Shinjuku is the best place in the world to feel the crunch of a commuter train rush hour, and in the August 2008 issue, Trains Magazine takes you inside, with photos and stories that capture the station’s frenetic pace.
But if you want to watch the trains themselves, Tokyo has a host of exciting locations to offer. The trains run every few minutes, from early morning to well into the night, in a dizzying array of paint schemes and body styles. The Japanese love their trains, and the country has about four times as many railfans per capita as the United States.
Enthusiasts can take photos from station platforms, overpasses, and all public places without worrying about questioning from security guards or police officers. Just be careful to stay behind the yellow lines on station platforms and out of the way of passengers and railway staff. If someone does ask you to move, it is because you are in the way of operations. Get out of the way quickly and gracefully. (An apologetic bow is appropriate.)
Platform Tickets
All Japan Rail (JR) stations sell platform tickets. These one-time use tickets are good for two hours of access to the platform area. Prices vary, but run from 110 to 160 yen (about $0.90 to $1.45). They are available from most ticket vending machines, usually in the lower, right-hand corner. Buy one, insert it in the automatic ticket gates, and get your fill of action on the platform. Be sure to keep the ticket, though, as you’ll need it again to exit the ticket gates.
Shinjuku
About 660 feet directly south of the station is a wide pedestrian overpass that, despite some high fencing, offers good views of the East Japan Railway trackage serving the country’s busiest station. Just to the southwest are the two grade crossings of the Odakyu Railway. The second one also has a pedestrian overpass with unobstructed views.
Located right in the middle of the Tokyo metropolis is Ochanomizu (oh-cha-no-me-zoo), one of the most fascinating rail crossings in the country. Coming from Shinjuku on the west side, both the Chuo Line and Sobu Line run alongside the Kanda River, four tracks wide, into the station. At the east end, the middle two tracks of the Sobu Line begin climbing, cross the Chuo Line and the river, and then strike out for the eastern suburbs. The Chuo Line swings south to join the Yamanote Line into Tokyo Station. Down below, just above the Kanda’s placid waters, the Maronouchi Subway pops into daylight just long enough to cross the river, directly below the JR station. Two road bridges with sidewalks afford excellent vantages, while adjacent shopping centers provide plenty of diversions.
Akihabara is one stop east of Ochanomizu on the Sobu Line. A road bridge over the Kanda River offers good views of the Sobu Line bridge and Chuo Tracks, as well as the bridge carrying the Yamanote and several other lines over the Kanda.
Shibuya Station is three stops south of Shinjuku on the Yamanote Line. South of the station, the private Tokyu Railway’s Toyoko Line crosses over the JR tracks. A nearby pedestrian overpass provides decent views. Be sure to see more than the just the trains in Shibuya, though. Just outside the JR station is one of the busiest intersections in the world, where staggering numbers of people line up to cross the street for every green light. Find a window seat on the second or third floor of the Starbucks and watch in amazement.
Located in Tokyo’s northeast, Asakusa is home to the famous Asakusa Shrine and Senso Temple. It is also a terminal on the private Tobu Railway, which crosses the Sumida River on a long, deck girder bridge just east of the station. The bridge can be seen from several angles, while the station itself is situated on a sharp curve. Water taxis on the Sumida connect Asakusa with downtown Tokyo while offering a unique perspective of the city. Asakusa is also home to several hostels catering to foreign tourists, offering clean rooms and sight-seeing infomation at reasonable prices. JR trains do not serve Asakusa, although two subway lines provide relatively easy connections.
Shinagawa Station is eight stops counter-clockwise from Shinjuku on the Yamanote Line. Just south of the station, the private Keikyu Railway’s mainline crosses the JR tracks on a thru-truss bridge. The sidewalks of the parallel road bridge offer good views.
Hamamatsucho
Hamamatsucho is 10 stops counter-clockwise from Shinjuku on the Yamanote Line. The Tokaido bullet train runs parallel to the Yamanote Line here, and the station platform offers good views of bullet trains entering and leaving the city. This station is also served by the monorail to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, which handles most domestic flights.
For a commanding view of the city, including the rail lines, follow the signs to the World Trade Center building and pay the 600 yen (about $5) for the elevator ride to the observation deck. The windows are typically clean enough for photography.
Museums
The renowned Transportation Museum in Akihabara closed in 2006, however a new railway museum was scheduled to open in fall 2007 in Saitama City, 19 miles north of Tokyo. For steam locomotive fans, there is also the Ome (oh-may) Railway Park with 11 preserved steam locomotives. The park is near Ome Station, one hour west of Shinjuku on the Chuo Line.
For more information:
Japan Rail passes japanrailpass.net
http://www.japan-guide.com
http://www.japan-guide.com
Train travel in Japan www.seat61.com
Japanese railroad groups groups.yahoo.com/group/jtrains
www.japaneserailwaysociety.com
Japanese railroad magazine www.jrtr.net
Ome Railway Park www.kouhaku.or.jp
See more incredible railroad photography in and around Shinjuku Station in the August 2008 issue of Trains Magazine.
