Tokyo Toden

Tokyo Toden
Lines	1
Stations	30
Daily ridership	47,504 (2018)
Website	www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp
Began operation	1882 (age 144) 1903 (age 123) (electrification)
Operator	Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation
Vehicles	7700 series 8500 series 8800 series 8900 series 9000 series
System length	12.2 km (7.6 mi)
El	600 DC (Overhead line)
Top speed	40 km/h (25 mph)

The Tokyo Toden (東京都電, Tōkyō Toden) or simply Toden, is the tram network of Tokyo, Japan. Of all its former routes, only one, the Tokyo Sakura Tram, remains in service.^[1] The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operates the Toden. The formal legal name is Tokyo-to Densha. Its nickname, "Toden," distinguished it from the "Kokuden" (the Japanese National Railways electrified lines).

The network had a track gauge of , except for the former Seibu Railway lines which were . Today, the Toden has 30 stops, running from Minowabashi Station to Waseda Station.^[2]

History

At its peak, the Toden system boasted 41 routes with 213 kilometres (132 mi) of track. However, the increase in reliance on automobile traffic resulted in reductions in ridership, and from 1967 to 1972, 181 kilometres (112 mi) of track were abandoned as the Bureau changed its emphasis to bus and subway modes of transportation.

1882: The Tokyo Horse-drawn Railway (東京馬車鉄道) opened Japan's first horse-drawn tram system.^[3] Founded in 1880, the first route opened in June 1882 between Shimbashi and Nihonbashi. By October 1882, it formed a circular route connecting Nihonbashi, Ueno, and Asakusa.^[3]
1903: The Tokyo Horse-drawn Railway changed its motive power to electricity and, under the name Tokyo Electric Railway (or Tōden, 東電) commenced operations between and .
1903: The Tokyo Urban Railway (or Gaitetsu, 街鉄) began operations between Sukiyabashi (in Ginza) and Kandabashi.
1904: The Tokyo Electric Railway (Sotobori Line) connecting Shimbashi Station and Ochanomizu opened.
1905: The three companies published the "Tokyo Geography Education Streetcar Song" to promote knowledge of the geography of Tokyo.
1906: The three companies merged to form the Tokyo Railways.
1911: Tokyo City purchased the Tokyo Railways, established its Electric Bureau, and inaugurated the Tokyo City Streetcar (東京市電) system.
1911–1922: The streetcar network expands, with various new companies and lines serving areas in the city and to the west.
1933: The route from Shinagawa Station to North Shinagawa Station is abandoned.
1933–1943: New companies, mergers, and realignments alter the network.
1943: Tokyo City is abolished and the larger Tokyo Prefecture assumes its administrative functions. The Tokyo City Streetcar bureau becomes the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation.
1944: Service is stopped on nine segments.
1945–1951: During the Occupation of Japan, the network evolved slowly.
1952: The segment of the Imai Line between Higashi-arakawa and Imaibashi Stations was replaced with trolley buses.
1953, 1961: Two segments (one in Shinjuku and the other connecting Shimbashi Station and Shiodome) stop operating.
1963: In preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, two segments (Kita-Aoyama Itchome – Miyakezaka and – ) cease operations. The Suginami Line ( – ) closes because it duplicates a line of the Eidan Subway.
1967–1972: A plan for financial restructuring is put into effect in seven stages, resulting in the closure of most of the network.
1974: A plan for abandoning the remaining track is cancelled. The remaining routes are consolidated into a single line, named the Arakawa Line.
1978: One-man operation begins.
1990: The 8500 Series rolling stock is introduced. It is the first new design in 28 years.
2000: A new station, , opens between two existing stations.
2007: 9000 Series rolling stock was scheduled for introduction.

Lines

Name	Japanese^[4]	Termini		Length	Number of stations^[5]
Arakawa Line	都電荒川線	Waseda	Minowabashi	12.2 km (7.6 mi)	30

Former lines

This is the list of former lines, listed according to their official names. Corresponding routes are those of 1962. The first section of the lines opened in the listed opening years, while the last section of the lines closed in the listed closing years.

