![Tobu logomark](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Tobu_logomark.svg)
is a Japanese commuter railway and ''
keiretsu
A is a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. In the legal sense, it is a type of informal business group that are loosely organized alliances within the social world of Japan's business community. The ''ke ...
''
holding company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
in the
Greater Tokyo Area
The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, consisting of the Kantō region of Japan (including Tokyo Metropolis and the prefectures of Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tochigi) as well as the ...
as well as an intercity and regional operator in the
Kantō region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Slight ...
. Excluding the
Japan Railways Group
The Japan Railways Group, more commonly known as the or simply JR, consists of seven for-profit stock companies that took over most of the assets and operations of the government-owned Japanese National Railways (JNR) on April 1, 1987. Mo ...
companies, Tobu's rail system is the second longest in Japan after
Kintetsu ''Kintetsu'' is the abbreviation of , or Kintetsu Railway, a Japanese railway corporation.
It may also refer to:
Companies
* Kintetsu Group Holdings, the holding corporation of the Kintetsu Railway
** Kintetsu Bus, a bus company and a subsidiary ...
. It serves large portions of
Saitama Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture ...
,
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362 km2 (2,456 sq mi). Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima ...
and
Tochigi Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Tochigi Prefecture has a population of 1,943,886 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,408 Square kilometre, km2 (2,474 Square mile, sq mi). Tochigi ...
, as well as northern
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
and western
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to the ...
. The Tobu Railway Company is listed in the First Section of the
Tokyo Stock Exchange
The , abbreviated as Tosho () or TSE/TYO, is a stock exchange located in Tokyo, Japan. It is the third largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies, and the largest in Asia. It had 2,292 listed co ...
and is a constituent of the
Nikkei 225
The Nikkei 225, or , more commonly called the ''Nikkei'' or the ''Nikkei index'' (), is a stock market index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). It has been calculated daily by the '' Nihon Keizai Shimbun'' (''The Nikkei'') newspaper since 1950 ...
index.
The Tobu corporate group is also engaged in road transportation (bus/taxi), real estate, and retail. It is the owner of the
Tokyo Skytree
is a broadcasting and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo. It became the tallest structure in Japan in 2010[Fuyo Group
is a Japanese ''keiretsu'' descended from the Yasuda zaibatsu, Asano zaibatsu and Okura zaibatsu. They are major business grouping in Japan up to World War II. In 1948, Yasuda was dismantled, with its key financial arm Yasuda Bank becoming Fuj ...](_blank)
''
keiretsu
A is a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. In the legal sense, it is a type of informal business group that are loosely organized alliances within the social world of Japan's business community. The ''ke ...
''.
The name "Tobu" is formed from the
kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
for east (''東'') and
Musashi (''武''蔵), the initial area served.
History
Tobu is one of the oldest railway companies in Japan. It was established in November 1897 and began operation between Kita-Senju and Kuki in August 1899. The Tojo Railway was founded in 1911 as a separate company, but shared its president and head office with Tobu.
In 1905,
Nezu Kaichirō
was a Japanese businessman, national politician and philanthropist.
Early life and career
Born into an established merchant family in Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Yamanashi Prefecture, he moved to Tokyo in 1897, and became independently wea ...
became the president of Tobu Railway and successfully helped to grow the company to one of the largest private rail operators in the Kanto region.
Tobu was the first railway in the
Kanto region
Kantō (Japanese)
Kanto is a simplified spelling of , a Japanese word, only omitting the diacritics.
In Japan
Kantō may refer to:
*Kantō Plain
*Kantō region
*Kantō-kai, organized crime group
*Kanto (Pokémon), a geographical region in the ' ...
to adopt quadruple tracks, on the Kita-Senju to Takenotsuka sector in 1974. The
Tobu Dobutsu Koen (Tobu Animal Park) opened in 1981.
Railway network
![Tobu_Railway_Linemap](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Tobu_Railway_Linemap.svg)
Tobu has two isolated networks which are connected by the
Chichibu Railway
The is a small-sector private railway company operating a railway line in northern Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In addition to its railway operations, the company deals in the real estate and tourism industries. It managed the Mitsumine Ropeway ( ...
for ferrying of its rolling stock.
The Tobu Main Line network has a
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
topology
In mathematics, topology (from the Greek language, Greek words , and ) is concerned with the properties of a mathematical object, geometric object that are preserved under Continuous function, continuous Deformation theory, deformations, such ...
starting at in Tokyo, with the
Isesaki line
The is a Japanese railway line operated by the private railway company Tobu Railway, extending from Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen Station in Saitama to Isesaki Station in Gunma Prefecture. The Isesaki Line can refer to the entire section between Asakus ...
as the trunk, and the
Tobu Kameido Line
The is a railway line operated by Japanese private railway company Tobu Railway in Tokyo. The line is in central Tokyo, a short 3.4 km branch off the Tobu Skytree Line at , southbound to with connections to the JR East Chūō-Sōbu Line. ...
