The annual New Year's return to the capital peaked Tuesday as travelers laden with luggage and gifts from their hometowns and other destinations packed trains, airports and expressways into the night.
According to the railways, reserved seats on Tokyo-bound Tohoku and Tokaido shinkansen lines were virtually full, while most of the nonreserved cars were packed beyond capacity.
The Yamabiko No. 56 bound for Tokyo from Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, was at 200 percent capacity when it departed JR Sendai Station, while the Nozomi No. 18 bound from JR Hakata Station reached 150 percent capacity at JR Okayama Station, East Japan Railway Co. and Central Japan Railway Co. said.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.