Japan: Commuters flock to see two goats grazing at Tokyo station

One-year-old Nagi and two-year-old Pokke arrived in October at a 900-square-metre vacant plot in the bustling Shinjuku district, where they have been steadily grazing on weeds as part of an environmentally friendly initiative launched by East Japan Railway (JR East).

The trial, which began on 9 October, offers an alternative to conventional grass cutting and herbicides and is expected to continue until around December, unless the animals finish the job sooner. Although JR East has previously experimented with goat grazing, this is its first such project within Tokyo's central Yamanote railway loop.

The unusual sight has attracted schoolchildren, office workers and commuters, many stopping to take photographs and videos. Footage shows the pair feeding, wandering around their enclosure and resting in a small shelter, seemingly unfazed by passing trains.

For local residents, the goats have brought an unexpected moment of calm to the daily rush. Tamae Noguchi, who works nearby, said watching them eat so enthusiastically lifted her spirits.

Signs ask visitors not to feed the animals, allowing Tokyo's newest gardeners to get on with their work.