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.
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2 Layout 3 History |
The following lines pass through or terminate at Tokyo Station:
Lines
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.
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.
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 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. The original station building which still stands on the Marunouchi side was designed by Tatsuno Kingo as a quiet monument to Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). Tatsuno also designed the very different Bank of Japan nearby.
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.
Layout
History