Tokyo Station (東京駅)
Station Type: Transit station
Tokyo Station, located in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, is the terminal station for East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Tokai Railway Company (JR Tokai), and Tokyo Metro, serving JR East’s conventional and Shinkansen lines, JR Tokai’s Tokaido Shinkansen line, and Tokyo Metro’s Marunouchi line.
The station is the starting point for the Tokaido Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen (including the Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen, which branch off, and the Hokkaido Shinkansen, which directly connects), Joetsu Shinkansen, and Hokuriku Shinkansen, making it the largest hub in the national Shinkansen network. It is also the starting point for the Tokaido Main Line, Tohoku Main Line, and other major trunk lines. It is one of Japan’s leading terminal stations, with approximately 3,000 train arrivals and departures per day, connecting to 33 prefectures without transfers. The station has the largest number of platforms in Japan, with a total of 9 platforms and 18 tracks (10 tracks on 5 aboveground and 8 tracks on 4 underground) for conventional lines, 5 platforms and 10 tracks for Shinkansen lines, and 1 platform and 2 underground lines for subways, covering an area of approximately 46,800 m2 The red brick Marunouchi Gate Station Building was designed by Kingo Tatsuno and others and completed in 1914. In 2003, the Marunouchi Station Building was designated as a National Important Cultural Property, and is a station building designated as an Important Cultural Property. It is also one of the “100 Best Stations in Kanto”.
Restaurants, Foods
Some restaurants and food shops around the station.
RIKYU Tokyoekiten (仙臺 たんや利久 東京駅店)
Restaurant Type: Japanese regional restaurant
東洋軒 東京ステーション (東洋軒 東京ステーション)
Restaurant Type: Western restaurant
STATION RESTAURANT THE CENTRAL (ステーション レストラン ザ セントラル)
Restaurant Type: Western restaurant
Tourist area
Some tourist area – the best views, museums and parks – around the station.
Marunouchi Station Building (丸の内駅舎)
Tourist Area Type: Tourist attraction
Tokyo Station building, the gateway to Japan, began construction in March 1908 (Meiji 41) and opened in December 1914 (Taisho 3). As the central station that was born in Tokyo, the capital of Japan’s modernization, Marunouchi Station Building has developed together with Japan’s representative business district while viewing numerous historical scenes. In 2012, the Marunouchi Station Building, a designated National Important Cultural Property, was restored to its original appearance (the old station building with beautiful red bricks). The impressive dome ceiling has been reproduced, including the reliefs, and the station building can be enjoyed as a work of art.
Marunouchi Ekimae Square (東京駅丸の内駅前広場)
Tourist Area Type: Tourist attraction
Tokyo Station is well known as the gateway to Tokyo. Along with the “Tokyo Station Marunouchi Station Building,” which strongly reflects the history and culture of the station, the “Station Square,” which symbolizes the Marunouchi area, is creating a new urban landscape with class and liveliness.
Tokyo Station Marunouchi Station Square consists of the Marunouchi Central Square for pedestrians in the center of the station, and the Transportation Plaza, which includes bus and cab stops, located to the north and south of the central plaza.
The pedestrian space, Marunouchi Chuo Square, will be lined with shady zelkova trees, white granite pavement, and lighting design to create a relaxing and elegant landscape.
The “Kotsu Hiroba” (Transportation Plaza), which serves as a terminal for local buses and cabs, is now located on the north and south sides of Marunouchi’s central plaza. The traffic nodal functions of the plaza have been consolidated by rearranging the metropolitan roads that used to occupy most of the plaza to the outer perimeter of the plaza. In addition, trees such as cherry trees and maple trees have been planted to reflect the changing seasons, as befits the face of Japan’s capital, “Tokyo”.
Gin no Suzu (銀の鈴（東京駅）)
Tourist Area Type: Tourist attraction
A huge silver bell monument installed underground as a meeting place in Tokyo Station.
The location is on the Yaesu exit side of the underground central passageway. Both sides of the passageway are lined with “Gransta,” a bustling souvenir shopping street with stores mainly selling sweets and other items. To see the Gin no Suzu, you must be inside the ticket gate.
KITTE Garden (KITTEガーデン)
Tourist Area Type: Observation deck
KITTE is a commercial facility operated by Japan Post, which opened its first commercial facility in front of the Marunouchi South Exit of JR Tokyo Station. The building was constructed by preserving and revitalizing part of the former Tokyo Central Post Office building, and features an atrium with an open-air rooftop garden called “KITTE Garden” on the 6th floor, which attracts visitors for shopping and dining every day. The rooftop garden features benches designed to look like giant white cheese with holes in them. The lawn is well maintained and has a nice atmosphere. Footlights are placed under the lush greenery of the garden to reduce glare and make it easier to see the surrounding nightscape. The red-brick Marunouchi Station Building, completed in 1914 and designated as an Important Cultural Property in 2003, sits below, and the red lights of the building, restored to its original appearance in 2012, create a powerful sight to behold. Visitors can also enjoy the uplifting night view of the Shinkansen bullet trains and trains departing from and arriving at the station, the lights of cabs and buses passing in front of the station, and the lights from the windows of the Marunouchi buildings. For an even more gorgeous experience, weekday evenings are recommended, when you can see more light from the windows of the surrounding office buildings.
Tokyo Station Gallery (東京ステーションギャラリー)
Tourist Area Type: Art gallery
The Tokyo Station Gallery was established in 1988 in the Marunouchi Station Building of Tokyo Station with the aim of making the station more than just a transit point, but a place of fragrant culture.
The Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building was designed by Kingo Tatsuno and built in 1914. Tokyo Station is the base for both up and down trains in Japan, and is regarded as the “central station” where the zero kilometer posts of many main lines are located. As the stage of Japan’s modern history, which has passed through many turbulent periods, Tokyo Station is geographically and historically located at the core of modern Japan, and is also an important cultural asset. Since its opening, the museum has held exhibitions in a variety of genres and welcomed millions of visitors.
Hotels
There are various hotels around the station.
Karaksa Hotel TOKYO STATION (からくさホテル TOKYO STATION)
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Tokyo Kyobashi (ダイワロイネットホテル東京京橋)
The Tokyo Station Hotel (東京ステーションホテル)
Convenience Stores, Grocery Stores
Stores for foods, drinks and others.
Tourist Information Center
Tourist information centers inside/around the station.
Have a nice visit !
Comments