Train-sploitation

An interview with a photographer about his unflattering pictures of train riders in Tokyo's crowded subway.

2 minute read

October 21, 2016, 9:00 AM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


In his series called "Tokyo Compression," Michael Wolf, took photos of Japanese commuters on crowded trains. According to an interview with Mr. Wolf by CNN's Zahra Jamshed, "Wolf, who lives in Hong Kong, often uses photography to critique the harsh living conditions of large cosmopolitan cities."

"These people are squeezed against the back walls as more and more people are shoveled in. You're living life as a sardine -- it's horrific. This is not a dignified way of living. It's like looking into a ride in hell." Some train riders might point out that all commuters look uncomfortable from time to time as they ride to work. And that, while they might not love the rush hour squeeze, they might not appreciate being photographed at their worst to make the point that they are living in "hell."

But Wolf was intent on capturing the most dramatic and unflattering aspects of the commute. As he explains, "The entire process took four years because the first images I took had no condensation on the windows. The next time I was there, there was more condensation because of the change in season, so the pictures became more dismal and I was able to better express what it was that I wanted." 

In the interest of giving Mr. Wolf the benefit of the doubt, he doesn't universally pity all mass transit commuters, later in the interview he allows that, "there are cities around the world that are planned more sensibly." That's almost certainly true, though it's funny to read it in the same outlet which ranked Tokyo's metro system among the 10 best in the world.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016 in CNN

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight