Complete with departure bell alarms, this is a unique way to wake up for your train in the morning.

As much as we love Japanese trains, we also love the stations they pull into, with all their unique sounds and cleverly designed features that give them so much character. At stations operated by East Japan Railway (JR East), for example, you’ll find clocks on the platforms with fluorescent yellow-green dials that make them look like they’re glowing.
▼ East Japan Railway (JR East) operates stations in the eastern and northern regions of Japan, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, Tohoku, and parts of the Kanto region.

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Now, this iconic clock is available to purchase, thanks to a new release by Takarajimasha, a Tokyo-based Japanese publishing company that specialises in “mooks“, or “magazine books“. Mooks stay on shelves for a longer period of time than regular magazines, and they generally contain a special product in a cardboard box, with an accompanying glossy leaflet that acts like a magazine for the product.
▼ Takarajimasha’s mook of the hour is the “JR East Green Station Clock Book“, which everyone is scrambling to get their hands on.

This station clock has been meticulously reproduced, with the familiar JR East logo, fluorescent dial, distinctively shaped hands, and even the frame all faithfully replicated. Measuring 13.4 centimetres in width, 10 centimetres in height and 4.1 centimetres in depth (5.28 × 3.94 × 1.61 inches), the clock is an ideal size for desks and bedside tables.

While the clock looks beautiful, it sounds beautiful too, with special alarms made by Eiraku Electric, a company that’s been in business for 75 years. There are two types of alarm tones, high and low, and you can also alternate between two types of “real train departure bell sounds” at the flick of a switch, making this a dream way for Japanese rail fans to start the day.

With the loud sound of a train departure bell ringing in your ears, this clock will ensure you don’t miss your train in the morning.

Alternatively, you can hang the clock on the wall, as it has holes for hooks on the back. If you raise it above eye level at the right height, you’ll feel like you’re at a JR East train station every time you glance up at it.

The JR East Green Station Clock Book will be released on 14 January, priced at 3,422 yen (US$21.88). It’s likely to sell out through pre-order before then though, so you’ll want to head over to online retail sites like Takarajimasha, Rakuten Books, Amazon, and Yodobashi to secure yours now before they sell out.
Source: Takarajimasha via Japaaan
Images: Takarajimasha unless otherwise stated
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