Chiyoda City

Huge station in the Chiyoda neighborhood of Tokyo. We arrived at this train station to purchase onsite, roundtrip Shinkansen (bullet train) tickets to get to Kyoto. We could've easily purchased through our phones but opted to speak with a ticket rep, onsite the day of, to ensure we get the right tickets for the right train at the right time since we are not familiar with the area or the language. We purchased reserve seating (highly recommended, especially if you're traveling with 2 or more) guaranteeing you a spot and a seat. As you read this you might be asking how much does this cost? Well, as of October 2024, we paid USD $380 round trip for the two of us which comes out to $95.00 each way, per person. Sounds pricey? Probably but you're riding on a bullet train that will get you from Tokyo to Kyoto in about 2 hours and 15 minutes if you get on the Nozomi line. Selecting the Nozomi route is best in comparison to the Hikari or Kodama due to the least amount of stops shortening your travel time. Driving in takes 6 hours and I can't imagine what that taxi ride would cost you. Just to give you an idea, a 90-minute taxi ride from Narita Airport to Tokyo costs $176.00 USD. Do the math and you'll see that the Shinkansen is the best way to go. The wait time at the ticket lines was roughly 15 minutes and it moves pretty quickly with adequate staff to handle the volume. Once we received tickets we proceeded to find our platform. The platform is organized by color and number. We traveled during lunchtime and on the way to our platform we passed through plenty of shops offering food to-go and dine in restaurants. Limited on time, we picked up food to-go off the platform. The platform we were assigned to had a small grab and go mart. We opted for sandwiches and a bento box. Although eating in public places is prohibited on the streets of Japan, you can eat in the Shinkansen. The train set up is similar to being on an airplane with an overhead section to place your luggage. Seats have fold out tray tables to set food, drink or a laptop. Make sure your luggage can fit in the overhead compartments otherwise you may need to pay extra to store your luggage in a separate area on the rail car. Be mindful of proper train etiquette. Line up at the designated areas where your rail car number will be docking. Wait for the gates to open then wait again for exiting passengers before you board. Steer clear of the priority seating areas designated for the elderly, disabled and pregnant. And lastly, keep conversation noise to a whisper at best. There are bathroom facilities in each rail car and there's even a quiet area for babies too. The train speeds can go well over 150 mph but you rarely feel it on the inside. The ride is very smooth, safe and comfortable. The last thing I want to mention about this rail station is that if you are carrying a lot of luggage, like we did, and wish to shed some luggage while doing cross country travel, the train station has lockers to hold your luggage if you want to pack lite. Lockers are rented by the day using the touch screen kiosk. The cost for renting a spot depends on the size of luggage. Cost per day ranges between 500-800 yen. Hope this review helps guide you in your touring through Japan. Happy travels!

JR Tokyo Station is a bustling, massive transit hub with countless platforms, escalators, and connections to other trains, including the Shinkansen (bullet train). Entering from the South Yaesu exit, it can be a bit overwhelming to navigate, especially if it's your first time here. Finding the correct platform can be tricky. I recommend arriving at least 20 minutes early to give yourself time to locate where you need to go. It's best to speak with a service worker at the gate--they're extremely helpful and can guide you to the correct platform, fare area, and track, which is especially helpful since tickets don't always provide this information clearly. The station is equipped with plenty of escalators and signage, but the sheer size can make it confusing. Besides the train services, you'll also find an impressive array of shops, convenience stores, and dining spots, ranging from quick grab-and-go options to full meals. It's also a great place to pick up bento boxes or snacks for your train journey. If you're connecting to the Shinkansen, JR Tokyo Station is ideal, as it offers direct access. Just be prepared for crowds, especially during peak travel times--and plan extra time to find your way.

I rode Japan's Shinkansen (Bullet Train), from Tokyo to Kyoto. The ride was absolutely phenomenal. It was extremely smooth, clean and the seats were more comfortable than I imagined. They were spacious and reclined back offering the most relaxing ride. Prior to any passengers boarding, a cleaning crew enters and ensures the train is cleared of all trash and is suitable for oncoming passengers. An air freshener is used to further enhance your overall ride experience, which, was a nice surprise. I chose to ride in the "Green Car," as opposed to the "Ordinary Car." It was a bit more in price but was definitely worth the added expense. I highly recommend it. When visiting Tokyo riding the Shinkansen is a must. You'll be glad you did.

