With Kanda, the Yamanote loop line is now complete. You may click on the first page to return to the beginning of the circle and Tokyo Station, the next stop.
By popular demand (no, not really) I’ve gone on to begin a north-to-south journey along the Keihin-Tohoku Line. Please join me at http://keihintohoku.tumblr.com/ or start from Omiya Station!
Kanda Station (神田駅, Kanda-eki) is a medium-sized station located on the northeast side of the Yamanote Line. Travelling clockwise, the preceding station is Akihabara, the following, Tokyo.
Kanda services the Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines, as well as the Chūō-Sōbu line. An important thing to note is that eastbound trains on the Chūō-Sōbu line (for most intents and purposes, the yellow line is the Sōbu, the orange, Chūō) diverge at Ochanomizu Station. The yellow (local) Sōbu train will stop at Akihabara while the orange (rapid) Chūō train will proceed directly to Kanda. Eventually, the Tōhoku Through Line will pass this station, as the Tōhoku Shinkansen does. The Metro Ginza Line connects here, with its station located beneath the JR one.
Platform 3 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Seseragi
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
According to Wikipedia, the extension between Kanda and Tokyo Station completed the full loop of the Yamanote Line in 1925. Fittingly, this Yamanote Eki-Melo Project began with Tokyo and ended with Kanda to make complete circle. To return to the beginning of the loop, and the first tracks posted, click here.
Akihabara Station (秋葉原駅, Akihabara-eki) is a large station located on the northeast side of the Yamanote Line, in the heart of the busy Akihabara Electric Town. Located between Okachimachi and Kanda, “Akiba” has long been a transfer station for commuters coming from east of the city, and the JR station services the Yamanote, the Keihin-Tohoku as well as the Chūō-Sōbu Line. The Tōhoku Shinkansen runs past this station but does not stop.
An important thing to note is that eastbound trains on the Chūō-Sōbu line (for most intents and purposes, the yellow line is the Sōbu, the orange, Chūō) diverge at Ochanomizu Station. The yellow (local) Sōbu train will stop at Akihabara while the orange (rapid) Chūō train will proceed directly to Kanda. The Hibiya Line and the Tsukuba Express Line have interchanges at Akihabara as well.
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Seseragi
Platform 3 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
Okachimachi Station (御徒町駅, Okachimachi-eki) is a small station located on the northeast side of the Yamanote Line. Located between busy Ueno and Akihabara, it is a small station running along an overpass, servicing the JR Yamanote Line and the local service of the Keihin-Tohoku.
Ueno’s Ameyoko shopping street runs parallel to the tracks between Ueno and Okachimachi Stations. While no other lines connect directly to this station, the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line’s Naka-Okachimachi, the Metro Ginza Line’s Ueno-hirokōji and Toei’s Ueno-Okachimachi underground subway stations are within a short walk and marked as interchanges on route maps.
Platform 3 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Haru
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
Ueno Station (上野駅, Ueno-eki) is a major station located on the northeast side of the Yamanote Line. It is one of the oldest, if not the oldest station on the line, and a very busy interchange located in a popular neighbourhood, close to Ueno Park, Ueno Zoo, museums, universities and the famous Ameyoko shopping street. Traditionally, Ueno was the terminus for long-distance trains from northern Japan, receiving limited express trains, and more recently the Tōhoku, Yamagata, Akita, Jōetsu and Nagano Shinkansens. In this vein, numerous literature has been penned referencing Ueno Station, including a famous poem by Ishikawa Takuboku, a memorial plaque for which hangs in the station.
Ueno primarily services Japan Railways. In addition to the Yamanote and the aforementioned Shinkansen lines, the Keihin-Tōhoku, Tōhoku/Utsunomiya/Takasaki and Jōban Lines stop here. There are plans to eventually use tracks 5 to 9 (which currently lead to storage tracks near Akihabara) for the Tōhoku Jūkan Line and onward to the Tōkaidō Main Line. Tokyo Metro’s Ginza and Hibiya Lines also have transfers here. Keisei’s Ueno Station (Keisei-ueno-eki) is a short walk away, but not directly connected to the JR station. The Keisei Skyliner (a limited-express airport train that is more cost-effective and faster than JR’s Narita Airport Express) departs from Keisei-Ueno Station, but as it is not directly connected to JR Ueno, transferring at Nippori Station is smoother for travellers.
