#6: Trainspotting Buddha — January 6, 2013

Who would have guessed? It turns out the Manga University Daibutsu is a densha otaku (train buff). Here we see him watching a train speed by on the Japan Railways Keihin-Tohoku line, which connects the Manga University Campus to Tokyo.

Trainspotting is a popular activity among many Japanese, particularly men and young boys. Every weekend it’s easy to find hundreds of these enthusiasts lined up along major rail lines, where the fans hope to catch glimpses of the newest shinkansen (bullet trains), long-haul freight trains, and even the occasional steam-powered locomotive.