Ikebukuro Station

Ikebukuro Station (池袋駅, Ikebukuro-eki) is a major railway station located in the Ikebukuro district of Toshima, Tokyo, Japan, shared by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Tokyo subway operator Tokyo Metro, and the two private railway operators Seibu Railway and Tobu Railway. With 2.71 million passengers on an average daily in 2007, it is the second-busiest railway station in the world (after Shinjuku Station), and the busiest station in the Tobu, Seibu, and Tokyo Metro networks. It primarily serves commuters from Saitama Prefecture and other residential areas northwest of the city centre. It is the Tokyo terminal of the Seibu Ikebukuro Line and the Tobu Tojo Line.

Ikebukuro Station 池袋駅
The west side of Ikebukuro Station and the Tobu Department Store building in June 2012
Location	Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo Japan
Operated by	JR East Seibu Railway Tobu Railway Tokyo Metro
Connections	Bus terminal
History
Opened	April 1, 1903 (1903-04-01)
Location
Ikebukuro Station Location within Special wards of Tokyo Show map of Special wards of Tokyo Ikebukuro Station Ikebukuro Station (Tokyo) Show map of Tokyo Ikebukuro Station Ikebukuro Station (Japan) Show map of Japan

Lines

JR East

• JY Yamanote Line - along with Ōsaki, one of two stations where Yamanote loop trains are taken in and out of service
• JA Saikyō Line
• JS Shōnan-Shinjuku Line - through service to Takasaki Line and Utsunomiya Line; also used by Narita Express trains

Seibu Railway

Seibu Ikebukuro Line (Ikebukuro to Agano)

Tobu Railway

TJ Tōbu Tōjō Line (Ikebukuro to Yorii)

Tokyo Metro

• M Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
• Y Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line
• F Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line

Station layout

Ikebukuro Station has two main entrances, the East exit and the West exit. There are a number of other secondary entrances such as the JR North exit, the various Seibu exits, and multiple subway exits.

The JR lines run north/south through the center. The Tobu platforms are to the northwest and the Seibu platforms are to the southeast. Both Tobu and Seibu operate department stores adjacent to their terminal stations. (Despite their names, "Seibu" (西武) starts with the kanji for "west" (西), but its platforms are in the eastern part of the station, while "Tōbu" (東武) starts with the character for "east" (東), but its platforms are in the western part of the station.)

The Marunouchi Line and Yurakucho Line run east/west two stories underground, while the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line is four stories underground to the west of the main station complex. The latter line runs south toward Shinjuku and Shibuya along Meiji-dori, and offers through services to Motomachi-Chūkagai Station in Yokohama via the Tokyu Toyoko Line and Minatomirai Line.

Tokyo Metro's Echika underground mall is also located inside the station.[1]

JR East

IKBJY13JA12JS21 Ikebukuro Station 池袋駅
JR East station
The Yamanote Line platforms in June 2015
Location	1-28-2 Minamiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Japan
Operated by	JR East
Line(s)	JY Yamanote Line JA Saikyō Line JS Shōnan-Shinjuku Line
Platforms	4 island platforms
Tracks	8
Other information
Station code	IKB
History
Opened	1 April 1903
Traffic
Passengers (FY2015)	556,780 daily

JR East track and platform layout

1	JA Saikyo Line	for Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ōsaki (via R Rinkai Line) for Shin-Kiba (via Sotetsu Line) for Hazawa yokohama-kokudai and Ebina
2	JS Shōnan-Shinjuku Line	for Shinjuku, Yokohama, Ofuna (via JT Tokaido Line) for Odawara (via JO Yokosuka Line) for Zushi
	■ Limited express Narita Express	for Narita Airport
	■ Super View Odoriko	for Atami, Izukyū-Shimoda
3	JS Shōnan-Shinjuku Line	for Ōmiya (via JU Utsunomiya Line) for Utsunomiya (via JU Takasaki Line) for Takasaki
4	JA Saikyo Line	for Akabane, Ōmiya, and Kawagoe
5/6	JY Yamanote Line	for Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Shinagawa
7/8	JY Yamanote Line	for Tabata, Ueno, and Tokyo

Chest-high platform edge doors were introduced on the Yamanote Line platforms on 2 March 2013.[2]

