JR Central Hits Right in the Feels

The Japanese National Railway (JNR) was a state-owned corporation set up during the occupation to rebuild the nations railways after World War 2. It was broken up in 1987 into 7 separate companies, all with JR in their name. JR Tokai, or JR Central, is officially centered around the city of Nagoya, but it runs the Tokaido line of the Shinkansen bullet train, which runs between Tokyo in the east and Osaka in the West. Fun fact, the Shinkansen lines do not connect in Tokyo, because the Shinkansen from western Japan run on electricity produced at 60 hertz, while the Shinkansen the run from Tokyo to the North and East run on electricity produced at 50 hertz. No word on what will happen the new Hokuriku Shinkansen line, which runs along the Japan Sea coast, eventually meets up with JR West lines in Kyoto or wherever the final terminus is.

Regardless of what electricity it uses, Japanese trains are steeped in strong emotional connections for most people. They take them away from their homes to college and new job assignments. They bring them home for weddings, holidays, and funerals. Japan has a very active air transport sector, but planes just don't bring the same punch in a film or tv drama as a train station. If "Crazy Rich Asians" had been made in Japan at the height of the bubble economy, the airplane scene at the end would have had to have been done on a train.

Because the New Year's holiday is fast approaching, one of the peak travel times of the year for most Japanese, transport options are filling fast. But with an aging and shrinking population, a lot of people are just not traveling like the used to. To remind us why the should travel for New Year's, JR Central recently released an ad campaign that really doesn't need any words, but does need tissues, because it will make the most hardened heart develop a case of "allergies."

It starts with a young guy riding on a suspiciously empty train (although the announcement does say that it is the end of the line). It then cuts away to scenes of families and friends meeting for what is clearly a long time. For many Japanese people, they only see their families or friends at major holidays like this. And many Japanese people keep in touch with the people they went to school with. There are parties, and hugging kids (not as many hugging adults - although more than in the past; Japanese people are historically not as touchy as some other cultures, but that's softening). Then we see the young guy again, smiling and greeting a woman who is just out of focus. And then they hit us with the tagline: "subete no aitai hito ga, aitai hito to, aemasu you ni." Or "For everyone who wants to see someone, helping them to see, the people they want to see."

JR Tokai (Central Japan Railway) Commercial

The reaction on social media has been very positive. This user says:

"Why are JR Tokai Commercials Full of So Many Masterpieces? (crying)"

And so, as 2023 ends, I wish that everyone may see those whom they want to see, now and in the New Year. Got to go. Allergies acting up.