Kasai
Kasai
Station is
located in the Kasai district of
Edogawa Ward of Tokyo and is served
by the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. The
station has two elevated side platforms.
A
unique feature of Kasai Station
is its automatic bicycle parking
system. Outside the station, there
is a small platform with various
buttons. A customer coming to the
station on a bicycle, places it
on the platform and presses a few
buttons. The bicycle is then automatically
taken down to an underground parking
lot. When the bicycle needs to be
retrieved, again a few buttons are
pressed and the bicycle appears
within seconds. The underground
parking garage can accommodate up
to 9,400 bicycles. The cost is just
100 yen for a single use and a 1,800
yen for a monthly pass.
Tokyo
Subway Museum
The
Tokyo Subway Museum, located just
100 meters east of Kasai Station
under the viaduct of the Tozai subway
line, is
the only museum in Japan with an
exhibit of subway trains. Established
in 1986, it gives the complete story
of the Tokyo subway in great detail.
The
entrance to the museum is designed
like a subway station, complete
with a ticket gate. Upon entering,
the first exhibit shows the
relationship between the city and
the subway over the years. The main
display here is the replica of Ueno
Station with items from the very
first subway line that opened in
1927 and ran from Ueno to Asakusa.
Next come the exhibits on the construction
of subway tunnels, then the exhibits
covering the construction and working
of subway cars. Here visitors are
allowed to sit in the cars and try
out the controls. All the various
controls like the brakes, motors,
and pantographs – are also displayed
separately with their functions
explained in detail. Other exhibits
include train carriages, photographs,
posters, and videos – all related
to the history of Tokyo subway.
There is also a simulation room
with three different simulators
which can be tried out under the
supervision of museum staff. Other
facilities include a lecture-hall
(used for lectures and showing films),
a rest lounge, a library with a
good collection of literature related
to subway trains, and a shop with
subway related souvenirs.
Tokyo
Subway Museum is open from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. everyday except Mondays,
and entry fee is ¥ 210 for adults
and ¥ 100 for children.