JR Tokyo Station was a focal point in my travels. My boyfriend and I came from Narita Airport Station here on our first day. We also took the bullet train from here to Kyoto Station, from Osaka Station back here, and of course from here back to Narita Airport. Tokyo Station is like an epic shopping center meets an epic food court with all of the shopping, browsing, snacking and eating options you would ever want. If anything there might be sensory overload and you might not know what to pick cause there are so many options. For getting on long train rides, grab yourself some snacks and a fancy bento to enjoy during your travels. In Japan, you're allowed to drink on the trains too. Relax and enjoy! Another notable area within Tokyo Station is Tokyo Character Street, which 30 stores that feature popular characters you would definitely recognize. They had many Coin Lockers throughout the station for you to safely store your belongings to comfortable travel to other subareas without lugging to much stuff around, and then coming back for it later. Some lockers required exact change where the 100 Y coins come in handy. You will get a ticket when you use cash, and you will scan that ticket to open up your locker. There are also some lockers that will accept your IC Card for payment, and then you will scan your IC Card upon returning to retrieve your belongings. Pretty neat! The only downside of Tokyo Station is that it gets incredibly busy and crowded. People constantly running through. Annoying tourists being loud and walking on the wrong side of the walkway. If you are traveling somewhere with time specific needs, get to Tokyo Station early and there will be plenty to entertain you with. Happy Travels!

After a six hour train ride that started in Sapporo with a transfer onto the Shinkansen in Hakodate, we finally arrived at JR Tokyo Station. This was the closest stop to our hotel in Ginza. The station wasn't busy even though it was the day before the Mountain Day holiday. We ended up underneath a beautiful church-like rotunda which is the Yamato Transport area part of the station on the west side, so taxi access was close by. I couldn't get a pic of the beautiful brick exterior, but man, check out other reviewer's shots! TIP: The east side of the station sports a Daimaru department store, shops, eateries and 7-stall Tokyo Ramen Yokocho.

JR Tokyo Station / Chiyoda (Tokyo) -- At an average of almost 300,000 people per day, you'd think this is Japan's busiest train station. No, that would be Shinjuku which has almost twice as many daily passengers. Still Tokyo Station has a grand total of 28 train platforms servicing eight local train lines, seven Shinkansen lines, and a Metro Line. Nothing to sneeze at. No room to sneeze anyway because it's constantly crowded with a pretty confusing layout. I won't embarrass myself by admitting how long it took me to find the central ekiben store. However, if you give yourself enough time, you could spend a day shopping here and gorging on the variety of food here, most famously Tokyo Ramen Street (review: https://yelp.to/9IQHvsYpRU). You will also find a JR hotel, an art gallery, the Daimaru Department Store, more restaurants on Kitchen Street, souvenirs galore on Tokyo Character Street, and oh yes, Ebikenya Matsuri Tokyo Gransta (review: https://yelp.to/P1vUCoLLad). Step outside on the Marunouchi side and enjoy the beautiful brick facade. Step back inside to experience the indispensable nerve center of transportation in Japan. Truth. RELATED - Exploring Japan? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3ebRKbk

Makes Grand Central Station in NYC look small. And of course super clean and no smells and nobody bothering you, no begging, circus acts, pickpockets etc.

Tōkyō Station is a major railway station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is also a central hub for many trains and metro lines. Not just that, Tokyo Station itself is a foodie paradise, with hundreds of eateries and shopping complexes. This Tokyo station is super big. We've been to this station last time in 2016 on the tour but did not walk much at this station. (last time we took the Shinkansen Hikari bullet train from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station - see pics). This time we spent a few hours at Tokyo Station for shopping in the late afternoon after we rested at our hotel for a couple of hours. However, it was during rush hour when people got off work so it was kinda crazy. Just be careful, it's a massive complex and you can easily get lost. Glad we were able to find the 1st Ave at Tokyo Station (I also had the map). I bought many souvenirs and gifts for friends and relatives and we also went to Ramen Street for ramen and Character Street (a lot of kawaii stores) at Tokyo Station. Make sure you do some research at this Tokyo Station before you go or look up and walk outside the station to 1st Ave Tokyo Station to get to Ramen Street and Character Street. Otherwise, you may walk around inside Tokyo Station for a long time and get lost in the crowds. We did not want to deal with the mess and crowds at Tokyo Station after we had our ramen for dinner and shopping. Guess what, we called a taxi back to our hotel. We spent about 2,000 yen from Tokyo Station back to our hotel in Ueno. It was a good call for a taxi back to our hotel to avoid so much hectic during rush hour. Easy Peasy.

Tokyo Station is famous for its red-brick building that was built in 1914. While it's big as it has a whole underground city of shops, places to eat, and of course, it's one of the main hubs for regular train tracks that sprawl throughout Tokyo and beyond. It is one of the stations that you have to go to catch one of the famous Shinkansen aka bullet trains. that one can not see from the surface. It is one of the places you can shop for lots of omiyage aka gifts to bring back home for family, friends and of course yourself. Have fun, take your time and explore this historic Station.

