The Japanese have their certain ways of doing things and manners, one of the the most well known faux pas being "don't eat on the train", though Joban line for all its Chiba lack of chic has left this Japanese custom to the side.

Traveling from terminal to terminus could take anything between 3 and half hours and its a frequent site to see people munching on burgers, ramen, yaki soba noodles, soups, buns, cakes, crisps, otsumami, etc and the greatest of all faux pas on a Japanese train - Drinking alcohol.

On most days boarding the Joban line you can frequently see middle aged men supping a can of beer and chewing on dried squid pitifully, waiting for the start of a 2hour journey home. It would be fair to say in most evenings, in any one carriage on a seven seater row, 3 or 4 out of 7 would be having a snack or a beer. Having experienced Joban line for so long and now boarding different train lines, I begin to feel something is amiss.

Where's the smell of Ozake-one cup sake ? Where's the crumpled crisp packets on the floor ? Why are people staring at me with my can of Asahi and cheezy bits ?

Old habits die hard, never mind going out to a bar or restaurant, I think I will need to take the Joban line again someday for a nostalgic eat out. The orient express ? Hardly, but maybe the Chiba oyaji's equivalent.