Commuting Distance, Time, and Being a Pathologist

 As a pathologist living in Kamakura and commuting to Tokyo, I often think about the balance between where we live and where we work. With a typhoon approaching and my daughter now working in New York City, I was reminded that long commutes are not uniquely Japanese—they are part of life in many parts of the world.

 

Typhoon No. 6 is moving eastward along Japan’s Pacific coast, and it appears that Kamakura will be caught in heavy rain and strong winds beginning tonight.

I am already wondering what to do about tomorrow’s commute.

 Weather forecasters keep saying, “The storm is expected to coincide with the morning commute. Please make the necessary preparations.” In a sense, that sounds a bit irresponsible. Natural disasters are beyond human control, and there is only so much preparation one can make.

I briefly considered staying near the hospital tonight. However, since I only need to be present for an afternoon meeting tomorrow, I decided that if the trains are not running, I will simply wait until they start moving again rather than forcing the issue.

At times like this, I find myself thinking that perhaps I should have lived closer to work. But after first buying a condominium in Kamakura and later moving into a detached house, relocating is not something I can easily do.

My father bought a home less than thirty minutes by car from the hospital where he worked. His reasoning was simple: if he was called in during the middle of the night, he could arrive quickly.

He remained at the same hospital for nearly fifty years until retirement. I imagine that commuting was rarely a major concern for him.

My situation has been quite different.

There are no highly specialized pediatric pathology centers in the Kamakura area, so pursuing my career meant working outside the region. Over the years, various circumstances led me not only to positions in Tokyo but, for a time, even to Saitama.

Today, although my workplace is technically in Tokyo, it is on the far western side of the city. My one-way commute takes well over ninety minutes and often approaches two hours.

Yet I am hardly alone. The Yokosuka Line is crowded every day, suggesting that many people choose to live in Kamakura while working in Tokyo.

When people think about quality of life, many are willing to accept a longer commute in exchange for a more pleasant living environment.

For a long time, I thought this was a rather unusual choice. Then my daughter moved to New York City.

She was assigned an apartment in Manhattan, but she tells me that many people working in New York commute from New Jersey every day, crossing the Hudson River to reach their offices.

When I visited New York, I could understand why.

A quiet night free from the constant sound of sirens can be worth a surprisingly long commute. Whether in Japan or the United States, people often make similar choices when deciding where they want to build their lives.

A long commute can certainly be exhausting.

Fortunately, pathology is a specialty in which true emergencies are rare. There are responsibilities that require immediate attention, such as intraoperative consultations, but those are generally scheduled and anticipated.

Most of the time, I can simply go about my work as usual.

The commute may be long, but moments like this remind me that becoming a pathologist was probably the right choice for me.

 

The distance between home and work may be measured in miles or kilometers, but the reasons we choose where to live are often remarkably similar on both sides of the Pacific. 

・・・

Vocabulary for Learners

commute　To travel regularly between home and work.　通勤する

relocation　The act of moving to a new place to live or work.　　転居、移転

detached house　A standalone house that is not connected to neighboring houses.　 一戸建て住宅

specialized　Focused on a particular field or area of expertise. 専門的な

quality of life　The overall level of comfort, health, and happiness in daily life.　生活の質

assigned　Officially given or allocated for a particular purpose.　割り当てられた

cross the Hudson River　 To travel across the river that separates New Jersey from Manhattan.　ハドソン川を渡る

siren　A loud warning sound used by emergency vehicles such as police cars and ambulances.　サイレン

exhausting　Very tiring; causing physical or mental fatigue.　疲れる、消耗する

intraoperative consultation　A rapid pathological diagnosis performed during surgery.　術中迅速診断

anticipated　 Expected or predicted in advance.　予期された

remarkably　To a surprising or notable degree.　驚くほど、著しく

on both sides of the Pacific　In both Asia and North America across the Pacific Ocean.　太平洋の両側で

pursue a career　To continue developing one's professional life.　キャリアを追求する

living environment　The surroundings and conditions in which a person lives.　住環境