Toden Arakawa Line

Arakawa Line

8500 series trams passing near Asukayama Station
Overview
Type Streetcar
Locale Tokyo
Termini Waseda
Minowabashi
Stations 30
Operation
Opened 1974
Owner Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei)
Technical
Line length 12.2 km (7.6 mi)
Track gauge 1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in)
Electrification 600 V DC overhead catenary

The Toden Arakawa Line (都電荒川線 Toden Arakawa-sen) is a streetcar line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). The Arakawa Line is the sole survivor of Tokyo's once-extensive Tokyo Toden streetcar system, but it is not the only tram line in Tokyo, as the privately owned Tokyu Setagaya Line is also classified as a streetcar (路面電車 romen densha).

Station list

All stations are located in Tokyo.

Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
Between
stations		 Total
Minowabashi 三ノ輪橋 - 0.0 Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (Minowa: H-19) Arakawa
Arakawa-itchumae 荒川一中前 0.3 0.3  
Arakawakuyakushomae 荒川区役所前 0.3 0.6  
Arakawa-nichome 荒川二丁目 0.4 1.0  
Arakawa-nanachome 荒川七丁目 0.4 1.4  
Machiya-ekimae 町屋駅前 0.4 1.8 Keisei Main Line (Machiya)
Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (Machiya: C-17)
Machiya-nichome 町屋二丁目 0.4 2.2  
Higashi-ogu-sanchome 東尾久三丁目 0.3 2.5  
Kumanomae 熊野前 0.6 3.1 Nippori-Toneri Liner (04)
Miyanomae 宮ノ前 0.4 3.5  
Odai 小台 0.3 3.8  
Arakawa-yuenchimae 荒川遊園地前 0.3 4.1  
Arakawa-shakomae 荒川車庫前 0.5 4.6  
Kajiwara 梶原 0.4 5.0   Kita
Sakaechō 栄町 0.5 5.5  
Ōji-ekimae 王子駅前 0.5 6.0 Keihin-Tōhoku Line (Ōji)
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line (Ōji: N-16)
Asukayama 飛鳥山 0.5 6.5  
Takinogawa-itchome 滝野川一丁目 0.4 6.9  
Nishigahara-yonchome 西ヶ原四丁目 0.4 7.3  
Shin-Kōshinzuka 新庚申塚 0.4 7.7 Toei Mita Line (Nishi-Sugamo: I-16) Toshima
Kōshinzuka 庚申塚 0.2 7.9  
Sugamoshinden 巣鴨新田 0.5 8.4  
Ōtsuka-Ekimae 大塚駅前 0.5 8.9 Yamanote Line (Ōtsuka)
Mukōhara 向原 0.5 9.4  
Higashi-Ikebukuro-Yonchōme 東池袋四丁目 0.6 10.0 Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line (Higashi-Ikebukuro: Y-10)
Toden-Zōshigaya 都電雑司ヶ谷 0.2 10.2  
Kishibojinmae 鬼子母神前 0.5 10.7 Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line (Zōshigaya: F-10)
Gakushūin-shita 学習院下 0.5 11.2  
Omokagebashi 面影橋 0.5 11.7   Shinjuku
Waseda 早稲田 0.5 12.2 Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line (Waseda: T-04)[* 1]
  1. ↑ Both the Tokyo Metro and Toei stations are displayed on station maps as being distant from one another, and are not announced as transfer points for one another.

Rolling stock

Former rolling stock

History

The line was originally constructed by the Oji Electric Tram Company (王子電気軌道 Ōji-denki-kidō) as a part of their extensive network, with the oldest section still operating today opened in 1913. The line was at threat of being shut down along with the rest of Tokyo's streetcar system in the 1960s, but concerted opposition from residents prevented this and parts of lines 27 (Minowabashi-Akabane) and 32 (Arakawa-Waseda) were merged to form the line as it is today. The line was sold to the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation in 1974, which renamed it the Toden Arakawa Line.

The Toden Arakawa Line operates between the terminals at Minowabashi Station and Waseda Station. It runs along Meiji Street between Asuka-yama Station and Oji Eki-mae Station. Otherwise, it operates on its own tracks. Presently, single driver-operated cars make the 12.2 km trip in 50 minutes. The gauge is 1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in). The line is fully double-track, and draws 600 V electrical supply.

Two Toden Arakawa trams (one in revenue service, the other undergoing brake testing) collided on June 13, 2006 near the Minowabashi terminus, injuring 27 people.

Sights

A Toden Arakawa line tram, near Kishibojinmae Station

The Toden Arakawa Line operates in northern and eastern Tokyo outside the main tourist areas. The terminus at Minowabashi is near the historical site of Edo's red-light district Yoshiwara which features a completely covered shopping street, several blocks long, in the once common "Ameyoko" style (a shōtengai).

References

L.W. Demery, R. Forty, R. DeGroote and J.W. Higgins, Electric Railways of Japan (Interurbans- Tramways-Metros) Vol.1: Tokyo and Northern Japan. Light Rail Transit Association, 1983.

  1. ↑ 都電荒川線で7701号車が営業運転を開始 [Car 7701 enters service on Toden Arakawa Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  2. ↑ 都電荒川線で8900形が営業運転を開始 [8900 series enter service on Toden Arakawa Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
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