VOL.200 FEBRUARY 2025
HISTORIC JAPANESE PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE OF THE MODERN ERA Tokyo Station, one of Japan’s largest European-style architecture in the modern era, celebrated its 110th anniversary

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The red brick Marunouchi Station Building of Tokyo Station. Office high-rises tower above behind it.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji

Tokyo Station, which has a long history as a major transportation hub in Japan, celebrated its 110th anniversary at the end of last year, on December 20, 2024. We interviewed a representative of the railroad company that runs Tokyo Station about the history and architectural charm of this station, which has grown over time along with Japan’s development.

Tokyo is Japan’s political and economic center. Tokyo Station, located in Chiyoda City, where the Imperial Palace and many government agencies are located, is the largest train terminal station in Japan,¹ with trains arriving and departing on conventional lines, Shinkansen bullet train lines, and many subway lines. KATO Miho of East Japan Railway (JR East) explains its history.

“The station opened in 1914. The steel-framed brick station building, designed by TATSUNO Kingo,² who is regarded as the father of the architecture in the modern era of Japan, took six years to complete. It is one of the largest European-style brick buildings in the modern era of Japan, reminiscent of old European architecture. It has a length of 335 meters, a height of 45 meters, a total floor area of 23,900 square meters, and two domes on each wing. When the Great Kanto Earthquake³ occurred in 1923, nine years after it was built, the building escaped the fires.

However, in 1945, the north and south domed roofs and most of the 3rd floor were lost due to the destruction of World War II.

“Two years after the end of the war, the domed roof was reconstructed as an octagon on a part of the building that survived the fires. During the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, there was a grand departure ceremony for Japan’s first Shinkansen bullet train, which originated at Tokyo Station. In 2003, the station building was designated an Important Cultural Property, and a major construction project for its long-term preservation was planned. The preservation and restoration work was completed in 2012.”

The main feature of the restoration work was to restore the 3rd floor and the domed roof to their original 1914 appearance, as both had been lost in the war.

Tokyo Station and its building not only function as Tokyo’s central rail station, but also designated an Important Cultural Property in itself as well as a tourist spot.

“The station building incorporates European architectural styles, and is a valuable structure that symbolizes Japan’s modernization at the time it was built. Installed in the inside of the European style octagonal dome, is a portion of relief that remains from the time it was first built. In the octagonal corner below the dome are eight 2.1-meter eagles facing left with their wings outstretched.”

The station also includes a full-scale museum, a hotel that has been there since the station opened, and large shopping areas in the basement and elsewhere.

“The station has a variety of facilities, restaurants, and gift shops that are alive with visitors, including a great many from abroad. We hope you’ll enjoy seeing Tokyo Station from the perspective of a historical building, as well.”

• 1. Total area: 182,000 square meters.
  Average number of passengers per day: about 460,000
  Number of trains per day: about 4,000
  Number of platforms: 28 (including 6 for Tokaido Shinkansen)
  (Above statistics are as of January 1, 2020)
• 2. Lived from 1854-1919. Aside from the Marunouchi Building of Tokyo Station, he also worked on the head office of the Bank of Japan. Known for his “Tatsuno style” of design, which incorporated Western architectural styles, he is also known as the father of the architecture in the modern era of Japan. Tatsuno’s work has had a major impact on Japanese architectural history.
• 3. One of Japan’s worst earthquake disasters, which occurred on September 1, 1923. The magnitude-7.9 earthquake caused extensive damage, mainly in Tokyo and Yokohama, leaving about 105,000 people dead or missing.

By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: Tokyo Station City Management Council; ISHIZAWA Yoji

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