Tokyo's Best Rail Spots 東京のトレインビュースポット
Train madness
Here are the best spots to view Tokyo's maze of a train network, JR, or private companies... Watch the ballet of trains as they depart to serve the millions of passengers daily!
Japan is the country of trains. Those who visit Japan will encounter an incredibly well-organized system, practical, punctual to the second, and clean! The train is a safe, efficient, and convenient means of transportation in Japan.
In Tokyo, the rail lines between JR and all the private companies are complex and dense, but here too, to offer the best possible quality of service to users.
If you want to enjoy the madness of ballet of trains, here are the best spots to do it, and why not bring back some good photos or video footage of the organized madness of ballet of trains!
To read: The train in Japan
- Nippori
It is undoubtedly the most popular spot for train-loving Tokyoites, parents who come to see the trains go by with their children, and enthusiasts eager to take out the image with the most trains at a time because of the bridge above the tracks (north exit), you still have seven lines at your feet with 14 tracks in front of you.
It is tough to go a minute without a train passing, and it is much easier to have three or four trains passing simultaneously. The best of all, it's free!
Part of Nippori's 14 lanes from the bridge
Jerome Laborde
JR Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku on the left, then the Tohoku Shinkansen line cuts through the middle. Then the Takasaki, Utsunomiya, and Joban lines will occupy the space, with finally the private Keisei line.
See The Yamanote line.
- Tokyo
There is already plenty to do in Tokyo station, on the shinkansen platforms, preferably on those of the JR East for more diversity and the view of the local JR lines below.
But the best is to take the height, so the advice is to go to the terrace of the Kitte Garden (Marunouchi south exit, Kitte building, six the floor) to be in the front row of the big show. It moves a lot, and you can appreciate the entire length of the trains dashing off, all the JR ones, and the Tokaido line shinkansen.
The ballet of JR trains from the Kitte Garden in front of Tokyo's main station
Jerome Laborde
- Shinagawa
Shinagawa is the original station of the first line that opened in Japan on October 14, 1872; the first train rushed towards Yokohama on the Tokaido line. Just for that, you have to come and enjoy the crazy atmosphere that reigns there today. Let yourself be overwhelmed, carried away by the constant flow of passing travelers. Buy an ekiben, and taste it at the end of the Keihin-Tohoku pier; seats have a mini garden arranged there. And it is the permanent madness of trains running away in all directions. The Yamanote, Keihin-Tooku, Tokaido, Joban/Tokyo-Ueno, and Yokosuka lines say that there are as many underground lines under your feet.
The best way to appreciate the ballet of the trains of all these lines is to stand on the one that remains, the platform of the private company Keikyu (direction Yokohama); at the very end, you have a fantastic view of the entire JR station, even the shinkansen at the bottom, and in addition the great diversity of the trains of Keikyu and all their partners (Keisei, Hokuso, Toei Asakusa). Another tip is to take a local Keikyu train to the next station, Kita-Shinagawa, and retrace your steps. It's not far (500 meters), and you can enjoy the Keikyu trains at the vast level crossing, which is more often closed than open due to traffic. This will allow you to take pictures of the trains on the green metal bridge before returning to JR Shinagawa station.
A Keikyu train on the Shinagawa Bridge, from the level crossing
Jerome Laborde
- Shinjuku
How can we forget Shinjuku, the station that sees 3.5 million people pass through every day, putting it in the first place! Come and bring your stone to the building, your passage to say, "I was there too!". And inevitably, who says a lot of people, says many trains. But not anywhere. On the Yamanote and Sôbu quays, it's overloaded, and you won't appreciate being run over and especially bothering everyone. The best is then to go to platform n°8 (local Chuo line), at the very end, to have the broadest possible view of all the tracks. From there, much quieter, you will have a good show without disturbing anyone, apart from the railway photographers who have their habits there, which means that the area is good.
A view from Pier 8 in Shinjuku
Jerome Laborde
- Ochanomizu
We are there in the center of Tokyo. To have a nice view, you have to leave this station (Ochanomizu bashi exit) and go on the big stone bridge which dominates the district.
It's rustic Kanda River below, a portion of the Marunouchi metro line comes into the light for a moment, then the orange trains of the Chuo line with those of the Sobu line, which rush further on a very high bridge. At first glance, it just looks like it's going all over the place; another train is going to pass over your head or on the road behind you, but there's plenty ahead of you. . The game is to see trains pass on all lines at the same time and be quick enough to pull off the perfect shot of that moment.
- Keisei Takasago
A little favorite for this spot of a private company. You will have to pay a little to get to Keisei Takasago.
What's so unique about taking you there? Four tracks in parallel, and very often, two trains are leaving the station together. Quite usually also, two other trains arrive together in the opposite direction. If you connect the two, it can give you an excellent railway ballet with double reverse movement. If you like trains and want a taste of this Japanese madness, get your hair done in the middle of it all!
At the end of platforms 3-4, direction Ueno, there is only room for one person, so if it is already taken by a densha otaku (train fan), you will have to wait your turn because the space is significantly reduced.
