The Tōkyū Tōyoko line, a popular overground train line which connects the capital Tokyo with Yokohama, ceased operations at Shibuya station on March 15, in order to connect the line with the new underground Fukutoshin line. This is a phase in the massive planned redevelopments of Shibuya station, which are scheduled to be finished by 2027.
The distinctive overground platform for the line was opened at Shibuya in 1964 to coincide with the Tokyo Olympics, and has since become a familiar landmark. Now that the platform is closed, netizens grow nostalgic at the changing face of Shibuya, and discuss the proposed changes.
From NHK:
Shibuya Station’s Tōkyū Tōyoko Line Moves Underground
On an average day around 3 million people use Tokyo’s Shibuya Station. After half a century of operation, Shibuya Station’s management of the popular Tōkyū Tōyoko Line will come to an end on March 15, as the line relocates to a new station underground.
As part of the station’s redevelopment plans the entrance hall will be altered into a huge space to function as a hub for Japanese youth culture.
The Tōkyū Tōyoko line platform on the second floor of the Shibuya station is distinctive for its elegant design of a semi-circular roof, which has been popular with passengers since 1964, when the Tokyo Olympics was held, but in order to directly connect the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line with the subway Fukutoshin Line, the line will cease operation in Shibuya Station with the arrival of the last train at 1am.
Starting with the departure of the first train on March 16 at 5am, huge operations will get under way to relocate the station to the underground 5th floor. In total the preparations, which include changing the rails, will take around 3 ½ hours.
Once the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line and the Fukutoshin Line become directly connected, in order for trains bound for Saitama to be able to the same railway lines, five companies will be directly communicating and operating with one another in the same space, something that is rare even nationwide.
Other than the private railways and the metro lines at Shibuya Station, there are large redevelopment plans to redevelop the JR Yamanote Line station’s deteriorating building that has been in use since before the war. In addition the complicated extension and structural alteration plans will make transferring between trains difficult.
The 230m tall high-rise train station has plans to convert the entrance hall at Shibuya Station into a large space for Japanese youth culture.
Comments from Twitter:
Taro Kondo:
Tōkyū Tōyoko Line, Shibuya Station, will move underground.
Kimura Tomomi:
Tōkyū Tōyoko Line at Shibuya Station. Today I will bid you farewell. Everybody kept taking lots of photos. Me included (^-^;
こばつ:
In the first year of uni I used that platform almost everyday, so I’ll be sad to see it go. As a second-year student I used to get drunk and wander around that neighbourhood quite often.
la contre-attaque:
From Yokohama towards Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, after all this time there seems to be a lot of choices other than the Shonan Shinjuku line…
ISKNOTE:
A few days ago on a TV program, there was some commemorative footage of people that turned up for the final day, but there were so many people the station had to restrict admission to the station. Please take care if you visit.
Yoichi Wyeth Suzuki:
Shibuya’s redevelopment, gonna be completed in 2027?
まこと（仮名）:
Last week when I went to the Shibuya Hikarie, I saw some trainspotters’ cameras set up on a viewing platform pointing at the station
Vanilla:
The east side of the metro in Shibuya is difficult to use -_-b
さいと庵:
It’s a bit sad… I’m kinda jealous of the Tōbu Tōjō interchange though…
千歳烏山:
Come to think of it, today’s the last day of the trains above ground.
ぽい:
Transferring between trains looks confusing
けいたろう（規制され中:
This is really amazing construction work, isn’t it.
こけらいた:
Shibuya Station redevelopment, don’t quite understand it but, there’s a few things that are gonna change….
As the amount of buildings increase, I’m sure the view will get worse…
yansi sidart:
Ah, today’s the last day. Seeing off both of the terminuses of the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line, Sakuragichō Station and Shibuya Station, has been deeply moving
hiro:
Ah right, at last tonight is the last night. I’m greatly indebted to the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line platform. We’re roughly the same age.
riffraff(リフラフ):
It isn’t just the Tōyoko that’s changing. Although, it’s planned to be completed in 2027.
Kiyotake Hinokiyama:
Finally the Tōyoko will connect with the Fukutoshin Line
ash:
Underground 5th floor!
