In central Tokyo, by Yotsuya Station on the JR East line, unusual "employees" have appeared on the slope beside the tracks. Two white goats methodically nibble the grass and weeds, drawing crowds of onlookers.
The animals are named Nagi-kun — a year-old male — and Pokke-chan, a two-year-old female. They started work in October 9 of 2026. The company leased the goats from their owners, and station staff look after them.
The idea came from a JR East employee: to use animals for eco-friendly clearing of the area. The goats need no chemicals, produce no noise or CO₂ emissions from lawnmowers, and the grass they eat does not need to be collected and disposed of.
This is JR East's first such experiment inside the Yamanote Line loop. The company has used goats elsewhere on its network before, but here, in a densely populated area next to the historic moat of Edo Castle, the sight is especially striking.
Passengers, schoolchildren and local residents stop to watch. Many take out their phones and film the animals chewing intently. JR East's official account on X published a post urging people to "watch warmly" over them.
The goats are due to work until the end of December 2026 or until they have eaten all the vegetation. After that, with the arrival of winter, they will probably be removed, and in spring they may return if the experiment is deemed a success.
