松戸 赤羽 金町

綾瀬 王子 北千住

Map of the Ginza Line (1938-1939) 市川 The Orient’s first subway starts ppr Today’s Ginza Line was 拝島 Opened in 1927 completed by overcoming a a e variety of difficulties, in- 本八幡 cluding construction chal- service lenges such as tunneling新小岩 e beneath the Kanda and Ni- 中野 吉祥寺 荻窪 Opened in 1930 ehr aa hombashi rivers. 武蔵境 三鷹 ehrh Prepared from Ginza- 西国分寺 senrosenzu (Ginza Line haara map), Tokyo Metro. Construction of a subway was already positioned within the Meanwhile, the City of Tokyo was also planning construction of Opened in 1931 hh 国分寺 aa 立川 1903 Tokyo City Planning Ordinance. However, the plan lacked a full-fledged municipal subway as part of reconstruction effectiveness at the time, and the Tokyo Underground Railway projects following the earthquake, and acquired permission to h Company, established in 1920, was first to realize subway build four lines (65.7km) in 1925. However, a lack of funding construction. continued after the Great Kanto Earthquake and it was difficult Opened in 1932 Although the Tokyo Underground Railway Company had for the city to start subway construction. Therefore, in 1934, the

originally planned on constructing a subway line between Ueno city of Tokyo ceded a portion of its lines to the Tokyo Rapid ah Chapter and Shimbashi (5.8km), the repercussions of an economic Railway Co. In 1938, the Tokyo Rapid Railway Co. opened the Opened in 1934 recession and the Great Kanto Earthquake made it difficult to Toranomon-Shibuya section, and the following year, services hah ra 2 fund the project. Approval for construction was obtained by began between Shibuya and Shimbashi. Through service with changing the section to be constructed, reducing the size of the the Tokyo Underground Railway Company also began in 1939, Section opened by ha Tokyo Rapid Railway project. Construction commenced in 1924, with the Asakusa- making it possible for passengers to travel the full length of the 1938-1939 aaath 八王子 Ueno section completed in 1927. And, by 1934, operation of the line from Asakusa to Shibuya. initially planned service between Ueno and Shimbashi started. Popular attractions of Asakusa

◉ Asakusa developed目黒 around Sensoji Temple. With Tokugawa Ieyasu’s and entertainment, a role it still carries on today. move to Edo, Sensoji was designated品川 as a tutelary temple of the ◉ In the Taisho era, shops selling vintage and antique items continued Tokugawa clan, and the temple bustled with activity as many commoners to open on the west side of Asakusa, and tourists come for the visited the nakamise, shops lining the approach to the temple from specialized shopping district even today. Kaminarimon Gate, which could also be considered a symbol of the Asakusa has used the foundation of tradition passed down to it from the temple town of Asakusa. Edo period to establish its position as a popular entertainment spot for ◉ In the Meiji era, Tokyo’s first “high-rise building,” the Ryounkaku everyone. Start of service on the Ginza Line (Asakusa Twelve Stories), and entertainment districts such as the Rokku Source: Taitoku toshikeikaku master plan (Taito-ku urban planning (Above) Source: Tokyo Metro Museum 大井町 (Left) From the collection of the Tokyo Metro- Entertainment District appeared, making Asakusa a hub for amusement master plan). 橋本 politan Central Library. The start of service between Asakusa and Ueno Map of the Sensoji Temple grounds in 1927 produced a response beyond expecta- from Toto Meisho (Famous places of 大島 利島 新島 神津島 三宅島 御蔵島 八丈島 青ヶ島 父島 母島 tions. On the inaugural day of service, passengers the Eastern Capital) 岡田港 flooded the stations established at Asakusa, In the Edo period, Asakusa became a popu- 若郷漁港 弟島 Tawaramachi, Inaricho, and Ueno prior to de- lar area visited by people to worship, have parture of the first train. It is said that the num- fun, or be entertained. 大島空港 母島 ber of passengers exceeded 40,000 during the Source: Sensoji Temple. 羽伏漁港 伊ヶ谷漁港 御蔵島港 神湊港 morning hours alone. 元町港 八丈島空港 利島港 兄島 沖港 Poster commemo- 新島空港 神津島港 三池港 rating the start of 新島港 阿古漁港 subway service 八重根港 青ヶ島港 From the collection of 式根島 三浦漁港 二見港 向島 the Kyoto Institute of 三宅島空港 Technology Museum 野伏漁港 神津島空港 and Archives (Collection 姪島 number: AN2694-1). 式根島港 父島 At the time, this poster 0 5km 妹島 announcing the start 0 3km 0 3km 0 3km 0 3km 0 3km 0 3km 0 3km 0 3km 0 3km 姉島 0 3km of subway service be- Ryounkaku A view of Asakusa Nakamise came widely known From the collection of the shops as they were from the and helped to make Taito Ward Shitamachi Taisho era and Niomon Gate in the subway popular as Museum. the distance a stylish form of trans- In 1890, Ryounkaku was From the Collection of the Tokyo portation linking bus- an observation tower built Metropolitan Central Library. tling areas of the city. in Asakusa Park. It was Ja- The Nakamise approach to the pan’s tallest building at the temple, red brick construction time. since 1885, was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, and First ticket gates (Ginza Line) rebuilt with reinforced concrete Turnstiles made in the United States were adopted to serve as ticket gates construction two years later in when service was launched. It was an innovative system at the time. Passen- 1925 to be reborn as a proud shop- gers dropped a ten-sen nickel coin into the fare collection box at the entrance ping district. to the turnstile and then pushed the cross-shaped wooden arm to enter. Source: Tokyo Metro Museum.

054 【Chapter2】Evolution of the City Planning System 05-The Orient’s first subway starts service 055 Reconstruction following the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II (1910s-1950s)