Travelling clockwise on the Yamanote line, the preceding station is Uguisudani, the following, Okachimachi.
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Bell B
Platform 3 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Bell B
Ueno, along with Shin-Okubo, is one of only two stations on the line that uses a ringing bell sound instead of a melody. The reasoning for this is supposedly because as a transportation hub for Tokyo via Limited Express trains, visitors from other prefectures might not immediately understand the songs as a signal that the train was about to leave, so the more familiar bell sound was kept.
Uguisudani Station (鶯谷駅, Uguisudani-eki) is a small station located on the northeast side of the Yamanote Line. Located between the major interchanges of Nippori and Ueno, it is seldom-used in comparison, only servicing the JR Yamanote Line and the local service of the Keihin-Tohoku.
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Haru
Platform 3 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
Nippori Station (日暮里駅, Nippori-eki) is a major station located on the northeast side of the Yamanote Line. It is the intersection of the JR and Keisei systems, and is the terminus of the Keisei Skyliner, a 36-minute limited-express airport train bound for Narita that is traditionally more cost-effective than JR’s Narita Airport Express.
Prior to July 2010, the Skyliner train travelled from Nippori to Narita Airport, but the introduction of the new Narita Sky Access route (aka Keisei Narita Airport Line) and trains caused the Skyliner to be transferred to the new route. The City Liner on the Keisei Main Line still travels to Narita Airport, but at a slower speed. Where Nippori was a transport hub in the past, the new line is expected to bring it even more popularity, particularly for travellers coming from the northern part of Tokyo and neighbouring Saitama Prefecture. Along with the Keisei Main and Narita Airport Lines, Nippori also services Toei’s Nippori-Toneri Liner automated tram, and for JR, the Yamanote, Jōban Line and Keihin-Tōhoku Line. JR Takasaki and Utsunomiya Line trains pass through this station without stopping.
Travelling clockwise on the Yamanote line, the preceding station is Nishi-Nippori, the following, Uguisudani.
Platform 11 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Haru
Platform 10 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
Nishi-Nippori Station (西日暮里駅, Nishinippori-eki) is located on the northeast side of the Yamanote Line. It is one of the newer buildings on the line, with the Yamanote station being added to the Tokyo Metro’s Chiyoda Line station in 1971. In 2008 the new automated Nippori-Toneri Liner opened with a stop at Nishi-Nippori.
Travelling clockwise on the Yamanote line, the preceding station is Tabata, the following, Nippori.
Platform 3 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Haru
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
Komagome Station (駒込駅, Komagome-eki) is located on the north side of the Yamanote Line. It is a small station with ties to the war (having been burned down in air raids in 1945) that also services the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line. Travelling clockwise on the Yamanote line, the preceding station is Sugamo, the following, Tabata.
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Haru
Platform 1 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
Tabata Station (田端駅, Tabata-eki) is located on the north side of the Yamanote Line. The building saw a massive overhaul between 2005 and 2008, resulting in nearly a complete rebuilding. Being opened originally in 1896, it was one of the older stations on the line.
Like most of the stations on the east side of the loop, this station also services the Keihin-Tohoku Line, with platforms for the two lines often facing each other for easy transfer. Tabata is the final station (travelling counter-clockwise) that connects the Keihin-Tohoku to the Yamanote Line before it proceeds north to Saitama Prefecture. Travelling clockwise on the Yamanote line, the preceding station is Komagome, the following, Nishi-Nippori.
Platform 2 - Yamanote Line (counter-clockwise) - Haru
Platform 3 - Yamanote Line (clockwise) - Seseragi