"Getting lost is just another way of saying 'going exploring." - North of Beautiful Perhaps the worst JR train station in all of Japan. Okay, I do admit my judgement might be unfair, but after getting lost here three times... I'm raging lol. Tōkyō is the busiest city in the world and this station reflects it! Don't get me wrong, you could jump on a Shinkansen here and end up anywhere in Japan. You could dine here for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.. convenience stores to 5-stars restaurants. Need last minute omiyagi? How about fine chocolates for your Japanese friend? Since she's expecting confessions soon lol. JR Tōkyō Station has you covered. It's ginormous! What many don't know is that it's so big... you can get lost here. I spoke to Japanese people and they get lost too. If you're only on the JR lines, yes, it's easy to find or JR transfer. What's surprising to many is how the station is split into two sections. The original station is located in Chiyoda's Marunouchi business district near the Imperial Palace grounds. The newer Eastern extension is not far from the Ginza commercial district. Due to the large area covered by the station, it is divided into the Marunouchi (west) and Yaesu (east) sides in its directional signage. OH! So I found out! I needed to transfer to the Chiyoda Line not knowing it was at the opposite end from my JR train arriving near Ginza. Google maps are useless underground. After walking around in circles on the Ginza side I finally realized my local train to Nezu needed to be entered towards the Imperial Palace! I stopped trying to be native, swallowed my pride, and asked! Walking literally in circles for 30-minutes did it for me lol. In the end, the JR Tōkyō Station is a city within a city! Many call her Tōkyō Central, but know it's the same. For me, I'd skip coming unless I really needed to get off here. For transfers I'd choose other stations that are easier to maneuver and offer less walking. Yet, if you've never been to Tōkyō it's a must experience! The historical building built in 1889, but not opened until 1914, is a joy to see, and this makes it so worth. Please follow my adventures on IG: @eric_travel_guru

This place is super big and you can get a loss to find food or even your train. So use yhe maps if you can and tey to go early to explore as well as finding your platform. I think we needed up here like 3 or 4 times and were still lost. Locald seems to be fine. But tourists, we all looked a little loss They even give you sizes that can sit above you and then rent space for the JR in the back to store your luggage. They are al2ays on time unless something is wrong with the tracks. So try to get there early and make the res3vations in advance. Pick those tickets up at the counter, or you can not really get in. Even if you have a JR pass. I do recommend those reservation tickets to be in your hand.

Always clean. Always on time. Always a pleasure with the most respectful passengers of any train system anywhere. Why can't the US figure out mass transportation like Japan has?

This is a big station in central Tokyo that is Japan's busiest rail station. Besides subway and Japan Railway (JR) rail lines that converge here, they also handle the city's Shinkansen bullet train traffic.  This review is more about the Shinkansen rather than Tokyo station per se.   Our tour group took the Shinkansen out of here to Kyoto, a 2 hour and 10 minute ride.  The fare from Tokyo to Kyoto is about $100 pp and substitutes about a 6 hour drive.  The seats are comfortable and there is plenty of leg room.  There's not a lot of luggage space, so plan to travel light if by Shinkansen.  There's also a for-pay beverage and light snack cart service. There were a couple of differences I noted from this year's ride versus one we took 7 years ago. One was that the ride was slightly bumpier in spots and maybe that's from simple aging of the system. The other was that the train's speed was not displayed in the cars as it was before (roughly 180 mph). Anyway, the rail system operates on a very precise schedule and they don't mess around.  The train only stops for about 2 minutes at each stop, plus or minus a few seconds, so be ready for ingress or egress, lest you want to end up a couple hundred miles from where you intended.

I feel like all stations cross Tokyo Station. It's fairly easy to navigate if you are coming via JR train. Signs are listed in Japanese and English so that's helpful. We arrived at Tokyo Station after leaving our hotel in Tokyo Bay via the train from Urayasu. We walked around after figuring which platform we needed to be at for our Shinkansen ride to Kyoto. We found plenty of places that sold food. I was looking for some Eki-ben but didn't see the particular kind I was looking for. I ended up picking up a few sandwiches for the train ride and grabbed a drink from Starbucks. Luckily, we didn't get lost in this huge train station.