Line	Termini	Opened	Closed	Notes
Tōkyō Electric Railway (Tōden) lines
Azumabashi Line	Ueno-Ekimae – Honjo-Azumabashi	1904	1972
Hondōri Line	Shimbashi – Sudachō	1903	1971
Kanasugi Line	Mita – Shimbashi	1903	1969
Kuramae Line	Kaminarimon – Asakusabashi	1904	1971
Muromachi Line	Asakusabashi – Marunouchi-Itchōme	1904	1971
Shinagawa Line	Kita-Shinagawa – Mita	1903	1967	Keihin Electric Railway trains (the present Keihin Electric Express Railway) operated over the – section
Ueno Line	Sudachō – Ueno-Ekimae	1903	1972
Tōkyō Urban Railway lines
Aoyama Line	Miyakezaka – Shibuya-Ekimae	c. 1904	1968
Bammachi Line	Hanzōmon – Kudanshita	c. 1905	1963
Chiyodabashi Line	Ōtemachi – Eitaibashi	c. 1904	1972
Edogawa Line	Kudanshita – Waseda	c. 1905	1968
Hamachō Line	Ningyōchō – Ryōgoku	c. 1904	1944
Hanzōmon Line	Hibiya-Kōen – Hanzōmon	1903	1968
Hongō Line	Circa Sudachō – Hakusan-ue	1904	1971
Hōraibashi Line	Miharabashi – Hōraibashi	c. 1904	c. 1909
Ichigaya Line		c. 1905	1970
Kandabashi Line	Hibiya-Kōen – Ogawamachi	1903	1968
Kiridōshi Line	Bunkyō-Kuyakusho-mae – Ueno-Hirokōji	c. 1904	1971
Kōtōbashi Line	Ryōgoku-Nichōme – Kinshibori	c. 1905	1972
Kudan Line	Ogawamachi – Kudanshita	c. 1904	1970
Mita Line	Mita – Hibiya-Kōen	c. 1904	1968
Narihira Line	Midorichō-Itchōme – Fukujimbashi Narihirabashi – Asakusa-Ekimae (the present Tōbu Narihirabashi Station.)	c. 1905	1972
Ryōgokubashi Line	Ogawamachi – Ryōgoku-Nichōme	1903	1972
Shinjuku Line	Hanzōmon – Shinjuku-Ekimae	1903	1970
Suzaki Line	Eitaibashi – Tōyō-Kōen-mae Fukushimabashi (Eitai-Nichōme) – Kamezumichō (Fukagawa-Itchōme)	c. 1904	1972
Toranomon Line	Sakuradamon – Kamiyachō Toranomon – Reinanzaka	c. 1905	1968
Tsukiji Line	Hibiya-Kōen – Kayabachō ( – Ningyōchō)	1903	1971
Umayabashi Line	Ueno-Hirokōji – Honjo-Itchōme	c. 1905	1971
Tōkyō Electric Railway (Sotobori Line) lines
Dobashi Line	Shin-Tokiwabashi – Shimbashi-eki-Kitaguchi	c. 1904	1968
Hiroo Line	Aoyama-Itchōme – Tengenjibashi	c. 1905	1969
Hōraibashi Line	Miharabashi – Toranomon	c. 1905	1967
Nishikichō Line	Ochanomizu – Shin-Tokiwabashi	c. 1904	1944
Ochanomizu Line	Iidabashi – Akihabara-eki-Higashiguchi	c. 1905	1971
Shinanomachi Line	Yotsuya-Sanchōme – Kita-Aoyama-Itchōme	c. 1905	1969
Tameike Line	Toranomon – Yotsuya-Mitsuke	c. 1905	1967
Ushigome Line	Yotsuya-Mitsuke – Iidabashi	c. 1905	1970
Tōkyō Railways lines
Furukawa Line	Tengenjibashi – Kanasugibashi	c. 1910	1969	tracks were in a center median near Ichinohashi
Hakusan Line	Bunkyō-Kuyakusho-mae – Hakusan-ue	c. 1910	1968
Izumibashi Line	Doshūbashi – Ueno-Ekimae	c. 1910	1970	tracks were in a center median on Shōwa Street near Ueno Station
Minowa Line		c. 1910	1969
Ōtsuka Line	Denzūin-mae – Ōtsuka-Ekimae	c. 1910	1971
Senju Line	Komagata-Nichōme – Minami-Senju	c. 1910	1971
Sugamo Line	Hakusan-ue – Sugamo-Shako-mae	c. 1910	1968
Suidōbashi Line	Shin-Tokiwabashi – Bunkyō-Kuyakusho-mae	c. 1910	1968
Takahashi Line	Monzen-Nakachō – Midorichō-Itchōme	c. 1910	1972
Tomisaka Line	Ōmagari – Bunkyō-Kuyakusho-mae	c. 1910	1971
Ōji Electric Tramway lines
Akabane Line	Ōji-Ekimae – Akabane	1926	1972
Arakawa Line	Kumanomae – Ōji-Ekimae	1913	still open	present Arakawa Line
