Green light shows you have at least 30 minutes for next train. (photo: Sep. 2005)
"Hotto Yuda" (ほっとゆだ) of Kawashiri Onsen (川尻温泉), Iwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region is one of the most unique onsens in Japan. There are working traffic lights inside of both bathrooms for men and women. Do you know public baths equipped with traffic lights in your countries? If you know the one, please leave a comment.
These traffic lights are not for car drivers, but for train passengers. Well, the Hotto Yuda is annexed to the train station of same name, "Hotto Yuda" of Kitakami Line. It's located in a rural area, and the train service is sporadic. If you miss a planned train, you might have to wait for a next train for hours, so these alarming lights are installed.
The onsen and the station share same building.
The lights are off most of the time, and the green lights come up when the next train comes in 30 to 45 minutes, then change to yellow (train comes in 15 to 30 minutes), and finally the red lights (15 minutes or less) turn on. You'll never miss the train, won't you?
