Most people visiting Japan go through Tokyo Station. It is so large and complicated, even Japanese people get confused inside.
Orientation of Tokyo Station
When you try to orient yourself in Tokyo Station, first you should know which side is “Marunouchi” side and “Yaesu” side.
Marunouchi literally means inside the castle ground. It is the side close to the Imperial Palace.
Yaesu side is closer to Nihonbashi area. It is said Yaesu comes from a foreigner’s name, Jan Joosten. He was a Dutch sailor who was granted a house in the area for his services to 1st Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Since his name was pronounced yan yōsuten in Japanese and it gradually changed to Yaesu.
If you want to take bullet train (Shinkansen)
If you are taking bullet train, it is closer to come to Yaesu side. If you are taking bullet train to Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, go to Blue Shinkansen entrance (JR Central) If you are going to take Tohoku (for Sendai, Morioka, Hachinohe, Shin-Aomori, Akita & Shin Hakodate-Hokuto), Joetsu, Hokuriku (via Nagano) (for Takasaki, Niigata, Nagano, Toyama, Kanazawa, Fukui & Tsuruga) go to Green Shinkansen entrance.
Platform Information
14~19 Tokaido・Sanyo Shinkansen
20~23 Joetsu, Hokuriku (via Nagano) (for Takasaki, Niigata, Nagano, Toyama, Kanazawa, Fukui & Tsuruga)
Please note that when you arrive at Tokyo station, to take JR Central bullet train (for Kyoto, Osaka etc), you can enter straight from Yaesu Shinkansen entrance but other than that, you need to first enter the Tokyo station and then proceed to Shinkansen entrance. (You go through ticket gate twice.)
If you take other JR train to Tokyo Station, follow the sign for Shinkansen (Blue or Green) and go through Shinkansen ticket gate.
If you take ordinary trains
For ordinary trains (other than bullet train), Marunouchi side is closer but you can enter from either side.
Platform Information
1, 2 JC Chuo Line for Ochanomizu, Shinjuku, Tachikawa
3 JK Keihin Tohoku Line for Akihabara & Ueno
4 JY Yamanote Line for Ueno & IKebukuro
5 JY Yamanote Line for Shinagawa & Shibuya
6 JK Keihin Tohoku Line for Kamata & Kannai
7~10 JT Tokaido Line, Ueno Tokyo line (Utsunomiya, Takasaki, Joban Line) JU JJ
Underground floor
1・2 JO Yokosuka, Sobu Line (Rapid)for Yokohama, Ofuna, Kamakura, Zushi & Kurihama
3・4 JO Yokosuka, Sobu Line (Rapid)for Kinshicho, Funabashi, Tsudanuma, Chiba & Narita Airport
Underground floor
1・2 JE Keiyo & JM Musashino Line for Maihama, Kaihinmakuhari, Soga & NishiFunabashi
3・4 JE Keiyo & JM Musashino Line for Maihama, Kaihinmakuhari, Soga &
Shopping in Tokyo Station
There are many shopping areas in and around Tokyo Station.
- Inside the Station (inside the ticket gate)
- Inside the Station (outside the ticket gate Yaesu side 1F)
- Daimaru Deaprtment Store (Hands on 8-10F)
- Yaechika underground shopping area (Yaesu side B1F) including Character street (you can find Gibli and other characters),Ramen Street
- Grandsta shopping mall (B1F of Tokyo Station and Marunouchi side B1F)
Restaurants and cafes in Tokyo Station
As I wrote earlier, there are many shopping areas in and around Tokyo Station, there are lots of restaurants and cafes.
- Inside the Station (inside the ticket gate) Starbucks cafe inside the JR Central Shinkansen gate,
- Inside the Station (outside the ticket gate, Yaesu side)
- Daimaru Deaprtment Store (Hands on 8-10F) Restaurant floor, Inoda Coffee, Tsujiri
- Yaechika underground shopping area (Yaesu side B1F) Ramen, Italian Tomato, Curry shop, Oyakodon, Ikinari Steak etc
- Grandsta shopping mall (B1F of Tokyo Station and Marunouchi side B1F)
Ekiben (Bento Box)
If you are traveling long distance on express trains and bullet trains, you might want to eat in the train. (you can save time this way) There are plenty of Ekiben. Ekiben is a combined word –“eki(station)” and “bento (boxed meal)” There are shops specialized in ekiben in Tokyo station.
Matsuri, Ekibenya and others
Other Takeout options: Rice ball (Onigiri), Starbucks, New Days (Conbini) , Kinokuniya (high end supermarket)
Lawson (open 7:00 -22:00), Family Mart & Seven Eleven (open 7:00 – 23:00) conbinis are in Yaesu side underground mall. Please note those conbini are not open 24 hours
Services
Other than shopping and eating, there are different services.
- JR East Travel Service Center (Marunouchi North) Sale and Exchange of Travel Passes, tickets and Welcome Suica card as well as Travel Information https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/customer_support/service_center_tokyo.html
- JR Central Ticket Office (Yaesu Central)
- Tokyo Station Marunouchi North Exit Baggage Service Counter （Marunouchi North) https://www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/facilities/tokyo_station.html
- Sagawa TOKYO SERVICE CENTER (Yaesu North) Baggage storage and shipping https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/ttk/english/servicecenter/tokyo_station.html
It is outside of the station but there are Travel information counter under KITTE (near Marunouchi South exit)
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