Takadanobaba Station 高田馬場駅
Takadanobaba Station entrance on Waseda Dori Avenue with the Big Box shopping center in the background and a Seibu Shinjuku Line train rolling in
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Takadanobaba Station in Tokyo is located in the north of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, about halfway between Shinjuku and Ikebukuro stations. Takadanobaba Station is on the JR Yamanote Line, the Tozai subway line, and the Seibu Shinjuku Line.
Takadanobaba Station is located in the north of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, about halfway between Shinjuku and Ikebukuro stations. The station serves the JR Yamanote Line, the Seibu Shinjuku Line and the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.
With about 680,000 passengers per day (all three lines combined), Takadanobaba is one of Tokyo's busiest stations. For the most part, the passengers are transfer passengers changing from one of the lines to the other.
The main campus of Waseda University is close to Takadanobaba Station. This brings in a steady stream of students to one of the most prestigious universities in Tokyo.
Seibu Shinjuku Line
The Seibu Shinjuku Line starts out at Seibu Shinjuku Station, one stop away, and heads out into the western metropolitan suburbs including Tanashi, Kodaira, Tokorozawa Station in Tokorozawa and Akishima, just north of Tachikawa.
The Seibu Shinjuku Line trains bound for Hon Kawagoe will take you into close walking distance of the historic Koedo old town of Kawagoe.
Though Seibu Shinjuku Station is in close walking distance from Shinjuku Station, there are no direct rail connections between the two stations.
Thus Takadanobaba Station is the main transfer point between the Seibu Shinjuku Line and the JR Yamanote Line.
All Seibu Shinjuku Line trains stop at Takadanobaba Station, including the Koedo Limited Express from Seibu Shinjuku Station running to Hon Kawagoe at high speed and with few stops on a reserved seat basis.
During the morning rush hour, the masses arriving from the western suburbs hurry over to the JR Yamanote Line or the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line to reach their inner city workplaces. In the evening, the same movement takes place the other way.
Expect very crowded trains and platforms at those times.
Seibu Shinjuku Line trains get crowded during the evening rush hour
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Station Layout
The JR Yamanote Line and the Seibu Shinjuku Line run on parallel tracks here. Their platforms are connected by a transfer bridge. Please be aware that the transfer bridge is not an exit, it just connects the two rail networks.
The easiest way to pass through the connection gate is by using a SUICA / PASMO IC card. Transferring using a paper ticket of either rail company can be done but is a rather cumbersome process involving the use of machines issuing a connecting ticket.
Looking down from the bridge between the two rail lines, you can see a platform of the Seibu Shinjuku Line on the one side and a platform of the JR Yamanote Line on the other. In between are JR Line tracks for trains that don't stop here: the JR Saikyo Line and the Shonan Shinjuku Line.
The main exits of both the JR Yamanote and the Seibu Shinjuku Line are located at the northern end of Takadanobaba Station, right at Waseda Dori Avenue. Both rail networks call their exits in that direction Waseda Exit.
Those exits lead not only to busy Waseda Dori Avenue but also to the underground gates of the Takadanobaba Station of the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. The Tozai Line, starting out in Nakano, western Tokyo, runs through all of central Tokyo before it arrives in Nishi Funabashi Station, close to Chiba City in Chiba Prefecture.
Station Environs
Takadanobaba Station is a purely functional station. For the most part, it serves people in transfer with little to no time. There are but very few shops inside the station.
The northern area outside the Waseda Exits of both of the JR Yamanote Line and Seibu Shinjuku Line, close as well to the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line exits, offers a station plaza on its eastern side.
There is a shopping center called Big Box, the plaza features a little park and a smoking area.
Following Waseda Dori Avenue down further east, you head right towards Waseda University' main campus. The avenue leading there is a traditional student playground - offering plenty of cheap eateries and izakaya bars. In fact, those cheap but very traditional student bars draw in people from all over Tokyo looking for a budget night of drinking large pitchers while eating reasonably priced but delicious dishes.
Following Waseda Dori Avenue down further east, you head right towards Waseda University' main campus. The avenue leading there is a traditional student playground - offering plenty of cheap eateries and izakaya bars.
In fact, those cheap but very traditional student bars draw in people from all over Tokyo looking for a budget night of drinking large pitchers while eating reasonably priced but delicious dishes.
Around Takadanobaba Station
Hotels close to the station include the three star Hotel Sunroute Takadanobaba. A little further east is Tama Ryokan which offers six Japanese style rooms with shared facilities. Anime Hostel Astro Station appeals to manga and anime fans with its anime-themed wallpaper, games and theatre rooms.
Okubo one stop on the Yamanote Line to the south at Shin-Okubo Station offers a more varied selection of accommodation.
Night view down Waseda Dori Avenue from outside Takadanobaba Station
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Waseda Exit of the Seibu Shinjuku Line, Takadanobaba Station
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