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Tokyo Station - Click here to see the gallery.
Tokyo Station (東京駅; -eki) is a train station located in the
Marunouchi business district of Tokyo, near the Imperial
Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district. It is the
starting point and terminus for most of Japan's Shinkansen
lines and is also served by many local and regional commuter
lines of Japan Railways and is connected to the Tokyo Subway.
Although Tokyo Station is the main intercity rail terminal in
Tokyo, it is only the second-largest railway station in the city:
Shinjuku Station is larger, and both Shinjuku and Ikebukuro
Station handle more passengers. Tokyo Station does hold the
distinction of being the highest revenue-earning station in
Japan, with ¥247m ($2.13m US) in ticket sales in 2005.
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Sight Seeing, Entertainment, and Shopping
Imperial Palace - Most of the palace is generally off-limits to
the public, but the East Gardens are usually accessible to
tourists. The inner palace is open to the public on only two
days during each year, the Emperor's birthday and at the New
Year (January 2).
Yasukuni Shrine (靖國神社) is a controversial shrine to Japan's
war dead, housing the souls of some 2.5 million people killed in
Japan's wars — including convicted war criminals executed by
the Allies. A favorite haunt of right-wing groups in black
loudspeaker-equipped trucks. Open daily and free entrance
adjacent to Metro Hanzomon line Kudanshita station, or cross
the bridge north from Kitanomaru Park.
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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 station complex is currently being redeveloped. The Marunouchi side will be
restored and the surrounding area converted into a broad plaza extending into a
walkway toward the Imperial Palace, with space for bus and taxi ranks: this
construction is scheduled for completion in 2010. On the Yaesu side, the current
multi-story exterior will be replaced by a much lower structure with a large canopy
covering outdoor waiting and loading areas, and twin high-rise towers at each end.
This project will be completed in 2007.
There are also less definite plans to build a spur from the nearby Toei Asakusa
Line, which would provide Tokyo Station a second direct connection to the subway
network, and also possibly provide faster connections from the station to Tokyo's
airports, Haneda and Narita.
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How to get there
From Shinjuku Station
Take the orange colored JR Chuo Line (rapid service) from Shinjuku to Tokyo
Station (10 minutes) The one way fare is 160 Yen.
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