Mikawashima Line	Minowabashi – Kumanomae	1913	still open	present Arakawa Line
Takinogawa Line	Ōji-Ekimae – Ōtsuka-Ekimae	1911	still open	present Arakawa Line
Waseda Line	Ōtsuka-Ekimae – Waseda	1925	still open	present Arakawa Line
Jōtō Electric Tramway lines
Ichinoe Line	Higashi-Arakawa – Imaibashi	1925	1952	commonly called Imai Line; an isolated line with no connection stations to other lines in the network
Komatsugawa Line	Kinshibori – Nishi-Arakawa	1917	1972	tracks were in a center median on Keiyō Road near Kameido Station
Sunamachi Line	Suijimmori – Suzaki	1921	1972
Tamagawa Electric Railway lines
Naka-Meguro Line	Shibuyabashi – Naka-Meguro	1927	1967
Tengenjibashi Line	Shibuya-Ekimae – Tengenjibashi	1921	1969
the former Seibu Railway lines
Kōenji Line	Shinjuku-Ekimae – Kōenji-Itchōme	1921	1963	commonly called Suginami Line
Ogikubo Line	Kōenji-Itchōme – Ogikubo-Ekimae	1921	1963	commonly called Suginami Line
Other
Asukayama Line	Komagome-Ekimae – Asukayama	c. 1920	1971
Awajimachi Line	Awajimachi – Soto-Kanda-Sanchōme	c. 1920	1967
Dōzaka Line	Ueno-Kōen – Sengoku-Itchōme	late 1910s	1971	private right-of-way between Ueno-Kōen-mae and Nezu-Itchōme, beside Shinobazu Pond
Ebisu Line	Tengenjibashi – Ebisu-Chōjamaru	1913	1944	also called Toyosawa Line or Tengenji Line
Fudanotsuji Line	Iikura-Itchōme – Fudanotsuji	c. 1912	1967
Gokokuji Line	Sengoku-Itchōme – Gokokuji-mae	c. 1920	1971
Gotanda Line	Seishōkō-mae – Gotanda-Ekimae	late 1920s	1967
Hatchōbori Line	Baba-Sakimon – Eitaibashi	c. 1920	1967
Ikebukuro Line	Gokokuji-mae – Ikebukuro-Ekimae	early 1930s	1969
Isarago Line	Furukawabashi – Sengakuji	c. 1912	1969
Ishiwara Line	Ishiwarachō-Itchōme – Kinshichō-Ekimae (Kitaguchi) Taiheichō-Sanchōme – Kameido-Tenjimbashi	late 1920s	1971
Itabashi Line	Sugamo-Shako-mae – Itabashi-Ekimae	late 1920s	1966	sometimes included with the Shimura Line
Kachidokibashi Line	Tsukiji-Tsukishima	1947	1968
Kasaibashi Line	Sakaigawa – Kasaibashi	early 1940s	1972
Kasumichō Line	Tameike – Minami-Aoyama-Gochōme	late 1910s	1967
Kita-Senju Line	Senju-Ōhashi – Senju-Yonchōme	late 1920s	1968
Komagome Line	Mukōgaoka-Nichōme – Komagome-Ekimae	late 1910s	1971
Marunouchi Line	Marunouchi-Itchōme – Tochō-mae	c. 1920	1969
Meguro Line	Gyoranzaka-shita – Meguro-Ekimae	c. 1912	1967
Mukōjima Line	Honjo-Azumabashi – Higashi-Mukōjima-Nichōme	late 1920s	1969
Otowa Line	Gokokuji-mae – Yaraishita	late 1920s	1971
Roppongi Line	Hamamatsuchō-Itchōme – Kita-Aoyama-Itchōme	1912	1969
Ryōgoku-eki Leading Line	Ryōgoku-Nichōme – Ryōgoku-Ekimae	1923	1968
Sarue Line	Kinshichō-Ekimae (Minamiguchi) – Tōyō-Kōen-mae	late 1920s	1972
Senzoku Line	Kuramae-Itchōme – Minowa-Shako-mae	c. 1920	1969
Shibaura Line	Tōkyō-Kōguchi – Shibaura-Nichōme	1910	1969	passenger service started in the 1920s
Shimura Line	Itabashi-Ekimae – Shimurabashi	early 1940s	1966
Shin-Ōhashi Line	Kayabachō – Sumiyoshichō-Nichōme	c. 1912	1971
Totsuka Line	Takadanobaba-Ekimae – Omokagebashi	?	1968	opening year unknown
Tsukishima Line	Monzen-Nakachō – Tsukishima	c. 1920	1972
Tsunohazu Line	Iidabashi – Yotsuya-Sankōchō	c. 1912	1970

