Tokyo Saving Electricity

My arrival in Tokyo was just a few days after the announcement that the mandatory reduction of electricity use in the Tepco area will be ended earlier than estimated, on September 9 instead of 22. The requirement was to reduce consumption by 15% and, from what I read, this objective was surpassed and the actual reduction during this summer was greater than 20%…
The effects of the power saving efforts are not as bad as I heard… the air-conditioning in trains and stores is normal and the famous drinks vending machines are operating as usual.

However, even if the summer heat is gone now, some changes are easily seen and felt: the lights are dimmed (especially on non-commercial streets), air-conditioning is missing in pedestrian passages, many escalators are stopped or running only during peak hours and, in train stations, even the ticket vending machines are operating with reduced capabilities.
And one of the things I love about Japan: posters with a sort of mascot, a closed-eye light bulb, are explaining the situation…

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Ticket vending machines, Ikebukuro Station, Tokyo

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Sightseeing Kobe, Chinatown