Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station (東京駅; -eki) is a train station located in the centre of Tokyo in the Marunouchi business district near the Imperial Palace grounds and somewhat to the north of the Ginza commercial district. It is the starting point and terminus for all of Japan's Shinkansen lines and is also served by many local and regional commuter lines. Unusually for a major Japanese station it is not linked to any private railway lines.

Lines

The following lines pass through or terminate at Tokyo Station:

• Chūō Line (中央線)
• Keihin-Tōhoku Line (京浜東北線)
• Keiyō Line (京葉線)
• Sōbu Line (総武線)
• Tōkaidō Main Line (東海道本線)
• Tōkaidō Shinkansen(東海道新幹線)
• Tōhoku Shinkansen (東北新幹線)
• Yamanote Line (山手線)
• Yokosuka Line (横須賀線)

The Tōkaidō Shinkansen line is operated by the JR Tōkai group, all other lines by JR East Japan.

Narita Express airport trains from Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Yokohama call at the Yokosuka line platforms.

Additionally Tokyo Station is served by the Marunouchi underground (subway) line. It is linked by a series of underground passageways to the Otemachi underground (subway) station complex served by the Tōzai, Chiyoda, Hanzomon and Mita lines.

Layout

Tokyo Station from above

The main station consists of 10 platforms raised above street level running in a north-south direction. The main station facade on the western side of the station is brick-built and was fashioned after Amsterdam's main station. The main concourse runs east-west below the platforms. The Shinkansen lines are on the east side of the station. The Sōbu / Yokosuka line platforms are below ground to the west of the station; the Keiyō line platforms are below ground somewhat to the south of the main station. The whole complex is linked by an extensive system of underground passageways which merge with surrounding commercial buildings and shopping centres.

History

Tokyo Station was opened in 1914 with the completion of a section of line linking the Tokaido Main Line's original terminus at Shinbashi to the Tōhoku Main Line's terminus at Ueno. The station building was designed by architect Tatsuno Kingo as a restrained celebration of Japan's costly victory in the Russo-Japanese War. (Tatsuno also designed the nearby Bank of Japan building, which is very different in appearance.)

The Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station, facing the Imperial Palace, dates back to the original 1914 opening; the Yaesu side, facing Nihonbashi, is more recent and primarily accommodates the Shinkansen.

In 1921, Prime Minister Hara Takashi was assassinated in Tokyo Station.

Much of the station was destroyed during the firebombings of 1945, including an impressive dome that had also been patterned after Amsterdam's central station. The station was significantly expanded in the 1960's to handle the new Shinkansen services and has been partially rebuilt several times since, most recently to accommodate the Shinkansen extension from Ueno. The Yaesu side of the station is currently (2004) being redeveloped.

Adjacent Lines