• 
  The Metropolitan Exit on the second-floor level
• 
  The Metropolitan concourse in March 2016
• 
  The Central No. 2 Gate ticket barriers in June 2016
• 
  Platform 1/2 (with Saikyo Line on the right) in August 2014

Adjacent stations

←		Service		→
Yamanote Line JY13
Mejiro JY14		-	Ōtsuka JY12
Shōnan-Shinjuku Line JS21
Shinjuku SJKJS20		Narita Express		Ōmiya OMYJS24
Shinjuku SJKJS20		Special Rapid		Akabane ABNJS22
Shinjuku SJKJS20		Rapid		Akabane ABNJS22
Shinjuku SJKJS20		Local		Akabane ABNJS22
Saikyō Line JA12
Shinjuku SJKJA11		Commuter Rapid		Itabashi JA13
Shinjuku SJKJA11		Rapid		Itabashi JA13
Shinjuku SJKJA11		Local		Itabashi JA13

Tobu

Platforms

TJ01 Ikebukuro Station 池袋駅
Tobu station
The view from the buffer stops at the south end of the platforms in April 2014
Location	1-21-1 Minamiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Japan
Operated by	Tobu Railway
Line(s)	TJ Tobu Tojo Line
Tracks	3
Other information
Station code	TJ-01
History
Opened	1 May 1914
Traffic
Passengers (FY2015)	477,834 daily

Tobu track and platform layout

The Tobu station has three terminating tracks served by platforms 1 to 5, arranged as shown in the diagram on the right.

1-5

TJ Tobu Tojo Line

for Narimasu, Shiki, Kawagoe, Sakado, and Ogawamachi

Platforms 3 and 5 are normally used for disembarking passengers, although platform 5 is also used for passengers boarding the evening TJ Liner services, which require payment of a supplementary fare. From 14 June 2015, the departure melodies used when trains are about to depart from the station are to be changed to classical themes, with "Allegro" from "Divertimento in D major, K. 136" by Mozart used for platforms 1/2, "Menuetto" from "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" by Mozart used for platforms 3/4, and "Allegro ma non troppo" from the "Pastoral Symphony" by Beethoven used for TJ Liner services departing from platform 5.[3]

• 
  Platform 1 and 2 viewed from platform 3 in April 2014
• 
  Platform 5 viewed from platform 4 in April 2014
• 
  Platform 5 in the evening used by a TJ Liner service

Chest-high platform edge doors are scheduled to be added by the end of fiscal 2020. Platform doors protecting platform 1 are in use since 21 April 2018.[4] It is planned to have platform doors protecting platforms 2 and 3 in operation from 2 March 2019.[5][6]

Ticket barriers

There are three sets of ticket barriers giving access to the platforms: the "South Gate" at ground level (signposted in red), and the "Central Gate" (signposted in blue) and "North Gate" (signposted in green) on the first basement level.

• 
  The ground-level south entrance and ticket barriers in December 2015
• 
  The north gate ticket barriers in April 2014
• 
  The stairs leading from the central gate to platform 5 for TJ Liner passengers in April 2014

Adjacent stations

←		Service		→
Tobu Tojo Line TJ01
Terminus		TJ Liner		Fujimino TJ18
Terminus		Kawagoe express		Asakadai TJ13
Terminus		Rapid express		Wakōshi TJ11
Terminus		Rapid		Narimasu TJ10
Terminus		Express		Narimasu TJ10
Terminus		Semi express		Narimasu TJ10
Terminus		Local		Kita-Ikebukuro TJ02

Seibu

SI01 Ikebukuro Station 池袋駅
Seibu station
The Seibu Ikebukuro Line platform in September 2007
Location	1-28-1 Minamiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Japan
Operated by	Seibu Railway
Line(s)	Seibu Ikebukuro Line
Tracks	4
Other information
Station code	SI-01
History
Opened	1915
Traffic
Passengers (FY2015)	483,407 daily

1-7

Seibu Ikebukuro Line

for Nerima, Tokorozawa, and Hannō Chichibu Main Line for Mitsumineguchi

Platforms 1, 4, and 6 are normally used for disembarking passengers only.

