Photo: Courtesy of Keith Tsuji/Getty Images By Pearl Yan January 07, 2020
The Shibuya metro station on the Ginza Line—Tokyo’s oldest subway line, has undergone a makeover to unveil a new station just a short distance from the old station, which opened in December 1938.
As one of the most visited cultural and nightlife hubs of Tokyo, the renovation of the Shibuya metro station is part of the city’s transportation redevelopment in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Here are five things you need to know about the new metro station.
Tokyo Metro began the relocation work in February 2009. The final phase of the construction will be complete with elevators, restrooms and platform safety gates ahead of the Olympics in July 2020.
Busy Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, Japan (Photo: Courtesy of Keith Tsuji/Getty Images)
A stone’s throw from the famous Shibuya Crossing, the renovated metro station is surrounded by new buildings unveiled in recent months ahead of the Summer Games, including the Shibuya Scramble Square which features an observation deck, shopping malls Shibuya Fukuras and Shibuya Parco, as well as an underground plaza connected to the station’s east exit.
Designed by award-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who is known for his minimalist style, the Shibuya revamp has a M-shaped roof with white interiors that give the building an airy, open feel.
At 12 metres across, the new platform is two times wider than the former one, which was at some six metres.
“The old station had challenges, including narrow entrance gates and platforms. We hope the new one will be loved as a safe and convenient station,” says Tokyo Metro Co. president Akiyoshi Yamamura.
The new station is expected to make transfer to and from the capital’s busy Yamanote Line of East Japan Railway and other railway lines easier with new connections.
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