新宿駅

Opened in 1885 on what was then a peripheral line, Shinjuku grew into the great crossroads linking central Tokyo, its western suburbs, and several subway networks. JR East, Odakyu, Keio, Tokyo Metro, and Toei layered their platforms, concourses, and terminals here as the city expanded. Today the station spreads across both the Shinjuku and Shibuya districts. Its exits open onto the towers of Nishi-Shinjuku as well as the shopping streets of Kabukicho. This accumulation over time explains its complex layout, but also its unique role as a gateway to the western half of the metropolis.

Shinjuku is regularly cited by Guinness World Records as the busiest station in the world. Its maze holds more than two hundred exits, depending on how the accesses of the various operators and neighboring concourses are counted.

Opening

1885

Role

Major hub of western Tokyo

Distinctive feature

Several stacked terminals