Japan has a reputation as a high-tech country, with bullet trains, heated toilets and robotic cafes.
But the human touch is never far away, as this striking image reveals.
It shows a hidden assistant emerging from an automated ticket machine at a train station (Wizard of Oz style) to help a customer.
The photograph was taken by tourist Henry Burrows, while travelling to Nara from Osaka.
He wrote about Flickrwhere he posted the image: “Don’t know how to use the ticket machines at the station? A nice man will come out of one and press the buttons for you.”
This photograph, taken in Japan by tourist Henry Burrows, shows an employee stepping out of a ticket machine to assist a customer. Image courtesy of Creative Commons License
This service is activated when the customer clicks the “help” button.
Known as ‘tobidashi-hito’, these peculiar ticket booths have been removed from some modern stations in Japan, but still exist in older ones.
Haroun Khan, in Japan Rail PassHe told MailOnline Travel: ‘These stations feature automated booths where an attendant or customer service representative appears through a hidden panel to provide assistance to customers.
‘This setup is quite common in older or less modernised train stations where full-time staff are not always present or where there is not enough space for a more traditional customer service counter.
‘It works by means of a panel or window that is integrated into the wall, often with a small sign or button so that passengers can easily locate it.
Known as ‘tobidashi-hito’, these peculiar ticket booths with humans inside have been removed from some of Japan’s modern stations, but still exist in older ones.
“When someone needs help, they press a button and an assistant opens a window or door to provide personalized service. These systems perfectly balance the need for human interaction with space efficiency. It’s a great example of Japan’s innovative approach to customer service!”
One tourist who says he has used the system in Japan wrote on Reddit: “It happened to me in Fukouka at the train station. The guy was very helpful and spoke excellent English. Go to Japan!”
Despite the efficient system, Japan’s railway staff are busy, so tourists should only press the button if they really need help.