Japanese train and bus announcements

[marc224]

Have a nice day.

My name is Marc Marcel Moll. I am very interested in buses and trains in Japan (Tokyo and other cities).
I am currently writing a paper about it.

I have a question, and I would be grateful if you could give me some information.


My question.
In the 1970s and 1980s, when buses and trains did not automatically announce their stops, did drivers always announce their stops?
Would they still do so today?


Message, looking forward to it.

Marc Moll

 

[thomas]

Hi Marc, welcome to the forum!

I'm waiting for the train experts to chime in, but according to the YT videos below, trains used pre-recorded announcements in the 1980s:

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It seems that in the 1970s, there were still announcements by drivers and conductors:

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In my experience, nowadays, most buses use pre-recorded announcements and/or digital displays.

 

[Yama Imo]

I enjoyed watching the video from Showa 49 (1974); it really brought back memories of riding the commuter trains in and around Tokyo back then.

I was stationed at Yokota Air Base from 1973 to 1978, and rode the the trains frequently. Although recollection of detail from that long ago is sometimes muted or enhanced, I am quite certain that the station announcements were made by the conductor or driver. At least they were on the train lines that I most frequently rode (Ome Line, Chuo Line, Yamanote Line).

 

[Petaris]

On some of the local Kintetsu line trains they the driver or conductor, not sure which, still announces the stops.

 

[mdchachi]

When I lived there in the 1990s conductors still announced the stops on many trains even in Tokyo. Usually with a specific voice modeled after Popeye. Or so it seemed.