Tokyo Station is a huge, beautiful train station, both a place you go through to get to other places and a destination in its own right. We ended up there twice during our week in Tokyo, once because it was something to see after we'd failed to figure out the Imperial Palace, and once because we needed to catch the shinkansen to Kyoto. The architecture is striking. The station is much bigger than it used to be, but the original station is on the Marunouchi side, and its 1914 red brick European-style facade is extremely pretty and unique in a city dominated by modern buildings. It would be a sight even out of context, but with the large tree-lined plaza in front and Tokyo's skyscrapers shooting up all around it, the station projects a particular urban majesty. The interior is just as impressive. It feels like an entire downtown collapsed into a busy warren of interconnecting arcades, teeming with people and commerce. I ate amazing ramen at Rokurinsha on Tokyo Ramen Street and bought souvenirs on Tokyo Character Street. There was a whole area of restaurants that we saw on our first visit, where you could sit down and eat, like, sushi or wagyu. I didn't even see this part of the station the second time around. I get the sense that you could spend a whole day here without running out of things to see and eat and do. We did have to catch a train, though, to say goodbye to Tokyo. We booked our shinkansen tickets in advance, opting for reserved seats on the ultra-fast Nozomi. The tickets were expensive, more than the cost of a flight, but the train was definitely more convenient. We got to the platform about fifteen minutes before our train arrived, and waited in an air-conditioned enclosure designated for non-smokers. (The sight of the box crammed with smokers was a real lesson in the addictive quality of nicotine.) Once we boarded, we were on our way pretty fast--I guess the Nozomi run like every half hour, moving people around the country at high speeds, in massive numbers, all day long. We kicked back in our reserved seats--definitely the way to go--drank cold canned beer and enjoyed the two-and-a-half-hour ride. I'm glad we got to hang out at Tokyo Station before getting on our train. I know it's done every day, but I can't imagine passing through without stopping for ramen or any of the other delights housed within the station. If you're traveling in Japan, budget some time to explore this wonderful place.

This Tokyo station is a sight to see in itself. It's so beautiful. The Ramen Street is holy ground! I love the concept of having underground shops and food. This is the perfect place to get everything. Given its sheer size, you will get lost. The good thing is there are helpful signs here and there. Visitors with the JR pass will probably utilize this station plenty. There are luggage lockers you can activate with coins. Perfect place to people watch.

Impression: great place to get lost and never find your exit. I felt like I went in circles to get to the bus stop. It shouldn't be this hard. Lots of connections are here so do be aware of heavy traffic. Tons of restaurants including ones that look really unique and street stand like. Advice: sometimes it's easy to take the bus rather than subway, since some buses take you directly where you need to go without transferring

Full of shops and travelers. Very busy and crowded on the weekends. great to just roam around and enjoy the day. Endless selections of restaurants, gift shops, specialty shops. long lines but very organized.

Located in Chiyoda City in Tokyo Metro.. this is the largest Station in the city serving the JR East, JR Central and Tokyo Metro Train Systems. It also links you to the underground Subway lines and City Bus Terminals. I wish I had the whole day to explore, have multiple meals throughout the day, but time is money. You have to do it in small doses. You'll find many escalators and stairs to and from dozens of exits throughout the train station. There are a ton of shops and eateries all throughout, security and ATM's all around. I've used the JR Yamanote to get here to connect to practically every where in Tokyo Metro. For other travelers, you can access and both Narita & Haneda International Airports from here. You'll feel really safe as CCTV as Japan is generally a very safe country. But always be smart and travel safe.

Clean station that's always busy. Such a unique place to explore and "take in" Tokyo. I loved just walking around and "people watch" be prepared for commute time. Just like any other place in the world, it will get packed! I loved how unique and vibrate this place was! Just walk!!!

Very cool station. A lot of travelers from all over the place transport here to come in and get out of Tokyo. Easy to transport locally regionally and nationally from this hub. A lot of high risers nearby for convenient food, shopping and lodging.

