Keihin-Tohoku Line

The Keihin-Tohoku Line is a local train in Japan that spans through the cities of Saitama, Warabi, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama. It is 81 KM long, and it is owned and operated by JR East. The Keihin-Tohoku Line also becomes the Negeshi Line between the Yokohama and Ōfuna stations. Up until that point, it is referred to as the Keihin-Tohoku Line, though some people refer to the entire route as the Keihin-Tohoku Line for convenience. The Keihin Tohoku Line runs every 5 minutes during off hours and every 2 to 3 minutes during peak times. Some of the trains are considered rapid transit while others are considered only local transit, depending on the time of day. The difference is minimal, however, as only 6 stations are skipped during rapid transit times (there are 46 total stations throughout the trip). The Keihin Tohoku line is not the fastest line, but it does have one of the longest histories of any of Tokyo’s transit.

History

Though not a form of rapid transit at the time, the line itself started in 1914, where it acted as a passenger line linking Tokyo Station to Takashimacho Station. In 1938, many of the trains were converted into military seating in order to accommodate the many soldiers that were transported during world war II. These seats remained long past the war, and were only converted back to standard cars in 1973 because the train line was beginning to overcrowd. The Negeshi section of the Keihin-Tohoku Line was added to the route in 1964. The line did not become a rapid service line until 1988, as a way to avoid congestion. By the end of the 1980’s, the train was packed full on any given trip.

Stations

Keihin-Tohoku is one of the larger of the train lines in Japan. It spans across all of these cities (A $ sign in front of the name means that that stop is skipped during peak hours):

• Ōmiya Station
• Saitama-Shintoshin Station
• Yono Station
• Kita-Urawa Station
• Urawa Station
• Minami-Urawa Station
• Warabi Station
• Nishi-Kawaguchi Station
• Kawaguchi Station
• Akabane Station
• Higashi-Jūjō Station
• Ōji Station
• Kami-Nakazato Station
• Tabata Station
• $Nishi-Nippori Station
• $Nippori Station
• $Uguisudani Station
• Ueno Station
• $Okachimachi Station
• Akihabara Station
• $Kanda Station
• Tokyo Station
• $Yūrakuchō Station
• $Shimbashi Station
• Hamamatsuchō Station
• Tamachi Station
• Shinagawa Station
• Ōimachi Station
• Ōmori Station
• Kamata Station
• Kawasaki Station
• Tsurumi Station
• Shin-Koyasu Station
• Higashi-Kanagawa Station
• Yokohama Station
• Negishi Line Station
• Sakuragichō Station
• Kannai Station
• Ishikawachō Station
• Yamate Station
• Isogo Station
• Shin-Sugita Station
• Yōkōdai Station
• Kōnandai Station
• Hongōdai Station
• Ōfuna Station

In addition, the Keihin-Tohoku Line passes through Saitama, Tokyo, and Kanegawa in that order. Each of those cities has several stops for the passenger’s convenience.

External Links=

• Train Information, Keihin-Tohoku Line