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Why Everyone Stands on One Side of the Escalator in Japan

Intermediate

In this video

  1. エスカレーター、みんな片側だけ! Esukarētā, minna katagawa dake! On Japanese escalators, everyone stands on ONE side. Why?
  2. 歩く人のために、片側を空けるんです。 Aruku hito no tame ni, katagawa o akeru n desu. You leave one side open for people who want to walk up.
  3. 東京は左、大阪は右に立つ。 Tōkyō wa hidari, Ōsaka wa migi ni tatsu. Tokyo: stand on the LEFT. Osaka: the RIGHT. It flips!
  4. 左は hidari wa left
  5. 右は migi wa right
  6. 逆に立つと、ちょっと目立つよ😅 保存👇 Gyaku ni tatsu to, chotto medatsu yo. Hozon. Stand on the wrong side and you'll stick out 😅 Save this 👇

Why this phrase

Explain the one-side escalator habit so a tourist doesn't block the walking lane. Teach the Tokyo-left / Osaka-right twist, and sneak in the words for left and right. Friendly, observational, not preachy.

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