There's that movie where Tom Hanks has to live in an airport for awhile. In Tokyo Station I sometimes feel I'll get hopelessly lost in there and will have to live in there for awhile. For a station used by so many people, from so many countries, you'd think they'd have plenty of signs. You'd be wrong! Then there are the posted station maps. They don't include the JR Green car reservation offices. They were on the online maps I looked at, but not official maps posted in the station. Then the tracks. . .a woeful lack of information. I was looking for Track 21 but saw signs only for Tracks 1 - 9. I kept walking. . .and walking. . .and finally saw signs for tracks 10 - 19. I hoped there were more gates. There were, but I had to go through yet another gate. By the time I found the elevator and got upstairs, my train was just pulling away. The station is accessible. . .sort of. It is if you know which way to go. For example, trying to get to Track 21. If you came the way I did initially, you must take a few steps at one point. But if you come at it from the other side, it's smooth sailing. You might not know that, though. If there are stairs, every track must have an elevator, too. If you find the track, it's usually not too difficult to find the elevator. Anyone can get into parts of the station. To get to the tracks, though, you must have some kind of pass or ticket to get you through one of the gates (see the next paragraph). Now if you are on the Shinkansen or an express train, you will need to pass through an additional set of gates using your pass or ticket. There are electronic display boards overhead that show the departure time, train, number, and track. If you don't see your train, either you're in the wrong place, or you're in the right place but there too early for your train to show up. The display cycles between Japanese and English. The JR Pass just changed; you no longer show it to a staff person to get in and out. You now feed your pass (which looks like a JR train ticket) into a yellow slot in a pass gate. The gate will open and your ticket will pop out farther down on the gate. Just make sure to grab it and safely tuck it away. You'll need it again when you exit any station. Note that not all pass gates accept JR passes. Look for the one or ones with that yellow slot on the right. You can't go in or out of the ones where a card has to be tapped. The Yaesu Gates are on the newer side of the building, so it's a bit more accessible. The Marunoichi Gates are on the historic side of the building, so there are more steps. Restaurants are scattered about, but most are downstairs in an area known as Gransta. There are underground entrances and exits (gates) on this level. There are also convenience stores, sweets places, and more shops on all levels. Tracks have drink vending machines and stands selling ekiben or other food. Once at the proper track, check your ticket for your car number and find on the ground where that car will stop. It can get a little confusing because different types of trains of different lengths use the same track. So car 10 for one train might be car 9 for another. But all cars are connected so if you're cutting it close, just go in the nearest open car door. You can then work your way to your car and your seat inside the train. Better that than missing your train. Trains in Japan run to the second so they will not wait for you.

Probably the most stunning station in Tokyo. It mixes in the old with the new and it works out perfectly. It's a larger station, but doesn't feel overwhelming as you take in a lot of beauty of history while here. Overall, a must visit on a trip to Japan.

Tokyo Station is the busiest and best train station in Japan. It was built in 1914, and although much of the original structure was destroyed at the tail end of World War 2, over the years it has been rebuilt and restored to its original splendor. The station houses more than just a station to get on trains and subways cars, like New York's Grand Central Station, you will find a department store, dozens of restaurants and gift shops to explore. There are endless amounts of curry, ramen, tonkatsu and traditional Japanese restaurants to choose from. The hardest part is navigating and locating exactly what you're looking for. GPS does a good job helping you through the myriad of stairs, escalators and elevators that end up being a maze through which thousands of commuters and dinners scurry through daily. Locals make up the vast majority of users wearing office attire, but you do see tourists from across the planet using it to get to their destinations. Here's some suggestions for travelers who don't have experience using the station: 1. Arrive early. If you are catching the Shinkansen you still need to locate which track your train departs from. The trains always leave exactly on time. If you're a minute late you will guarantee miss it! 2. You can't depend fully on the signs. The signs and directory maps are difficult to read and not everything is listed. They can be very confusing as well. 3. Language barriers. Although many Japanese in the travel and hospitality industry have some cursory understanding of English, many don't. If you're in a hurry this can be an issue. You can use your Google Translate and I've found that many will do the same. 4. Crowds. Expect a packed station for the early morning and afternoon commutes home, although it can be crowded any time during the day or night. 5. Planning. Plan your commute out in advance to avoid any unnecessary hassles. All that said, enjoy using probably the world's most efficient transportation center! Happy travels!!!

Tokyo Station is one of the major hubs that can get you to many places in Japan. Today, we boarded the Hayabusa Super Express bullet train to Akita which is about a three hour trip away to the countryside. This train is one of the fastest trains, hitting approximately 224 mph. There are restrooms--much like an airplane--but these babies have a heat-warming seat and a bidet (you don't get this type of amenity on a standard subway train--not even a toilet). The seats and leg room are very spacious and there is plenty of room above your seat to put small pieces of baggage--backpack, small carry-on, etc and there is a little area for larger items such as the standard sized suitcase that you'd load in the belly of a plane. They have a snack cart that comes by now and again with drinks and lite snacks, but if you want something more substantial then you have to get it before you board and bring it with you. The cost to Akita was 17,820 yen one way (approximately $137 USD).

Amazing Japan Purchased JR ticket at Tokyo station to Atami station When I got Atami station, I realized that I have lost my Japan Railroad ticket I try to explain my situation to the station staff. He already know it. Because the somebody bring to my JR ticket to lost n found at Tokyo station The staff of Tokyo station checked my ticket n called to Atami station. The staff at Atami station expected the passenger will be arrive without JR ticket I have no problem to go through out the ticket gate. Amazing Japan Also I have travelled to Kochi prefecture on spring of 2023. I forgot my my cell phone at train seat When I checked in at hotel, I realized that I forgot my cell phone I have explained to the front girl. She said don't worry, {I will take of it.} Just enjoy the rest of the day I have seated reserved seat therefore she called the station staff n he has no problem to find my cell The following day, I went Kochi station n pick up my cell phone Amazing Japan, Amazing Japan railroad, especially Amazing Japanese people, isn't it?