Routes

As of 1962, there were 41 routes in operation; the maximum for the system:

Terminus	via	Terminus
Shinagawa-Ekimae	Shinagawa Line – Kanasugi Line – Hondōri Line – Ueno Line	Ueno-Ekimae
Mita	Mita Line – Kandabashi Line – Suidōbashi Line – Hakusan Line – Sugamo Line	Tōyō-Daigaku-mae
Shinagawa-Ekimae	Shinagawa Line – Fudanotsuji Line – Roppongi Line – Toranomon Line – Tameike Line – Ushigome Line	Iidabashi
Gotanda-Ekimae	Gotanda Line – Meguro Line – Isarago Line – Furukawa Line – Kanasugi Line – Hondōri Line	Ginza-Nichōme
Meguro-Ekimae	Meguro Line – Isarago Line – Furukawa Line – Mita Line – Kandabashi Line – Hatchōbori Line	Eitaibashi
Shibuya-Ekimae	Aoyama Line – Kasumichō Line – Tameike Line – Hōraibashi Line	Shimbashi
Yotsuya-Sanchōme	Shinanomachi Line – Hiroo Line – Furukawa Line – Isarago Line – Shinagawa Line	Shinagawa-Ekimae
Naka-Meguro	Naka-Meguro Line – Tengenjibashi Line – Furukawa Line – Fudanotsuji Line – Roppongi Line – Toranomon Line – Hanzōmon Line – Tsukiji Line	Tsukiji
Shibuya-Ekimae	Aoyama Line – Hanzōmon Line – Tsukiji Line – Shin-Ōhashi Line	Hamachō-Nakanohashi
Shibuya-Ekimae	Aoyama Line – Hanzōmon Line – Bammachi Line – Kudanshita Line – Ryōgokubashi Line	Sudachō
Shinjuku-Ekimae	Shinjuku Line – Hanzōmon Line – Tsukiji Line – Kachidokibashi Line	Tsukishima
Shinjuku-Ekimae	Shinjuku Line – Ushigome Line – Ichigaya Line – Kudan Line – Ryōgokubashi Line – Ryōgoku-eki Leading Line	Ryōgoku-Ekimae
Shinjuku-Ekimae	Shinjuku Line – Tsunohazu Line – Ochanomizu Line – Izumibashi Line	Suitengū-mae
Shinjuku-Ekimae	Kōenji Line – Ogikubo Line	Ogikubo-Ekimae
Takadanobaba-Ekimae	Totsuka Line – Waseda Line – Edogawa Line – Kudan Line – Kandabashi Line – Chiyodabashi Line	Kayabachō
Ōtsuka-Ekimae	Ōtsuka Line – Tomisaka Line – Kiridōshi Line – Umayabashi Line – Narihira Line – Ishiwara Line	Kinshichō-Ekimae
Ikebukuro-Ekimae	Ikebukuro Line – Gokokuji Line – Ōtsuka Line – Tomisaka Line – Suidōbashi Line – Dobashi Line	Sukiyabashi
Shimura-Sakaue	Shimura Line – Itabashi Line – Sugamo Line – Hakusan Line – Suidōbashi Line	Kandabashi
Ōji-Ekimae	Takinogawa Line – Asukayama Line – Komagome Line – Hongō Line – Ochanomizu Line – Ueno Line – Hondōri Line	Tōri-Sanchōme
Edogawabashi	Otowa Line – Gokokuji Line – Dōzaka Line – Ueno Line	Sudachō
Senju-Yonchōme	Kita-Senju Line – Minowa Line – Izumibashi Line	Suitengū-mae
Minami-Senju	Senju Line – Kuramae Line – Muromachi Line – Hondōri Line	Shimbashi
