Riding the "Flower Train"

by Chris MaGee

This isn't new news online or anything, just an interesting short film by Ian Lynman, a graphic designer based in Tokyo called "Flower Train". There's not a lot to it visually, but the information that it provides about the hanadensha (flower trains) or women only trains that are in operation in Japanese cities to protect female commuters from sexual assault are really interesting and startling. Out of 1,897 crimes reported on Japanese commuter trains in 2007 1,886 were sexual assaults! Geez!

If you want a dose of hard cold reality in amongst your news on movies then check out the short film below care of the folks at Neojaponisme.


Flower Train from Ian Lynam on Vimeo.