Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2010

Wondering when your fellow passengers are likely to detrain? Keep your ears tuned for these verbal cues, and you may be rewarded with a seat

Often asked by people just getting to know each other. Listen for the use of formal Japanese, which may precede a question like this

Friends or couples visiting one another’s home for the first time will likely talk about how far ahead their destination is

Talking on a cellphone is technically against the rules, so anyone taking a call is likely to say how close they are to their stop

Source: Tsukin Densha de Suwaru Gijutsu (Techniques for Getting a Seat on a Commuter Train) by Hajime Yorozu (Kanki Shuppan, 2005)