• 
  The basement entrance and ticket barriers in 2016
• 
  The Seibu Ikebukuro Line platforms in July 2014
• 
  Seibu track and platform layout

Adjacent stations

←		Service		→
Seibu Ikebukuro Line SI01
Terminus		Limited express		Tokorozawa SI17
Terminus		Rapid express		Shakujii-kōen SI10
Terminus		Express		Shakujii-kōen SI10
Terminus		Commuter express		Shakujii-kōen SI10
Terminus		Rapid		Nerima SI06
Terminus		Commuter semi express		Nerima SI06
Terminus		Semi express		Nerima SI06
Terminus		Local		Shiinamachi SI02

Tokyo Metro

Platform

M25 Y09 F09 Ikebukuro Station 池袋駅
Tokyo Metro station
The Marunouchi Line platform in April 2015
Location	3-28-1 Minamiikebukuro, Toshima-ku (Marunouchi Line) 1-12-1 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima-ku (Yurakucho Line) 3-28-14 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima-ku (Fukutoshin Line) Japan
Operated by	Tokyo Metro
Line(s)	M Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line Y Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line F Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line
Platforms	3 island platforms
Tracks	6
Other information
Station code	M25, Y09, F09
History
Opened	1954
Traffic
Passengers (FY2015)	548,839 daily
Services
Preceding station   Tokyo Metro   Following station Terminus Marunouchi Line Shin-otsuka M24 toward Ogikubo or Hōnanchō Kanamecho Y08 toward Wakoshi Yurakucho Line Local Higashi-ikebukuro Y10 toward Shin-kiba Shakujii-kōen SI10 toward Seibu-Chichibu S-Train (weekends and national holidays) Shinjuku-sanchome F13 toward Motomachi-Chukagai Kotake-mukaihara F06 toward Hannō or Ogawamachi F Liner Kotake-mukaihara F06 toward Wakoshi Fukutoshin Line Express Commuter Express Shinjuku-sanchome F13 toward Shibuya Kanamecho F08 toward Wakoshi Fukutoshin Line Local Zoshigaya F10 toward Shibuya

This station consists of three separate island platforms for the Marunouchi Line, Yurakucho Line, and Fukutoshin Line.

Station layout

1-2	M Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line	for Otemachi, Tokyo, Ginza, Shinjuku, Ogikubo, and Honancho
3	Y Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line	for Iidabashi, Nagatacho, Yurakucho, and Shin-kiba
4	Y Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line	for Kotake-mukaihara, and Wakoshi TJ Tobu Tojo Line for Shinrinkōen Seibu Ikebukuro Line for Hannō
5	F Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line	for Shinjuku-sanchome, Meiji-jingumae 'Harajuku', and Shibuya TY Tokyu Toyoko Line for Yokohama Minatomirai Line for Motomachi-Chukagai
6	F Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line	for Kotake-mukaihara, and Wakoshi TJ Tobu Tojo Line for Shinrinkōen Seibu Ikebukuro Line for Hannō

The Tokyo Metro platforms are equipped with chest-height platform edge doors.[7]

• 
  The Yurakucho Line platforms in June 2016
• 
  The Fukutoshin Line platforms in June 2008

History

JGR Ikebukuro Station in the early 20th century

Ikebukuro Station in the early 1960s

The underground "Shinsen Ikebukuro" platforms in 2005 before they became part of the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line

The station was opened on April 1, 1903 by the Japanese Government Railways (JGR). The Tōjō Railway Line (present-day Tobu Tojo Line) station opened on 1 May 1914 with the opening of the 33.5 km line to Tanomosawa (田面沢駅) in Saitama Prefecture (located between the present stations of Kawagoeshi and Kasumigaseki).[8] As the Tokyo terminus of the line was originally planned to be at Shimo-Itabashi, Ikebukuro Station is to this day marked by km post "-1.9" (the distance from Shimo-Itabashi Station where the "0 km" post for the line is located).[8]

Tobu opened a department store adjoining its station on 29 May 1962.[8] Around the same time, the Tobu station platforms were expanded with three tracks.[8]

In March 1992, automatic ticket barriers were installed at the north exit of the Tobu Station, and in June of the same year, the Tobu Department Store was expanded with the addition of the Metropolitan Plaza annex located on the south side.[8]

In June 2008, the Tobu station ticket barriers were colour-coded into three "zones": North, Central, and South.[8]

Chest-height platform edge doors were installed on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line platforms in January 2011.[7]

Passenger statistics

The figures below are the official number of passengers entering and exiting each day released by each train operator.

