Japan Travelogue Series: Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station is located in Chiyoda, while the original station is located in Chiyoda’s Marunouchi business district, close to the Imperial Palace grounds. Tokyo Station area is so big that it was divided into the Marunouchi (west) and Yaesu (east) sides.

The main station’s façade brick building on the western side stands as it once was from when it opened in 1914. The Marunouchi side underwent a large-scale renovation completed in 2012. The Tokyo Station’s brick facade was restored to its pre-war condition.

Home to the Shinkansen network of high-speed trains, Tokyo Station has more than 4,000 trains arriving and departing everyday averaging about 500,000 passengers. It is the main inter-city rail terminal of the capital of Japan.

Marunouchi

The striking contrast of the beautifully restored red brick Marunouchi Station building against the more modern skyscrapers of the city of Tokyo makes it an architectural marvel. Tokyo’s busy transport hubs allow people to travel around Japan through bullet trains running through Hakodate in the north and to Fukuoka in the south. The station also houses numerous shops and restaurants worth exploring.

Marunouchi (丸の内), situated in between the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station, is considered to be one of Japan’s most prestigious business districts. Marunouchi literally meaning “within the enclosure” was located within the outer moats of Edo Castle during the Edo Period and some of Japan’s most powerful feudal lords called the area home. Today, Marunouchi along with Otemachi is the headquarters of many of Japan’s big companies.

Yaesu

The Yaesu side is considered to be more modern and highlights the GranRoof, a massive and bright roof above the station entrances bordered by towering modern buildings. Yaesu area also has many shops and restaurants to discover.

Tokyo Station City

Railway stations around Japan are being redeveloped to accommodate spaces for leisure and entertainment. Tokyo Station City is a prime example of using redevelopment and integrating new facilities into an existing space. The station is being targeted to be an important urban center in Tokyo with a particular mix of prestige business, shopping, and unique entertainment venues. The urban design is a distinct Japanese approach to transit-oriented development.

Tokyo station is just one of the places to discover and explore in the bustling city of Tokyo!