This is a massive train station that is the center of public transit for Tokyo (and all of Japan too in a way). You will find buses, the shinkansen, JR trains, and anything else here. As a result, the station can be confusing to find where you are going. I ended up here a few times in my travels outside of Tokyo. Luckily, there are English signs everywhere. There are a ton of stores and restaurants spread throughout the place too. There is no doubt that at some point, you will end up here if you spend an extended period of time in Japan. Even if you are not taking transit, it is worth it to go here once. It is an architecturally impressive building and is even bigger than NYC's Grand Central or Penn Station.

One o the most historical and gorgeous stations in Japan. It's packed with travelers and business persons every day. I really wanna stay at the hotel someday soon:)

JR Tokyo Station is a very busy station. Very conveniently located. Connects to a lot of stations

When I first started coming to Tokyo on business, Tokyo station was always under construction and finally they finished just about 10 years ago. Ever since when I come to Tokyo station, I make a point to step outside the main entrance gate to enjoy beauty of the train station building. Station is always busy and crowded. Sings are throughout, I never got lost here before. Since it's so huge, be sure to arrive early enough to get to your platform to catch a train. Coin lockers are available and mostly cash only. It's nice to be able to walk around without dragging my suitcase. Plenty of restaurants and bento shops available to eat or buy before you go on board. Service is always fast as they cater to so many people everyday.

This is a huge and confusing station. I am glad a staff member from the hotel met me and walked me around - I probably could've found my way with the signs (which are all in English as well as Japanese) and from asking some of the friendly staff wearing vests who are happy to answer questions and make sure you purchase the correct ticket if you ask for help. This station has an entrance facing the Imperial Gardens which is old and historic but has a series of massive underground connections and tunnels to other lines spanning throughout Tokyo. It is huge, it is complex, and it services a giant city with millions of people. It does this effectively and efficiently. Trains run smoothly and on time. You can easily get to your chosen destination for reasonable prices from here. There are tons and tons of food and shopping options inside this station and you can spend an entire day just shopping and exploring it. It is connected to a fancy fashion mall of shops as well.

A large station that connects you to many subway lines along with the Shinkansens. Staff is friendly and helpful, especially for directions and Shinkansen tickets.

This station as with any station in Tokyo can get very busy and crowded. However it is one of the easier stations to navigate with its simple layout. There's plenty of signs in English to help direct you to where you need to go. There's a lot of dining options all throughout this station in particularly on the B1 floor downstairs. If you need to get from Yaesu side over to the Marunouchi side or vice versa, the corridor is on the North end of the station. The bus for Narita International Airport is located near the Yaesu South entrance near the McDonald's. You'll want to wait in line at platform number 7. The bus fare will be ¥1000.

This train station is a destination in itself. I stayed in Chuo while in Tokyo, which was about a fifteen minute walk to the station. Therefore, I ended up visiting the station quite a bit for both transportation and when I wanted a bite to eat. The first time I walked in I was blown away by the sheer size. There were tons of businesses, both food and shopping! SHOPPING: Do you have an affinity for giant plushy toys? We're talking Totoro, Miffy, Hello Kitty, etc. I only recognized about half of the mascots, but I bet all of them are popular! You can definitely do some souvenir shopping for the stuffed animal aficionado in your life! FOOD: There are both restaurants and a giant market place. We checked out the row of ramen shops and also grabbed ready to go food at the market at different times. Everything I tried was spectacular - not a dud in the bunch. The ready-made unagi at the marketplace was better than some freshly prepared sushi I've eaten in the states. GARRETTS POPCORN - I have a huge love affair with Garrett's popcorn and there is one in this station! They even have a small size (that's actually small) so I didn't feel like a monster eating it all in one sitting. Take note, America, and adopt their size. What's funny is least memorable of all to me was actually taking the trains. We came here more often to eat and shop than to get somewhere. Honestly, you could probably only come here once during your trip and see it all, but since we were staying so close this was our go to when we wanted a quick bite. It is definitely worth checking out if you are in Tokyo.

OMG I could just stay here for an entire day and eat and shop and watch people. But dang it I just used it as a train station. Our Shinkansen came from Osaka to this station and we caught a metro (Maranouchi line) to our hotel in Akasaka. When it was time to return we went back to this station and caught the Shinkansen to Odawara, since we stayed in Hakone. But I learned my lesson after blowing through here the first time. The second time we arrived early and I looked for Calbee Plus...which I somehow miraculously found. Sometimes the Yelp dot on the map doesn't help because the store is below ground somewhere lol. If I ever come back to Tokyo I would stop and eat at more of the places in this train station. It's like a huge shopping center!

