Rail buffs are generally considered a quirk of society; a group of people engaging in a harmless hobby. But train photographers in Japan — known as toritetsu — are gaining a different kind of reputation entirely.
Recent reports have revealed a criminal ring operating within a community of toritetsu in Japan. Despite the country’s low crime rate, a section of railfans are engaged in theft, fraud, and even violence.
A month ago at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, six train photographers were arrested for shoplifting 111 items valued at roughly 410,000 yen ($2,800) from shops inside the world fair.
Sora News 24 reports that the men, who are all part of the same Tokyo toritetsu sect, even rode the train to the Expo without paying by working together to dodge inspectors and jumping the gate on the way out.
After hopping the train, the group then entered the Expo using young person tickets reserved for teenagers. They chose the date of June 26, knowing that new stock was arriving that day.
The crooked toritetsu targeted children’s clothing from the luxury brand Familiar, so they could later sell the apparel for top dollar on the resale market. The gang also helped themselves to Expo souvenirs before a customer saw what they were up to and reported them.
“I would expect train photographers to have enough respect for train companies not to rip them off,” one Japanese commenter writes, per Sora News 24.
“To sum up, these guys are anti-social, fare-dodging, reselling, thieving train photographers? Amazing,” adds another.
The Terror of Toritetsu
The shoplifting episode at Osaka-Kansai Expo is far from the only incident to bring shame on toritetsu. In the past, they have also stolen Lego, trespassed, and engaged in aggressive behavior.
One incident in 2021 saw a young man left with a serious head injury after he was assaulted during an argument over the best position for an approaching train.
Part of the hostility stems from an obsession with capturing the perfect shot. Many of Japan’s older trains are increasingly rare, plus urban sprawl means there are fewer vantage spots to get the best frame.
“Every train has its last moment, which, for them, is the last missing piece of the puzzle they need to make their photo collection complete,” Jun Umehara, a freelance railway journalist, told AFP.
“The idea of missing that final piece is almost unbearable for them. Hence the desperation.”
A foreign cyclist who got in the way of a group of toritetsu just as the train they were trying to capture went past was threatened. The cyclist was abused and the photographers demanded compensation from him, although it’s not clear if any money was handed over.
While a passion for photography unfortunately does sometimes spill over into ugly behavior, it is never an excuse for violence or theft.
Despite some belligirent toritetsu, Japan’s crime rate remains famously low. In 2024, homicides and robberies rose slightly to 912 and 1,361 respectively, according to Nipon.
Compare that to the United States where there were 16,924 homicides in 2024 and 1,221,345 incidents of violent crime. However, the U.S. population is approximately three times larger than Japan’s.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.