggling against Japan’s winter air. It became even more surprising why local residents just walk around in a layer of office clothes, without gloves, without covering their heads and ears. Unliked me, who had a second layer of jacket with an additional t-shirt in first layer of my clothes, winter gloves and earmuffs. Still I trembled against the freezing temperature.

I continued down the street without Latin clue. Until I found the first Latin writing since I got off the Tokyo Shuttle bus. “Tokyo Station”, I slowly read a large signboard above station building. “TOKYO STATION Yaesu North Entrance”.

Let’s heading for Nakano.

I thought I’d better get into the station and got some warmth than freeze out there.

It was time to think about heading to Nakano.

Video link of this trip: https://youtu.be/pwb_kv0CaeY

Transportation from Narita International Airport to Tokyo city can also be found on 12Go or the following link: https://12go.asia/?z=3283832

Tokyo Shuttle dari Narita International Airport ke Tokyo

travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Aku melompat dari pintu depan dan tak lama kemudian wajah-wajah putih bermata sipit  memperhatikan dengan seksama kehadiranku. Senang rasanya aku bisa berbaur dengan kaum menengah di dalam bus itu. Aku bersama seluruh penumpang akan bergerak menuju pusat kota Tokyo. Lalu aku sudah saja mendudukkan diri di baris ketiga dari belakang, sebelah kanan dekat dengan kaca jendela. Aku terbantu dengan keberadaan soket elektrik untuk menambah daya gawai pintarku, tetapi sayang Wi-Fi itu tak bisa kumanfaatkan.

Kotak transportasi dengan warna kombinasi sepadan hijau putih itu konsisten menyemburkan campuran emisi dan uap air dari knalpotnya di limit beku udara Narita. Warna nama kombinasi merah-hijau sangat mencolok untuk mengingat brand moda transportasi yang satu kepemilikan dengan perusahaan kereta api swasta raksasa di dua prefektur yaitu Chiba dan Tokyo. Keisei nama perusahaan transportasi itu.

“Tokyo Shuttle” begitu nama bus itu, akan merayap selama satu jam menuju Distrik Chiyoda dimana Stasiun Tokyo berada. Menyusuri jalanan kota sejauh 65 Km, bus melewati  jalan tol Higashi Kanto Expressway.

Higashi Kanto Expressway di Prefektur Chiba.
JR Bus Kanto melintas.
Willer Express Bus mengejar.

Antar ruas jalan tol itu berbataskan guard rail dan setiap ruasnya hanya bersusun dua jalur. Jalan tol antar distrik yang biasa saja. Sebagian pepohonan yang tampak gersang akibat dormancy  menjadi pemandangan yang sering dalam perjalanan ini, menyisakah jari jemari dahan yang menunjuki langit.

Sementara sutet-sutet raksasa berjarak konsisten mengangkangi tol, mengalirkan listrik antar kota dengan gagahnya. Masuk lebih jauh, perjalanan mulai mempertontonkan kanal-kanal lebar dan bersih terawat dengan beberapa apartemen rendah, sedang dan tinggi pada jarak yang tak bisa dibilang rapat.

Ketika sebagian besar penumpang terlelap dan tertelan laju bus itu, fikiranku semakin runyam. Aku tak bisa menikmati injakan halus pedal gas sang sopir yang berhasil menyirap semua penumpangnya itu.

“Apakah nanti akan semudah membalikkan telapak tangan saat mencari kereta ke Nakano?”.

“Bagaimana mencari tombol untuk membeli one day pass di stasiun nanti?”.

“Bisakah aku menahan hawa dingin mencekat ini di luar sana?”

Aku tenggelam dalam kegelisahanku sendiri sepanjang perjalanan. Tak mampu menikmati dengan sepenuh hati pemandangan indah di luar sana. Padahal, bukannya selama ini aku merindukan Jepang. Duh….

Semakin pendek jarak dengan pusat kota, pemandangan berganti. Kanal-kanal yang masih saja bersih di jejali dengan bangunan-bangunan apartemen dan perkantoran yang berbaris rapat menongkrongi sepanjang kanal. Tapi tetap saja, semua tampak rapi, bersih dan teratur. Sungguh beradab bangsa itu.

Memasuki Distrik Koto, Prefektur Tokyo.
Ariake-nishi canal.
Heikyu River.

Aku tiba di Stasiun Tokyo dan diturunkan di halte bus berbentuk persegi panjang dengan 5 kaki yang diletakkan pada dua sisinya saja, di pinggir Sotobori-dori Avenue tepat di depan Tekko Building. Aku tak pernah menemukan petunjuk pasti menuju gerbang stasiun itu.

Bahkan belum juga mencari petunjuk pun, aku sudah bersusah payah melawan udara musim dingin Jepang. Menjadi semakin heran kenapa penduduk setempat berlalu lalang begitu saja dengan selapis baju kantoran, tanpa sarung tangan, tanpa penutu kepala dan telinga. Berbeda denganku yang sudah berjaket lapis dua dengan tambahan t-shirt di lapisan pertama bajuku, winter gloves dan earmuffs. Masih saja aku bergetar melawan suhu beku itu.

Aku terus menyusuri jalan tanpa petunjuk latin itu. Hingga kutemukan tulisan latin pertama semenjak aku turun dari bus Tokyo Shuttle. “Tokyo Station”, pelan kubaca signboard besar di atas bangunan stasiun. “TOKYO STATION Yaesu North Entrance”.

Mari menuju Nakano.

Kufikir lebih baik aku segera memasuki stasiun dan mencari kehangatan daripada  membeku di luaran sana.

Saatnya berfikir untuk menuju Nakano.

Link video perjalanan ini: https://youtu.be/pwb_kv0CaeY

Transportasi dari Narita International Airport menuju ke kota Tokyo juga bisa dicari di 12Go atau link berikut: https://12go.asia/?z=3283832

Kisah Selanjutnya—->