永田町駅

Akasaka-mitsuke opened in 1938 on today's Ginza line. The Marunouchi line joined it in 1959 with platforms arranged to ease transfers. Farther north, Nagatacho developed from 1974 with the Yurakucho, Hanzomon, and later Namboku lines. The two stations are ultimately treated as a single complex, connected by long underground passages. Together they serve the political quarters of Nagatacho, the hotels of Akasaka, and the surroundings of the Imperial Palace. This dual identity explains a very extensive station: it combines two names, five lines, and transfers ranging from a simple change of platform to a genuine underground walk.

At Akasaka-mitsuke, the Ginza and Marunouchi lines use stacked platforms organized by direction. This layout often allows travelers to switch from one line to the other simply by crossing the platform, a rarity much appreciated in Tokyo.

First opening

1938

Complex

Two stations, five lines

Distinctive feature

Cross-platform transfers