JR_Okubo_Station_-_2022_Jan_17_various_18_04_52_888000

is a

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

on the

Chūō-Sōbu Line The is a railway line that runs through Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network, the line operates on separate tracks along the right-of-way of the Chūō Main Line ( Chūō Line (Rapid)) and ...

Shinjuku, Tokyo , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...

, Japan, operated by

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

(JR East).

Station layout

Ōkubo has a single

island platform An island platform (also center platform (American English) or centre platform (British English)) is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway inte ...

serving two tracks. Westbound trains to Mitaka stop at track 1, while eastbound trains to central Tokyo and Chiba use track 2. In addition, there are two express tracks east of track 2; these are used by

Chūō Line (Rapid) The is the name given to rapid services on the eastern section of the Chūō Main Line operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) between and stations. Some services continue to Otsuki. Basic data *Operator: East Japan Railway Co ...

trains that bypass the station.

Platforms

History

Ōkubo station opened on 5 May 1895 as part of the Kinoe railway with both passenger and freight rail services. On 1 October 1906, the station and all trains serving were nationalised into

Japanese National Railways The , abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pre ...

(JNR). Twenty-five years later in 1931, freight services were discontinued at Ōkubo station. Upon the privatisation of JNR on 1 April 1989, Ōkubo station became part of

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

, which comprises all trains serving the eastern and northern sections of

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

. Beginning in November 2001, the

Suica Suica () is a prepaid rechargeable contactless smart card and electronic money system used as a fare card on train lines and other public transport systems in Japan, launched on November 18, 2001, by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The ...

RFID-based electronic ticketing system has been accepted at Ōkubo station.

Surrounding area

Ōkubo station is located in the northern section of

Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...

in the neighbourhood of the same name. One of Tokyo's largest Korean areas, Ōkubo is to the northwest of the centre of Shinjuku. Specifically, the station lies to the south of and west of the

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line () is a railway Circle route, loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres ...

-enclosed city centre, making it the first stop westbound outside of central Tokyo. About to the east lies Shin-Ōkubo Station on the Yamanote Line. Despite their proximity as well as being owned by JR East, the two stations are not connected. Passengers wishing to change from the Chūō-Sōbu Line to the Yamanote Line must do so at the next eastbound stop,

. Near the station, Okubo-dori (Okubo street) and surrounding side streets are lined with shops selling Korean food and pop-culture items. Also in the vicinity are Korean-themed bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.'' Hiragana Times'', "Okubo - Tokyo's Popular Korea Town", Volume #293, March 2011, pp. 34–37.

Passenger statistics

In fiscal 2011, the station was used by an average of 23,997 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).

References

External links

JR East Ōkubo Station
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okubo Station Railway stations in Japan opened in 1895 Chūō-Sōbu Line Chūō Main Line Stations of East Japan Railway Company Railway stations in Tokyo