Tokyo First Steps

Areas

Tokyo Station

A 1914 red-brick landmark on one side, bullet trains on the other, and a small city of food and shops in between.

  • Arrival day
  • Rainy days
  • Food for the train
  • You are here

Tokyo Station is less a building than a district. More than a dozen train lines meet here, including every Shinkansen line that leaves the capital, and the passages under the tracks hold hundreds of shops and restaurants.

The single most useful thing to know is that the station has two faces. The Marunouchi side, to the west, is the restored red-brick building that faces the Imperial Palace. The Yaesu side, to the east, is modern glass and faces Nihombashi and Ginza. Signs throughout the station use these two names, so decide which side you need before you start walking.

What to see

  1. 01

    Marunouchi Station Building

    The brick façade opened in 1914 and was designed by Tatsuno Kingo. A restoration finished in 2012 returned its domes and third floor. Step outside to the plaza for the classic view, best in late afternoon light.

  2. 02

    The north and south domes

    Look up inside the Marunouchi North and South exits. The octagonal ceilings carry eagle reliefs and eight of the twelve zodiac animals. It costs nothing and takes two minutes.

  3. 03

    Ekiben and food halls

    Inside the ticket gates you will find shops selling ekiben, the boxed meals made for train journeys, alongside sweets and bakery counters. They are the easy answer to dinner on a Shinkansen.

  4. 04

    Character Street and Ramen Street

    On the Yaesu side, one basement level down, a row of shops is devoted to anime and character goods, and another to well-known ramen restaurants. Expect queues at meal times.

  5. 05

    Tokyo Station Gallery

    A small art museum inside the brick building. Parts of the original 1914 brickwork are left exposed in the stairwells.

Good to know

  • Shinkansen gates are closer to the Yaesu side. From the Marunouchi side, allow ten minutes to cross the station.
  • Coin lockers fill up by late morning. Staffed baggage counters are the fallback; follow signs for "Baggage Storage".
  • The free passage that crosses the station without a ticket is on the north side. Ask for the "North Free Passage".
  • Avoid changing trains here between about 7:30 and 9:30 on weekday mornings if you have large luggage.