,
Daishi Line,
Tobu Urban Park Line
is a Japanese commuter railway and '' keiretsu'' holding company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. Excluding the Japan Railways Group companies, Tobu's rail system is the second long ...
,
Tobu Sano Line
is a Japanese commuter railway and ''keiretsu'' holding company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. Excluding the Japan Railways Group companies, Tobu's rail system is the second longes ...
,
Koizumi Line is a Japanese family name.
It may describe one of several Koizumi railway stations.
It can refer to a number of people, including the following members of the prominent Koizumi family:
*, former prime minister of Japan
*, a second-generation Di ...
,
Tōbu Kiryū Line
The is a railway line in Japan operated by the major private railway operator Tobu Railway. The line is a branch off the Isesaki Line at Ōta Station, southbound to Akagi Station.
Operation
All trains stop at all stations on the line, inc ...
, and
Nikkō Line
The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects to .
Both the Tobu and JR East railway stations in Nikkō are located within walking distance of each other.
Station list
* Trains can pass each other at ...
forming the branches, with further branches into the
Tobu Utsunomiya Line
is a Japanese commuter railway and ''keiretsu'' holding company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. Excluding the Japan Railways Group companies, Tobu's rail system is the second longes ...
and
Tobu Kinugawa Line
The is a 16.2 km long Japanese railway line from Shimo-Imaichi Station to Shin-Fujiwara Station in Nikkō, Tochigi. It is owned and operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway.
At Shimo-Imaichi Station it connects with the Tob ...
s. It offers surcharged, seat-reserved limited express services from Tokyo to
Nikkō
is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 80,239 in 36,531 households, and a population density of 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is a popular destination for Japanese and ...
and Kinugawa.
The
Tojo Line runs northwest from in Tokyo to central and western
Saitama Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture ...
. A branch, the
Ogose Line, runs to from .
Tobu's terminals in Tokyo are at (Main Line express services), (most other Main Line services) and (Tojo Line). The Skytree and Isesaki Lines interoperate with the
Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line was named after the Hibiya area in Chiyoda's Yurakucho district, under which it passes. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color silve ...
,
Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.4 ...
and the
Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line Tokyu may refer to:
* Tokyu Group, a group of companies centered on Tokyu Corporation
** Tokyu Corporation, a Japanese railway company, the largest member and parent company of the group
** Tokyu Car Corporation, a former Japanese railway vehicle m ...
to serve central, southwestern Tokyo and
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-densest at . Its geographic area of makes it fifth-smallest. Kana ...
, while the Tojo Line interoperates with the
Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line
The , formally the , is a subway line operated by Tokyo Metro in west-central Tokyo and Wako, Saitama, Japan. The newest line in the Tokyo subway network, it opened in stages between 1994 and 2008. On average, the Fukutoshin line carries 362,654 ...
,
Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
,
Tokyu Toyoko Line Tokyu may refer to:
* Tokyu Group, a group of companies centered on Tokyu Corporation
** Tokyu Corporation, a Japanese railway company, the largest member and parent company of the group
** Tokyu Car Corporation, a former Japanese railway vehicle m ...
and
Minatomirai Line
The Minatomirai 21 Line (みなとみらい21線 ''Minato-mirai-21-sen''), commonly known as the Minatomirai Line (みなとみらい線 ''Minatomirai-sen''), is a subway line in Yokohama, Japan that runs from Yokohama Station to Motomachi-Chūk ...
to serve central and southwest Tokyo and
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-densest at . Its geographic area of makes it fifth-smallest. Kana ...
.
Main Lines
Tobu Tojo Lines
Rolling stock
, Tobu Railway operates a fleet of 1,890
electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a numbe ...
(EMU) vehicles, the third largest fleet for a private railway operator in Japan after
Tokyo Metro
The is a major rapid transit system in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metro Co. With an average daily ridership of 6.84 million passengers, the Tokyo Metro is the larger of the two subway operators in the city; the other being the Toei ...
(2,728 vehicles) and
Kintetsu ''Kintetsu'' is the abbreviation of , or Kintetsu Railway, a Japanese railway corporation.
It may also refer to:
Companies
* Kintetsu Group Holdings, the holding corporation of the Kintetsu Railway
** Kintetsu Bus, a bus company and a subsidiary ...
(1,905).