Operator		Number	Fiscal year	Note
JR East		550,350	2013	Boarding passengers only. Second busiest JR East station.[9]
Tobu		472,132	2014	Busiest Tobu station.[10]
Seibu		484,446	2013	Busiest Seibu station.[11]
Tokyo Metro		523,834	2013	Busiest Tokyo Metro station. (Excludes stations which allow through services onto non-Tokyo Metro lines)[12]

Annual passenger figures for the station between fiscal 1903 and 1965 are as shown below. Note that the figures only consider boarding passengers and a blank indicates that no data is available.

Fiscal year	Annual total				References
	JGR/JNR	Tobu	Musashino/Seibu	TRTA
1903	27,941	Not in operation	Not in operation	Not in operation	[13]
1905	33,877				[14]
1915	545,473				[15]
1925	6,842,992	192,380	1,228,881		[16]
1935	11,554,661	500,476	3,558,958		[17]
1955	34,428,803				[18]
1965	144,996,156	72,559,157	77,873,226	55,093,466	[19][20]

The daily passenger figures for the JR East, Seibu, Tobu, and Tokyo Metro station after fiscal 2000 are as shown below. Note that the JR East figures only consider boarding passengers whereas the Seibu, Tobu, and Tokyo Metro figures consider both entering and exiting passengers.

Fiscal year	JR East	Seibu	Tobu	Tokyo Metro
2000	570,255[21]
2005	564,669[22]	511,078[23]
2010	544,222[24]	476,989[25]	467,770[26]
2011	544,762[27]	472,022[28]	464,908[29]	470,284[30]
2012	550,756[31]	479,467[32]	471,990[33]	483,952[34]
2013	550,350[9]	484,446[11]	476,756[35]	523,834[12]
2014			472,132[10]

Surrounding area

The east side of the station and Seibu Department Store building, November 2012

The west side of the station and Tobu Department Store building, December 2007

The surrounding Ikebukuro district is a major commercial centre. Seibu department store, Sunshine City, Parco, and Bic Camera are located to the east of the station, while the Tobu department store and Metropolitan Plaza are located to the west.

Education

• Rikkyo University
• Tokyo College of Music
• Teikyo Heisei University Ikebukuro Campus
• Tokyo University of Social Welfare Ikebukuro Campus
• Shukutoku University Ikebukuro Satellite Campus
• Tokyo College of Transport Studies
• Toshimagaoka-joshigakuen Junior and Senior High School

Retail

• Seibu Department Store
• Parco Department Store
• Tobu Department Store
• Sunshine City

Hotels

• Hotel Metropolitan
• Centurion hotel Ikebukuro

Civic

• Toshima Tax Office
• Toshima Civic Centre
• Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
• Ikebukuro Library
• Ikebukuro Fire Station

Other stations

• Higashi-Ikebukuro Station, on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line

See also

• List of East Japan Railway Company stations
• List of railway stations in Japan
• Transportation in Greater Tokyo

References

• JR全線全駅ステーション倶楽部編(上) [Complete JR Line/Station Compendium (Vol. 1)] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: 文春文庫 (Bunshun Bunko). September 1988. pp. 37–38. ISBN 4-16-748701-2.