One of the busiest and most confusing station. But also one of the best stations for transfers, shopping, and FOOD. There are tons of restaurants located within and outside of the station. Make sure to check before leaving whether the shop/cafe/restaurant you wish to visit is before or past the gates. If they are past the gates, make sure you tap out once before you head back. I highly recommend you search youtube for a video on reaching your destination. Google maps is also provides very accurate navigation.

Tokyo Station is one of the wonders of the world. According to Wikipedia, there are over 3000 trains and 413,000 passengers a day passing through Tokyo Station. If you come here at rush hours you may bump into a few hundred thousand yourself. So many commuters dashing to their well timed train connections make up the largest group of people. At times it feels like you are in the midst of a stampede. It's hard for a stranger to maneuver through these masses but deep breathing and politeness will get you to your destination. Below the Yaesu entrance is a huge underground mall complex. I manage to get turned around and lost here every time.

JR Tokyo Station is one of those massive Tokyo megaliths were you find a pathway to whatever destination you desire to go to throughout Japan. To say it is a large structure is an understatement. But, it is one of those mazes that you must figure out if you need to go anywhere around the Tokyo area or Japan in general. There are a couple different ways to enter Tokyo Station. You can, of course, take a subway there. Which is probably the method used by most. There's also a couple main entry points to enter the station if you come by taxi or foot. Once inside if you don't know where you're going it can be a little bit overwhelming. Though there are signs pointing you in the direction, sometimes following those signs is a task in itself. But again, if you want to go anywhere in Japan you've got to figure it out. In terms of interior design, this station is not quite as elaborate as some of the other ones around Tokyo, for example Shinjuku Station. Additionally, it doesn't have the amount of food services and other shopping places as does Shinjuku Station. But, it does serve it's purpose fairly well. Once inside the station you will be heading toward your destination either via subway or via the JR line. The station is where you get the Shinkansen/Bullet Train and/or some of the other slower JR Line trains. The JR Line does have a few waiting rooms if you get to the station to bit early. They tend to be crowded and a bit stuffy, however. But, they do serve their purpose. Overall, Tokyo Station is one of those evils that you must endure if you have to go anywhere throughout Japan. Not a great visually inspiring location but it does serve its purpose.

We took the metro and the Shinkansen train to Osaka and I'm so impressed with the overall train system here. Pretty much runs on clockwork, but the lasting impression is how clean it is!!! I love that. The train to Osaka was super fast.... duh? Bullet train??? And great staff. We also took the Narita express from the airport and loved that. Quick and 1/4 of the cab fare. The train station is also a marvel, so many great places to eat and drink you never have to leave!! Where you're here, take less cabs and more trains! Cheaper and more fun!

JR TOKYO STATION Why did we all go to the Tokyo Station?! To get Kit Kats of course! We arrived at the station on Thursday, April 14th around 12:30pm. There's a store inside the station called something kitchen that sells a bunch of kit kat flavors. (The "something" I'm referring to is written in Japanese, so I can't really elaborate more than that.) I went there on my last trip and had to come back for this past trip. That day, they had many flavors I hadn't seen. A favorite being their sake flavor! I walked away with boxes of: Purple yam (¥864), Strawberry (¥864), Shinshu apple (¥864), Strawberry Cheesecake (¥864), Green tea filled dark chocolate (¥864), Sake (¥756), Tea (¥432), and a bag of Baked Custard Pudding (¥540). The shop also had boxes of famous ramens from different regions for 500 円 or 550 円. Some were 1,000 円. There was another shop I saw with different kinds of Pocky! I walked away with a giant box of Dream Pocky (¥1,000) which was a box of assorted flavors of giant Pocky sticks: Chocolate, Powdered Green Tea, Melon, Grain Strawberry and Grape. Very fun and colorful. There's also a Kit Kat Chocolatory with fancy boxes of kit kats. These are more geared towards being given as gifts as the boxes were a little pricey. Across the way, the roommate found something sweet and bought a piece of Taiyaki for dessert. We also chilled at a cafe called Maison de Lobros, when we just wanted to sit, talk and have a drink. Not necessarily alcoholic, but of course, mine was! Huge station with many stores, restaurants, shops, etc. Very fun to walk around. This station offers so much more than just the snacks I was looking for. But, if you are on a quest for kit kats, this would be one of the places to check out!

We keep getting lost here! Enormous Station with too many tracks, food halls, shops & exits. We can never find our way out near our hotel. It's an architecturally beautiful historic building.

Incredibly busy train station, the layout is much improved especially after the restoration project has been significantly improved. Better lighting, clearer signage, and more stores. Still, the linkage between Yaesu and Marunouchi remains rather confusing. Great location for tourists and locals alike. I recommend going to character street just after stores open if you do not like the crowds. Also great place to buy souvenirs such as Kit Kat.

