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＜Data Joke＞ You walk 3 times faster surprisingly

  • Release date: Jan 31, 2022
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I was suddenly released from quarantine in Japan (Happy). Quarantine period for Japanese coming back from overseas has been shortened from 10 days to 7 days! It's in winter in Japan and day time is short in winter. Since I didn't go out under the sun for a while, I was a bit excited and went out to a book store in Ikebukuro. Then I found that there are so many people in town. Stream in town had to be much lesser due to COVID but it is still a lot. No I realized that Tokyo really has huge population. It was difficult to walk without hitting to other people. Umm? Maybe it was difficult even when I lived in Japan…

Completed one task (alteration of my pants) and I was looking for fried dumpling restaurant for lunch. I found one which has very good google reputation around east exit but the queue there was so long… Being in Singapore, Long queue means it is a good restaurant but it was too long (Gave up). Then went to the one at west exit but they didn't open for lunch, and even "Ohsho" which is popular chain had queue!! I became an dumpling refugee (Sad). Step counter for the day shows 20K! I guess this is the record after COVID.

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Reference : Richard Wiseman(2006), http://www.richardwiseman.com/quirkology/pace_method.htm

When I was about to hit to other walkers at Ikebukuro station, I had a strange question in mind. Population there is huge but do they also walk fast in Tokyo? The chart above refers to Richard Wiseman (2006) which compares the speed of walking across many countries. The research is a bit old but very interesting. It is part of the research to show difference in pace of life. He employ both male and female (35 each) and measure how long does it take to walk 60ft. Tokyo… is not that fast (Sorry). Also surprisingly the fastest in the world is Singapore!!

Only Guangzhou, Tokyo, Taipei are listed from Asia but Taipei was the slowest among those. It's been 15 years from the research, results might be different if we try it now. Personally I felt people in Hong Kong walk very fast (Not trustful perception…). I actually remember how I felt when I came to Singapore. I thought that even escalators in Singapore are fast!! I totally forgot about it.

It seems the research was conducted in Aug, outside on the street. I considered a bit about research design like the research result might be a bit different from country in summer and in winter. Ummm. It seems I have lived 10 years in a country where people's walking speed is the firstest in the world. Also it is 3 TIME FASTER than people in Malawi!!!

*This story uses real data but whole story is fiction.

  • Intage Inc

    Author profile
    Jun Hasegawa

    I have been stationed in Singapore for many years, and am currently working in Tokyo
    I use data in my writing, but it is mainly jokes.
    Just want to use data not only for logical view but for some fun!

  • Intage Inc

    Editor profile
    Intage Inc.

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