1. Echika Ikebukuro Retrieved on 21 July 2009. (in Japanese)
2. 山手線池袋駅　ホームドア使用開始日決定 [Start date fixed for platform edge doors on Ikebukuro Station Yamanote Line platforms]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. 25 December 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
3. ６月１４日（日） 池袋駅 発車メロディがクラシック音楽に変わります [Ikebukuro Station departure melodies to be changed to classical tunes from 14 June] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
4. 東武東上線池袋駅で4月21日からホームドアの使用を開始 [Tobu Tojo Line Ikebukuro Station platform doors use beginning on April 21]. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
5. 東武東上線池袋駅2番・3番ホームと朝霞駅3番・4番ホームでホームドアの使用を開始 [Tobu Tojo Line Ikebukuro Station platforms 2 and 3 and Asaka Station platforms 3 and 4 platform doors use beginning]. 12 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
6. 東武鉄道，ホームドアの設置を拡大 [Tobu Railway to expand platform door installation]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 13 January 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
7. 有楽町線：和光市駅に設置！ [Installation at Yurakucho Line Wakoshi Station] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Tokyo Metro. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
8. 週刊私鉄全駅・全車両基地 No.08 [Weekly All Private Railway Stations and Depots No.8]. Japan: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. 9 February 2014. p. 9. EAN 4910234820243.
9. 各駅の乗車人員　（2013年度） [Station passenger figures (Fiscal 2013)] (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. Archived from the original on 2001-05-06. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
10. 駅情報（乗降人員） [Station information: Passenger figures] (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
11. 駅別乗降人員　2013（平成25）年度　1日平均 [Average daily station usage figures (fiscal 2013)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Seibu Railway. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
12. 各駅の乗降人員ランキング [Station usage ranking] (in Japanese). Tokyo Metro. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
13. 東京府 編 (1905). 東京府統計書. 明治36年 [Tōkyō-Fu Statistics Book (1903)] (in Japanese). 1. 東京府. p. 323. (National Diet Library Digital Archive) (digital page number 183)
14. 東京府 編 (1906). 東京府統計書. 明治38年 [Tōkyō-Fu Statistics Book (1905)] (in Japanese). 1. 東京府. p. 357. (National Diet Library Digital Archive) (digital page number 196)
15. 東京府 編 (1917). 東京府統計書. 大正4年 [Tōkyō-Fu Statistics Book (1915)] (in Japanese). 1. 東京府. p. 681. (National Diet Library Digital Archive) (digital page number 347)
16. 東京府 編 (1927). 東京府統計書. 大正14年 [Tōkyō-Fu Statistics Book (1925)] (in Japanese). 1. 東京府. pp. 561–3. (National Diet Library Digital Archive) (digital page number 326)
17. 東京府 編 (1937). 東京府統計書. 昭和１０年 [Tōkyō-Fu Statistics Book (1935)] (in Japanese). 1. 東京府. pp. 569–70. (National Diet Library Digital Archive) (digital page numbers 340-1)
18. 東京都統計昭和30年 [Tokyo Metropolis Statistics (1955)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Tokyo Metropolitan Government. p. 173. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
19. 東京都統計昭和40年 [Tokyo Metropolis Statistics (1965)] (PDF) (in Japanese and English). Japan: Tokyo Metropolitan Government. p. 223. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
20. 東京都統計昭和40年 [Tokyo Metropolis Statistics (1965)] (PDF) (in Japanese and English). Japan: Tokyo Metropolitan Government. pp. 228–34. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
21. 各駅の乗車人員　（2000年度） [Station passenger figures (Fiscal 2000)] (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. Archived from the original on 2014-10-09. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
22. 各駅の乗車人員　（2005年度） [Station passenger figures (Fiscal 2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. Archived from the original on 2014-10-09. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
23. 駅別乗降人員　2005（平成17）年度　1日平均 [Average daily station usage figures (fiscal 2005)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Seibu Railway. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
24. 各駅の乗車人員 (2010年度) [Station passenger figures (Fiscal 2010)] (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
25. 駅別乗降人員　2010（平成22）年度　1日平均 [Average daily station usage figures (fiscal 2010)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Seibu Railway. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
26. 駅情報（乗降人員） [Station information: Passenger figures] (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 2011. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
27. 各駅の乗車人員　（2011年度） [Station passenger figures (Fiscal 2011)] (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
28. 駅別乗降人員　2011（平成23）年度　1日平均 [Average daily station usage figures (fiscal 2011)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Seibu Railway. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-01. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
29. 駅情報（乗降人員） [Station information: Passenger figures] (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 2012. Archived from the original on 23 August 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
30. 各駅の乗降人員ランキング [Station usage ranking] (in Japanese). Tokyo Metro. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
31. 各駅の乗車人員　（2012年度） [Station passenger figures (Fiscal 2012)] (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. Archived from the original on 2014-10-07. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
32. 駅別乗降人員　2012（平成24）年度　1日平均 [Average daily station usage figures (fiscal 2012)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Seibu Railway. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-10. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
33. 駅情報（乗降人員） [Station information: Passenger figures] (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 2013. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
34. 各駅の乗降人員ランキング [Station usage ranking] (in Japanese). Tokyo Metro. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
35. 駅情報（乗降人員） [Station information: Passenger figures] (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 2014. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2015.

External links

• JR Ikebukuro Station map
• Ikebukuro Station information (Seibu) (in Japanese)
• Ikebukuro Station information (Tobu) (in Japanese)
• Ikebukuro Station information (Tokyo Metro) (in Japanese)