Kaminarimon	Kuramae Line – Muromachi Line – Hondōri Line (additional service)	Shimbashi
Fukujimbashi	Narihira Line – Takahashi Line – Tsukishima Line	Tsukishima
Fukujimbashi	Narihira Line – Azumabashi Line – Ueno Line	Sudachō
Nishi-Arakawa	Komatsugawa Line – Kōtōbashi Line – Ryōgokubashi Line – Kandabashi Line	Hibiya-Kōen
Higashi-Arakawa	Ichinoe Line	Imaibashi
Minowabashi	Mikawashima Line – Arakawa Line – Akabane Line	Akabane
Kinshichō-Ekimae	Sarue Line – Suzaki Line – Chiyodabashi Line – Marunouchi Line	Tochō-mae
Kasaibashi	Kasaibashi Line – Sunamachi Line – Komatsugawa Line – Kōtōbashi Line – Ryōgokubashi Line	Sudachō
Kasaibashi	Kasaibashi Line – Sunamachi Line – Suzaki Line – Chiyodabashi Line (morning and evening only)	Nihombashi
Higashi-Mukōjima-Nichōme	Mukōjima Line – Azumabashi Line – Ueno Line	Sudachō
Minowabashi	Mikawashima Line – Senzoku Line – Kuramae Line – Muromachi Line – Marunouchi Line	Tochō-mae
Arakawa-Shako-mae	Arakawa Line – Takinogawa Line – Waseda Line	Waseda
Yotsuya-Sanchōme	Shinanomachi Line – Roppongi Line	Hamamatsuchō-Itchōme
Shibuya-Ekimae	Tengenjibashi Line	Tengenjibashi
Sugamo-Shako-mae	Sugamo Line – Hakusan Line – Suidōbashi Line – Kandabashi Line – Mita Line	Nishi-Shimbashi-Itchōme
Kinshichō-Ekimae	Sarue Line – Shin-Ōhashi Line – Tsukiji Line	Tsukiji
Mita	Mita Line – Kandabashi Line – Ryōgokubashi Line – Awajichō Line – Ueno Line – Dōzaka Line	Sendagi-Nichōme
Kishinbori-Shako-mae	Kōtōbashi Line – Komatsugawa Line – Sunamachi Line – Suzaki Line – Chiyodabashi Line	Nihombashi
Waseda	Edogawa Line – Tomisaka Line – Kiridōshi Line – Umayabashi Line	Umayabashi
Shimmeichō-Shako-mae	Dōzaka Line – Ueno Line – Hondōri Line	Ginza-Nanachōme
Shimurabashi	Shimura Line – Itabashi Line	Sugamo-Shako-mae

Note: Route 26 discontinued by 1952.

References

^ "What is Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line)? ｜ TOEI TRANSPORTATION". www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
^ Takiguchi, Takahiro (October 16, 2024). "VIDEO: Take Japan's 'Toden' streetcar for trip to good, old Tokyo". Stripes Japan. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
^ "From horse-drawn trams to streetcars". Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Retrieved 18 Feb 2026.
^ "都営,都バス,都電,荒川線" (in Japanese). 東京都交通局. Retrieved 2026-02-18.
^ "東京都交通局,都電,停留場情報" (in Japanese). 東京都交通局. Retrieved 2026-02-18.