Express EMUs
*
300/350 series EMU (introduced 1991, 300 series variant operated until 2017)
*
200/250 series EMU ''Ryōmō'' (introduced 1991)
*
100 series EMU ''Spacia'' (introduced 1990)
*
634 series EMU ''Skytree Train'' (introduced 2012)
*
500 series 3-car EMUs (introduced in April 2017)
Eight new three-car
500 series EMU trains were introduced on limited express services on lines from Asakusa in 21 April 2017.
File:Tobu-Series100 orange.jpg, 100 series
File:Tobu railway 200kei.JPG, 200 series
File:Tobu Railway 350 Limited Express Kirifuri.jpg, 350 series ''Kirifuri'' limited express
File:Tobu Railway 634kei.JPG, 634 series ''Skytree Train''
File:Tobu-Series500.jpg, A 500 series EMU in April 2017
Commuter EMUs
*
8000 series EMU (introduced 1963)
*
800/850 series EMU
*
9000 series EMU (introduced 1981)
*
10000 series EMU (introduced 1983)
*
20000 series EMU (introduced 1988)
*
30000 series EMU (introduced 1996)
*
50000 series EMU (introduced 2005)
*
60000 series EMU (introduced June 2013)
*
70000 series EMU (since 7 July 2017)
File:TOBURAILWAY SERIES8000 8126・8549F(Tc8649) NODALINE 01.jpg, 8000 series
File:Tobu-Tojo-Line-Series9101F.jpg, 9000 series
File:Tobu-Series10000_11003.jpg, 10000 series
File:Tobu-Type20400-21444.jpg, 20000 series
File:Tobu-Series30000_31604.jpg, 30000 series
File:Tobu-Tojo-Line-Series51009F.jpg, 50000 series
File:Tobu-Series60000-61606F.jpg, 60000 series
File:Tobu-Series70000-71701.jpg, 70000 series
Steam locomotive
Tobu plans to operate steam-hauled tourist services on the Kinugawa Line from 10 August 2017 using
JNR Class C11
The is a type of 2-6-4T steam locomotive built by the Japanese Government Railways and the Japanese National Railways from 1932 to 1947. A total of 381 Class C11 locomotives were built and designed by Hideo Shima .
Overview
The Class C11 was ...
steam locomotive C11 207 loaned from
JR Hokkaido
The is one of the constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), and is often referred to using its official abbreviation of . It operates intercity and local rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a sm ...
together with
JNR Class DE10
The is a class of Japanese C-B wheel arrangement diesel-hydraulic locomotives. 708 locomotives were built between 1966 and 1978. , 138 locomotives remained in operation.
Variants
DE10-0 subclass
158 DE10-0 locomotives were built with steam h ...
diesel locomotive DE10 1099 purchased from
JR East
The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is 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 ...
, a fleet of six 12 and 14 series coaches purchased from
JR Shikoku
The , commonly known as , is the smallest of the seven constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates of intercity and local rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company has it ...
, and two Yo 8000 brake vans purchased from
JR Freight
, or , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It provides transportation of cargo nationwide throughout Japan. Its headquarters are in Shibuya, Tokyo near Shinjuku Station.
The Japan Railways Group was foun ...
and JR East.
Withdrawn types
Express EMUs
*
1700/1720 series
*
1800 series
*
5700 series
*
6000 series
*
6050 series
File:Tobu DRC kinu.jpg, 1720 series
File:Tobu 5700 genjin train nishiarai.jpg, 5700 series
File:Tobu EC 6000 at Asakusa Sta2.jpg, 6000 series
File:Tobu-Nikko-Line-Series6050-6172.jpg, 6050 series
Commuter EMUs
*
2000 series
*
3000 series
*
5000 series (1979–2006)
*
7300 series
*
7800 series
File:Tobu 2000 2409 nishiarai.jpg, 2000 series
File:Tobu 3070 3574 Nikko Line 19930504.jpg, 3000 series
File:Tobu 5050 5157 Tochigi 20060606.JPG, 5000 series
File:Tobu 7300 Isesaki Line 1977.jpg, 7300 series
File:Tobu 7800 Hikifune Station.jpg, 7800 series
DMUs
*
KiHa 2000 series
File:Tobu-railway-Kiha2002-20110818.jpg, Preserved KiHa 2000 series DMU
Steam locomotives
* Tobu B1 Class 4-4-0 (1898)
File:Tobu-No5SteamLocomotive-a.jpg, Preserved Tobu Railway B1 Class 4-4-0
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Tobu Group website
{{Authority control
Railway companies of Japan
Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Transport companies based in Tokyo
Japanese companies established in 1897
Fuyo Group
Railway companies established in 1897