Quick Talk Answers

1.  What's your favorite mode of transport?

I have an unusual favourite mode of transport – cable car. I think in Japan, people call it a ropeway. I love the view from cable cars. They are usually suspended high in the mountains, so I can look down on the treetops. There's an amazing cable car ride from Sannomiya in Kobe to Arima town, over the Rokko Mountains.

2.  What do you think of trams and monorails?

I haven't really been on many trams or monorails. I went on a tram when I visited Hiroshima. That city has an extensive tram network. They look cool in the streets. And I've only been on a monorail once - I think from Haneda Airport into some area of Tokyo. I remember it being very quiet.

3.  Do you like being on boats or going on boat trips?

I get a little sea sick, so I don't really like boats. I don't think I could go on a long journey by boat. My uncle works on ferries for a living. He loves it, but that's not a job for me. I would be happy to go on a boat if scientists invented a pill to stop sea-sickness, and air-sickness.

4.  What do you think of transport in Japan?

It's amazing. It's so easy to get around here, even to really remote parts of Japan. If you commute to work in a city, the transportation systems are so convenient. I use my travel pass to go all over Osaka, seven days a week. It's great value.

5.  Should using transport be safe and boring or fun and adventurous?

It depends. Commuting to work should be safe and boring. When we are on holiday, it should be fun. I went on a rickshaw ride in Kanazawa the other day. That was fun. I've also been on the Twilight Express train to Hokkaido. That was fun – and posh. It was like a luxury hotel

6.  What do you think of trainspotting as a hobby?

To be honest, I'm a bit of a train nerd, so I really like trainspotting. Trains are an important part of a country's history. It's interesting to see how trains changed Japan's history. So I love looking at old trains. I also like taking photos of local trains in the countryside. They're all so different.

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