Summary: Al Jazeera's Ramsey Zarifeh first travelled to Japan soon after graduation to teach English. Fascinated by the futuristic bullet trains and the country’s unique train network, he got to know Japan through its railways. He travelled on nearly every rail line and ended up writing a guide book based on these experiences. Japan’s railway, stretching across big cities and connecting rural communities, is a window into Japanese society and culture. Nowhere else on the planet do trains run not just to the minute, but to the second. The need for speed, focus on accuracy and technological innovation are all facets of Japanese society manifest in the railway system. Almost two decades after he first travelled there, Ramsey journeys through Japan to rediscover a country at a crossroads: at once both upholding tradition and rushing headlong towards the future. Ramsey’s travels take him to rural lines - once important lifelines for remote communities, now struggling to survive as the birth rate falls; to the station synonymous with a famous cat; and to a remote line devastated by the 2011 tsunami. He meets an old friend at the sacred Buddhist site, Koya-san, revisits his old school, travels to Tokyo to delve deeper into the culture of punctuality, and explores the sub-cultures, literature and music inspired by a love for trains. This film recalls Ramsey's initial journey, and is an exploration of contemporary Japan through the story of its railway and distinctive train culture.
