Let’s turn to the fairer sex. Railway enthusiasm has been seen as a small niche market predominantly followed by men called tetchan, or rail enthusiasts. In the past year, however, the female equivalent called tetsuko has started to emerge.
Growing legions of women are enjoying traveling incognito fueled by the resurgence of a cartoon series called “Tetsuko no Tabi, (Tetsuko (or train) Travel) about a female cartoonist traveling together with a male railway buff.
This year Jigokuhyo Kentei Kyokai (The Railway Timetable Certification Association) is offering beginning enthusiasts a trial examination for the railway timetable reading certificate. Twenty-five percent of the enthusiasts applying for this at-home test are women.
The traveling industry in Japan is keeping close tabs on these new women enthusiasts, and so should you. If you come from a country with an interesting and varied rail system, then why not design a rail tour for Japanese women? Then approach a company such as Nippon Travel Agency – which is already active in this niche market – with your Japanese women railway tour concept for your country or region.
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