Two trains were delayed by up to 37 minutes,at JR Furano Line, Nakafurano Station when a foreign tourist tried to bring in a bicycle on to the train

A dispute over a bicycle caused train delays on Hokkaido’s Furano Line earlier this week.

On the night of August 14, a middle-aged foreign man tried to board a stopped train at Nakafurano Station with a unpacked bicycle, according to JR Hokkaido. Conductors stopped him, explaining that bicycles must be placed in a special case or bag. The man refused to comply, leading to a standoff.

Staff from nearby Furano Station rushed in to assist, but the incident delayed two local trains by as much as 37 minutes. Believed to be from Southeast Asia, the man eventually gave up and left the station.

JR said it would not seek damages, but reminded passengers that bicycles must be properly packed before being brought on board.