Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station is located in the Marunouchi district of Chiyoda Ward of Tokyo near the Imperial Palace grounds. It is the main intercity rail terminal in Tokyo and the busiest in terms of number of trains per day (over 4,000), the second-largest after Shinjuku Station, and the third-busiest in terms of the number of passengers using the station everyday after Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.

Tokyo Station is served by several local and regional commuter lines of Japan Railway and is connected to the Tokyo Subway. It is also the starting point and terminus for most of Shinkansen Lines.

The lines that pass through or terminate at Tokyo Station are the East Japan Railway Company Chuo, Keihin-Tohoku, Keiyo, Sobu, Tokaido Main, Yamanote, Yokosuka, Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen, and Nagano Shinkansen Lines; the Central Japan Railway Company Tokaido Shinkansen; and the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line.

Tokyo Station is connected to Otemachi Station through a series of underground passageways. The station is also a major intercity bus terminal with services to several cities in the Kanto, Kansai, and Tohoku regions.

The main station consists of 10 platforms of 20 tracks which are raised above street level and run in a north-south direction. Below these platforms is the main concourse which runs in an east-west direction. The Shinkansen Lines are on the east side of the station. Five stories below ground level on the west side of the station are the two Sobu/Yokosuka line platforms serving four tracks. Four stories below ground level on the south side of the station are the two Keiyo line platforms which serve four tracks.

All the platforms are inter-linked by means of an extensive system of underground passageways which merge with surrounding commercial buildings and shopping centers.

The Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station has preserved its original architecture. Built in 1914, this red brick station building was modeled on the Amsterdam Central Station and is a sight in itself. There is a special entrance in the middle of the Marunouchi side which is opened only for state guests and the Imperial Family.

Inside the Tokyo Station are a large shopping area, event halls, coffee shops, restaurants, an art gallery, and a hotel.

Tokyo Station is situated in the district of Marunouchi , which is the area facing the Imperial Palace between Hibiya and Otemachi. As one of the largest and most prestigious business districts in the world, Marunouchi is the center of Japan's economy. Over 4,100 companies and financial institutions are concentrated here, besides the many government offices.

While Marunouchi is on the west side of the station, on the east side is Yaesu . All the high-speed Shinkansen Lines terminate on this side of Tokyo Station. Yaesu side is also where the inter-city bus stop is located, and also where the Daimaru department store is. 

Marunouchi Building

Marunouchi's landmark structure, Marunouchi Building, or ‘Marubiru' as it is popularly known, is located in front of Tokyo Station. Marunouchi Building was originally opened in 1923 and soon became a status symbol for Japan. It later was reconstructed and reopened in 2002.

The new Building retained its original 8-story podium, but built a new 31-story tower atop the podium. Shops and restaurants are located on the podium floors, as well as the top two floors of the tower. Offices and business and event facilities occupy the rest of the floors. There are also four subterranean levels, which provide retail space, pedestrian connections to Tokyo station, and parking space.

‘Marubiru' is today a landmark building and the main attraction of the Marunouchi district. It draws thousands of visitors each day. Besides the many tourists and non-business persons, many people who work in the district also frequent the place to use the wide range of Marubiru's facilities.

Marunouchi Oazu

Marunouchi Oazu is another prominent complex of the area located just north of Tokyo Station. The Oazu commercial complex consists of five buildings, housing restaurants, bars, shops and offices. Four floors of the main building are occupied by Maruzen, one of Japan's largest bookstores. The top ten floors of the building house Marunouchi Hotel.

Imperial Palace 

The Imperial Palace is the residence of the Imperial Family. It is located just a 5-minute walk from the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Exit.

The Imperial Palace stands on the grounds that were once occupied by Edo Castle. Edo Castle was the seat of the Tokugawa shogun, who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown and the Imperial Family moved in here from Kyoto. In 1888, the Palace was reconstructed for the Imperial Family. During the World War II bombardments, the palace was completely destroyed, but was later rebuilt in the same style and design. Rebuilding was completed in 1968.

The main Palace buildings are surrounded by gardens. There is a large park around this area which in turn is surrounded by moats, and then by massive stone walls. The main Palace and the Inner Gardens are closed to the public. The closest one can get for a view of the Palace is to the Nijubashi Bridge , a wooden bridge built in 1888. Long a symbol of Tokyo, the Nijubashi Bridge is a beautiful scene and a popular place for tourists to pose for souvenir photographs. The general public is allowed to cross this bridge and enter the inner grounds only twice a year – January 1 st (New Year) and December 23 rd (Emperor's birthday) when the Imperial Family makes an appearance on a palace balcony.

The only part of the Imperial Palace that is open to the public is the East Garden.

Imperial East Garden

The Imperial East Gardens (Kokyo Higashi Gyoen) are the only part of the inner area of the Imperial Palace that is open to the public. This area was formerly the site of Edo Castle's main circle (honmaru) and secondary circle (ninomaru), but none of the main buildings remain today. What remains is the foundation of the castle tower on top of the hill where the castle's inner buildings were. The only structures of the Edo period that have been retained are the moats, walls, entrance gates and some guardhouses. At the foot of the hill, where the other buildings stood, is where the beautiful Japanese Imperial East Garden has been created.

The Japanese East Garden was opened to the public in 1968. The garden, with its wide green lawns, has been landscaped in the Japanese style. The place is particularly beautiful from the end of April to the beginning of May when the plum, cherry, and azalea trees are in full bloom.