Whereas Shinjuku Station takes the title as the largest and Shimbashi as Japan’s oldest, Tokyo Station may need the richest and most fascinating historical past. Building started in 1908, however the station solely opened to be used in 1914 with two platforms for electrical trains and one for non-electric trains.

At the moment, greater than 500,000 folks cross by way of the station day by day. It includes a fluid combine of recent and historic structure. The west aspect with a extra traditional architectural look is situated near the Imperial Palace within the Marunouchi enterprise district. The Yaesu aspect is near the fashionable buying district of Ginza and options extra trendy structure.

1. It was designed by Kingo Tatsuno: The daddy of recent Japanese structure

Previous to taking on the design of Tokyo Station from Franz Balzer, a German railway engineer, Kingo Tatsuno had already crafted a status because the designer of the primary workplace of the Financial institution of Japan and different outstanding buildings erected through the Meiji Interval (1868-1912 ).

Balzer was faraway from the challenge as a result of the emperor needed a extra Western design and believed his design was “too Japanese.” Tatsuno then took over.

He submitted his first draft in 1904, but it surely was a lot smaller than the unique as a result of restricted funds of 420,000. Following the Russo-Japanese Conflict in 1905, the funds was elevated to 2.8 million since Japan launched a marketing campaign to enhance nationwide status. The ultimate proposal in 1910 featured a big station with three tales.

2. It was rumored to be designed after Amsterdam Central Station

The red-brick look of Tokyo Station resembles Amsterdam Central Station within the Netherlands, so Tatsuno could have taken inspiration from Dutch structure. Outstanding Dutch translator Jan Joosten, who was additionally a advisor for the Tokugawa Shogun, resident within the Yaesu district, so which will have additionally impressed Tatsuno’s design. The identify of the east aspect of Tokyo Station “Yaesu” is derived from the identify Jan Joosten.

3. It survived the Nice Kanto Earthquake, however burned down in World Conflict II

The Nice Kanto Earthquake in 1923 precipitated an enormous hearth and different injury to surrounding buildings however barely broken Tokyo Station. Alternatively, many of the roof and inside was destroyed by air raids in Might 1945. Reconstruction was accomplished inside a 12 months, however solely two of the unique three flooring have been restored for security causes. The domed roofs have been additionally modified to octagonal shapes.

The station constructing was designated an essential cultural property in 2003, then efficiently preserved and restored in 2012.

4. It is the positioning of the assassination of 1 prime minister and the tried assassination of one other

In 1921, Prime Minister Takashi Hara was stabbed to dying by a radical conservative in entrance of the south wing of the station after he arrived to board a practice for Kyoto. Hara was the primary Christian prime minister in Japan and allowed some extent of cultural freedom in Japan’s colonies, significantly Korea, by allowing for the primary time, a college curriculum that featured Korean language and historical past. He received few supporters, since Koreans thought his measures have been insufficient and Japanese thought they have been extreme. Thus, he was assassinated by right-wing railroad switchman, Konichi Nakaoka.

9 years later, Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi was shot in Tokyo Station as he was strolling in the direction of the Tsubame specific practice. He was headed to Okayama to look at particular large-scale navy maneuvers and was shot by a member of the Aikokusha ultranationalist secret society, Tomeo Sagoya. The try on his life was made due to his liberal insurance policies towards Korea and his failed financial insurance policies. He died a 12 months later from the injuries he obtained from the assassination try. Guests can observe the spot he was shot close to the south exit on the Marunouchi aspect because it’s marked by a particular tile.

5. The imperial household often makes use of imperial trains that depart from Tokyo Station

Being inside strolling distance of the imperial palace, Tokyo Station is the place imperial trains, or omeshi ressha, are specifically operated for the imperial household. There are bulletproof glass shinkansen automobiles and disguised restricted specific trains the place the car variety of the automotive is not introduced so terrorists cannot goal them. After Emperor Akihito ascended to the throne, air journey or repeatedly scheduled trains with a reserved carriage turned extra frequent than imperial trains.

6. The primary Shinkansen pulled out of Tokyo Station on October 1, 1964

The primary Shinkansen in Japan was the Tokaido Line, which runs from Tokyo to Osaka. It minimize journey time in half from six-and-a-half hours on common trains to 3 hours and 10 minutes. When it opened, folks known as it “yume no chotokkyu” (which means: super-express of goals.) It required an $80 million mortgage from the World Financial institution for development and engineering, which barely coated the prices. Therefore, the top of the challenge, Shinji Sogo and people who labored on it have been known as “the loopy gang.” Quickly after, nevertheless, the 0 Collection Shinkansen turned a logo of Japan’s technological prowess.

7. There was once an underground passage for mail supply between Tokyo Station and the Central Put up Workplace

The Tokyo Central Put up Workplace opened in 1933 situated outdoors Tokyo Station’s south exit. It was designed by Tetsuro Yoshida who designed many put up places of work and telegraph places of work in Japan. Mail was as soon as transported by cart in an underground passage between the station and the put up workplace through the Taisho (1912-1926) and Showa (1926-1989) intervals. A part of the unique put up workplace constructing remains to be preserved and now includes the underside layer constructing of JP Tower.

8. It has an artwork gallery

Tokyo Station Gallery opened in 1988 to introduce artwork to the plenty at one of many busiest stations in Japan. Because it opened, greater than 2.3 million folks have visited to admire the paintings. It closed in 2006 after which reopened in 2012 after the renovation of the station constructing completed. There are about 5 totally different exhibitions yearly usually targeted on trendy artwork. The exhibition flooring are on the fashionable third flooring and the historic second flooring. The second flooring is the one place within the station the place you may see unique brick partitions older than 100 years in a single place. It is situated within the Marunouchi constructing outdoors the north exit.

9. It has a lodge

The lodge opened within the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Constructing in 1915, one 12 months after the opening of the station. The fashionable European-style lodge has 56 visitor rooms and a banquet corridor. It was a well-liked assembly place after the Nice Hanshin Earthquake, because it wasn’t very broken. It was quickly closed from 2006 to 2012 because of conservation and restoration initiatives. These days Tokyo’s political elite nonetheless collect there for afternoon tea. Room charges are round 40,000.