At a time when food prices are on the rise and income levels remain flat, it's not easy finding the money for shinkansen tickets, which cost ¥13,240 per person for a nonreserved seat from Tokyo to Osaka.
But there is another form of public transport that costs only a third of that amount and is rapidly gaining in popularity — highway buses. And with gasoline prices also rapidly rising, those who normally drive are also choosing to use the buses, further boosting their popularity.
On one humid August night, the highway bus terminal at Tokyo Station was full of young backpackers, families and businesspeople waiting for buses bound for major cities.
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