While most of my photography is done with a DSLR camera, I also keep a compact in an easily accessible pocket for those times when a spontaneous photo opportunity arises without warning, or when the context is such that a big camera would just be too, well, big. Though the image quality isn’t what I would consider acceptable for most client finished products, it works a treat for quick observation of interesting features like those I found while passing through Iidabashi Station (飯田橋駅).
Iidabashi connects the JR Chūō-Sōbu Line, Tokyo Metro’s Tōzai, Yūrakuchō and Namboku lines, and the Toei Ōedo Line. While not that large, the passages connecting the lines still host an interesting variety of amenities.
Lawson Natural, a convenience store
Shoe repair
Metro’s is a branded kiosk found in transit stations. While often staffed, you also see a vending machine bank as a substitute in lower traffic areas.
A manager leads his little league team off to battle.
A very miniature Uniqlo
A directory of retail and dining on the upper level of the station complex
Posters like this explain that services including ventilation and lighting in train cars and stations are operating at reduced levels, in an effort to conserve electricity. While more extreme measures are reserved for peak power summer months, these minor changes persist year round. Active energy conservation has been in effect since the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and catastrophic failure of the power plant in Fukushima that prompted all of the country’s nuclear plants to be taken offline.
Information and wayfinding aids in transit stations here are among some of the best in the world.
This chart not only lays out the entire line with the connections available at each station, it indicates how many minutes a train would take to reach any of those stops from the current station.
This is the full weekday and weekend timetable for the Tōzai Line which, barring an accident, the trains will generally follow down to within a few seconds. There are 24 trains just between 8:00am and 9:00 during the morning rush.
This is a directory of all points of interest near the station and the best exit to use for each.
Detailed station map includes all line connections, stairwells, elevators, exits and even the bathrooms. Did I mention that subway stations have bathrooms here?
Wayfinding aids continue on overhead signage and structural elements, with context relevant detail information, color coding and distances in meters to make the in-station transfers. There’s very little in the way of helpful information that hasn’t been included, one need only to look up to find it.
This post is part of The Tokyo Project. Click here to go to the introduction and table of contents.
