I had the sense when I went out at 10 am this morning, that there were more people around on the stations and on the train than there normally would be.
And then there were fewer as the rush hour approached at 5.30 pm (the peak is normally 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm).
All was explained when the hotel staff told me that today was a national holiday in Japan: Culture Day.
Culture Day (Bunka no Hi) is a national public holiday in Japan held annually on Nov. 3. It promotes the arts, cultural awareness, academic endeavors, and a love for peace and freedom. – from Wikipdia
It is Election Day in the United States, of course. It will already be 8 am on Wednesday morning here when the first results will start to come in.
The first polls close at 6 p.m. ET in the eastern parts of Indiana and Kentucky. Then at 7 p.m., polls close in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia, the rest of Indiana, Kentucky and most of Florida. Then North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia follow at 7:30 p.m- as reported by CBS news.
The Yamanote Line opened on 1 March 1885: 141 years ago.
