Japan is well-known for being uniquely weird, but this door found at Hanzomon Station really wins the prize. It actually took me almost a whole month to notice this door, even though I walked past it a couple of times a day.
Notice the emergency exit sign at the bottom of the door and the “押す” (osu, push) sign on the door handle.
The first thing that I came to think of (after laughing a bit of course), was that this door probably used to lead to some kind of staff-only room, maybe somewhere the cleaners kept their stuff? But then again, why would they put an emergency exit sticker on the door? It doesn’t make any sense! And the fact that you push this door open makes this tiny “room” completely useless^^ But actually, I think the real purpose of this door is that you can close the station down in case of emergencies or something. Tried to look for a picture of the other side but couldn’t find any, but if you look at the 2nd pic, it looks like it could connect to something on the other side…
But it would be fun if it was actually just a door with no purpose^^
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Looks like a fire door that can be connect to some kind of fence
I seen similar doors all around the place too. I was always like “What the Heck!” But I finally figured it out in Sapporo. On the opposite wall, to side of the door to where that gap is located, there should be a place to pull out a gate of some sort.
I think you are right in saying it would be for emergencies and in times when the station needed to be closed.
BTW, what exit is that at Hanzomon Station? I always left out of Exit #5.
Ah, this explains it, thx. So it’s actually clever and not weird.
Haven’t you seen the The Lost Room? That explains everything.
You’re right, those doors are for emergency purposes.
In case of fire there would be a wall closing automatically this section preventing the fire to spread to quickly, this doors is there so people can’t be trap inside. It also explain why the emergency sign is on the bottom of the door, since people would be crawling under the smoke.
Oh I see! Makes sense. I doubt a fire would be able to spread there though :P
Nothing strainge fellows..
See once your self anywhere at subway when last train is over and station is going to close or verry early at morning
Maybe then you can realise what its all about
~~~
They close this emergency thing too? I couldn’t even get that far in at night…
How interesting! Haahaa. Sorta looks like it could be some sort of quickly assembled panic room if there are hidden pieces around!
Haha, it would be really epic if it said that on the door xD “PANIC ROOM” :D
Two years, we came across a similar door in a shopping centre in Kyoto. So amused by it we just walked through it
Haha! I didn’t dare to try T_T