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Tokyo Station
From Virtual Japan
Tokyo Station (東京駅) is a Tokyo Subway station located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo in the Marunouchi District. The station, located nearest to the Tokyo Imperial Palace, is the main rail terminal for Tokyo and the busiest station in Japan in terms of how many trains pass through daily. It is the 8th busiest passenger tally in Japan and is served by multiple lines and services from throughout Japan.
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Lines and Service
The companies that run lines through Tokyo Station include JR East, Central Japan Railway, and Tokyo Metro, with 14 different lines running between the three:
- JR East – Chuo Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, Nagano Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Keiyo Line, Sobu Line, Tokaido Main Line, Yamanote Line, Yokosuka Line
- Central Japan Railway Company – Tokaido Shinkansen
- Tokyo Metro – Marunouchi Line
In addition to the 14 subway and train lines, Tokyo Station is a major intercity bus terminal hub with multiple services extending throughout the Kanto region and service into Kansai and Tohoku.
Station
The station’s western façade was originally built and has survived since 1914 while the station itself is home to 10 platforms and 20 tracks, rising above street level in the north south direction. The concourse runs below the tracks and is east/west. The shinkansen lines are located on the east side of the station where the Daimaru Department Store is also located.
In addition to the above ground tracks are two underground platforms for the Sobu/Yokosuka Lines with four tracks at 5 stories below ground. The Keiyo lines are located four stories below ground as well, serving traffic to Tokyo Disneyland and Makuhari Messe.
Platforms
Main ground platforms include the following:
- 1/2 - Chuo Main Line
- 3 – Keihin-Tohoku Line
- 4 – Yamanote Line
- 5 – Yamanote Line
- 6 – Keihin-Tohoku Line
- 7/8 – Tokaido Line
- 9/10 – Tokaido Line
Shinkansen Platforms include the following:
- 14-19 – Tokaido Shinkansen
- 20-23 – Tohoku Shinkansen
Additional Underground Platforms include the following:
- Sobu B1 – Yokosuka Line
- Sobu B2 – Yokosuka Line
- Sobu B3 – Sobu Line
- Sobu B4 – Sobu Line
- Keiyo B1-4 – Keiyo Line
The final platforms are dedicated to the Tokyo Metro’s Murunouchi Line, with two separate platforms for either direction.
History
The first plans for Tokyo Station were drawn up in 1889 with the plans for an elevated railway connecting the Tokaido Main Line to the Nippon Railway. When this new line was sent to construction, the Central Station was developed to serve as a middle point.
The construction was delayed when the Sino-Japanese War broke out and later when the Russo-Japanese war broke out, but later started in 1908. Designed by Tatsuno Kingo, the station opened on December 18, 1914, with the Chuo Main Line extension bing put into place in 1919.
Historically, Tokyo Station has a black mark in Japanese history with the assassination of Prime Minister Hara Takashi taking place outside the South Gates in 1921. Later, much of the station was destroyed during the 1945 fire bombings by US plans.
Following World War II, much of the station was rebuilt and upgraded along with the building of the Daimaru Department Store. The first Shinkansen service upgrades were made in 1964 and much redevelopment has been done since as new lines, new services, and general remodels have taken place.
Nearby Stations
Stations directly adjacent to Tokyo Station include:
- Chuo Line – Kanda
- Yamanote Line – Yurakucho, Kanda
- Keihin-Tohoku Line – Yurakucho, Kanda, Hamamatsucho, Akihabara
- Tokaido Line – Shimbashi
- Yokosuka Line – Shin-Nihombashi, Shimbashi
- Keiyo Line – Hatchobori
- Tokaido Shinkansen – Shinagawa
- Tohoku Shinkansen – Ueno
- Marunouchi Line – Ginza, Otemachi
External Links