Takanawa Gateway - Tokyo's New Railway Station

Takanawa Gateway Station 高輪ゲートウェイ駅

Takanawa Gateway is the name of a station planned for the Yamanote Line. The Yamanote Line is a train loop line that encircles the center of Tokyo. Its operator is Japan Rail (JR) East.

Yamanote Line

29 stations currently serve the Yamanote Line's approximately 35km of track. However, in less than two years from now, a thirtieth station will join them. Because in spring of 2020, the new Takanawa Gateway Station will open on the Yamanote Line. It will be in the section between Tamachi Station and Shinagawa Station. Also, the Keihin Tohoku Line will run through it. Sengakuji Station on the Toei Asakusa Subway Line and the Keikyu Line are very near the site of the new station. Therefore, access will be possible from these lines as well. The new Takanawa Gateway Station will be the first new station on the Yamanote Line since 1971. Because that was the year when Nishi-Nippori Station came into being. The position of Takanawa Gateway Station on the above map may seem wrong, being away from the current tracks. However, JR East will move the tracks 120 meters east as part of the development project.

Takanawa Gateway - the name

"Takanawa Gateway" is the result of a naming competition for the new station. The winning submission was announced just four days ago. However, controversially, "winning" did not coincide with "popular." The choice of name went public in June of this year. And the public proffered no less than 13,228 names. Then the whole of Japan voted on them. In the end, the most popular choice was "Takanawa," followed by "Shibaura," then "Shibahama," then "Shin-Shinagawa." However, a peremptory decision was made to go for the proposal that, in terms of votes received, ranked at no.130. Construction for Takanawa Gateway Station at right, beyond the Yamanote Line tracks from Shinagawa Station (which is part of the cluster of buildings in the background). View from near Exit A4 of Sengakuji Station.

Global Gateway Shinagawa project

The new Takanawa Gateway station is part of the what JR East calls a "land readjustment project." It is on land that used to be the JR Shinagawa Station Depot railway yard. This project goes by the name of Global Gateway Shinagawa. And it aims to enhance the role of Shinagawa. Because, beyond the cosmopolitan Shinagawa Station area, the area is mainly a bed town. Map with English (of sorts) in the Shibaura neighborhood. The words "Rail Way" are where the new Takanawa Gateway Station will be. The completed Takanawa Gateway Station and Global Gateway Shinagawa will be on land that is now a rail depot. But the closest the public can get to the site is the small Shibaura Central Park right beside the Tokaido Shinkansen line. However, the development site cannot be properly seen from here. The best view of it on the ground is 100 meters south of Exit A4 of Sengakuji Station. The view can be had from near the entrance of the walkway (with a very low roof!) that goes under the tracks that go to and from Shinagawa Station. The projected budget for Takanawa Gateway Station and Global Gateway Shinagawa is five hundred billion yen (about USD 4.4 billion at today's exchange rate). Tokaido Shinkansen track at left, with Takanawa Gateway Station construction going on beyond it; trees of Shibaura Central Park at right. Shinagawa Station is behind the camera.

2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games

2020 is the year that Tokyo will host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tokyo sees holding the Olympics as an opportunity to further internationalize Tokyo. JR East's aim is no less than to create a new town in Tokyo. Of course, the metropolis hopes that this will attract global business. And it also hopes that this will encourage more cultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world. The opening of the new station is the first step. And the development of the new town will follow on from that, due for completion in 2024. Then a further major step in its growth is the planned opening of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen in 2027.