Holy crap, this is like an iceberg with 99% of the station underground. I've been to a few train station in my Yelp lifetime but not a one can hold a candle to the rabbit warren that is Japan Rail Tokyo Station. It does not look like much from the ground level and getting from the Nihombashi side to the Yaesu side is a project all in its own. Most of the structure is below ground. The place just goes on and on and on. We used a locker to store luggage (many options and not expensive) so I took a picture of the locker and the markings near where it was located and it still took us 15 minutes to make our way back to it. Everything in Tokyo fans out from this station. Most of the subway lines transect here. The Shinkansen stops here. There are express lines to Narita and Haneda from here. It is probably the first and last stop for every tourist who visits Tokyo. All I can say is, good luck. There are plenty of people about who can help if you need it. The signage is quite good and all in Japanese and English.

WOW, this train station is HUGE! And BUSY! We arrived to do some sight-seeing in the area. Another big reason for going was to try some vegan ramen at T's Tantan, located inside the terminal. When we arrived, I was a little overwhelmed with how packed the station was. Public transit is such a great idea to keep the air cleaner and the roads less crowded. I wasn't for sure how to get the T's and stopped at one of the many information boards. Still couldn't find the darn name. Then, like the heavens opening, a very kind Japanese gentleman came to my side and asked if I needed help! That is one of the many things I love about Japan. The people really are amazing. As soon as a said we were looking for particular restaurant, his eyes lit up and said, "Oh Yes, T's Tantan! Come!" Off he went, telling us to follow him. He zipped through the station and around thousands of people, all the while smiling and motioning us to follow him! I am telling you, I loved it! As soon as we arrived at the front of the eatery, he motioned to it and smiled. I thanked him several times because I know we probably wouldn't have found it otherwise. Like others have said, the Tokyo Station has both local and Shinkansen trains, so you can get to any where from this area. Be sure to purchase a JR Pass prior to your trip: it will save you tons of money when traveling!

Absolutely a landmark in Tokyo city!! Beautiful architecture~ This place reminds me of Union Station in LA or Grand Central Terminal in NY. So many trains stop at this station... and of course always huge crowd!! It might get confusing buying the train tickets or which train to take. Don't worry, there are always staffs standing at the entrance/lobby. They are super friendly to help you out. If you forget to grab a meal before coming to the station... it's okay!! There are many restaurants at this station or convenient stores for quick snacks.

These stations are lifesavers if your new ro the country and have limited to no knowledge of Japanese! I think I used them on almost every single train trip when I was city hopping and they would always explain what platform and what time the train was departing. If I was being extra remedial then they would point out the path to the platform for me. Just make sure you keep you JR pass handy when passing through the turnstyles. Remember if you have a green car pass then you will need to reserve your seat. This can only be done 24 hours before your train ride. I'm sure you can do this online but I couldn't figure it out. The service desk can manually reserve your ticket though eo no worries.

Free WiFi via JR's east connection is a huge plus. Before heading to the Shinkansen bullet train, definitely scope out food options outside of the tracks. Once inside, your options are pretty much limited to cold bento options. Prices range from $5+, but you can use your credit card! Tip: Green Entrance is for the Max and other trains heading North. Blue Entrance heads west (i.e. Kyoto/Osaka).

This is a bustling station, and can be confusing, but not nearly as crazy and confusing as Shinjuku station. There are a lot of places that sell cookies and pastries and some good eki-ben places to grab a quick lunch. But, I had a really good experience here getting my JR shinkansen tickets. I have a JR Railpass and wanted to get some tickets for our future trips to other parts of Japan. The agent at the Shinkansen ticketing office was very helpful and knew his scheduling. The trip itinerary I had planned was quite tight and so he suggested that maybe I might not make the connection to the trains in time, and so he suggested another route and issued me tickets for both my option and his suggested option which offered a better connection time between trains. Those early morning trains on the routes I originally wanted were probably not congested so that is probably why he was able to issue reserved seats on that line. I was very appreciative. This is the type of service that the Japanese are famous for.

This maybe the biggest Train Station I have been too. JR Tokyo Station. Which Entrance or Exit? North /West/South/East to my hotel when I got off my Airport Express Train?! Next I tried to find Ramen Street, which I heard it is inside the Station somewhere? Where? Where is Ramen?! Standing in front of directory, I still a little puzzled and cannot figured out where I was and where I want to go?! Lost in Tokyo Station might be a typical Tourist experience but with so many to see down here and a huge Daimaru Store. It is not too bad after all. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get lost and find your way around to whatever line, train, subway, bus or Ramen Street and you will be fine.