Funny thing, I'm going to Japan in Mid-March. Getting a JR Pass for the 4th was natural. Then this videos comes out and I'm going to sponsor someone, with something I would've done anyway. Just needed to wait a few days. :D
I quite like the idea of the Yamanote line App you can download - doesn't just tell you when the next train is coming to the station where you are, but how crowded each car is, and what the temperature of each car is!
@@Clippercarduser Not totally sure - I saw a description of the app on a NHK World TV programme. I got the impression that it was a specific Yamanote line app.
@@timbounds7190 those features are a part of the JR East app. I use Yamanote line almost every day for commuting etc. and normally I'm just fine without looking at the info but it is very useful when disruption happens
Very, very jealous of the hyper detailed screens on the trains - next station and upcoming stations, transfers at stations, how long the journey is going to take, where the exits are on the platforms are (and where they lead) - and all in multiple languages! IMO - they’re the best in class urban rail information screens.
A close friend recently visited Tokyo and told me that it was very difficult to find useful information in those screens due to the sheer amount of ads being shown in them at all times, which kind of adds to what RM said in the video. According to my friend, with ads running nonstop and most of the information being in Japanese, he could only obtain actual information in English for a few seconds per minute :D On a side note, I live in Barcelona and the latest metro trains have similar info screens above the doors; I noticed that half of them show ads (plus a little space reserved for next stop info) and the other half display exclusively schematic line/station/transfer information. I find it well balanced like this
@@DevynCairns I found it quite surprising, on my ride to Narita Airport on the Toei Asakusa Line/Keisei Line, that not only were there no screens, but for half the journey there were also no automated announcements, and crew made manual announcements in Japanese only.
One of the reasons why the Yamanote line did not "destroy any neighborhoods" is that the original intent of the west side route was literally to bypass the busy Tokyo city centre and the Tokaido line in general, by constructing a second freight rail in the then rural Ikebukuro/Shinjuku/Shibuya area. The idea of a loop really came as a second thought. The completion of the line connecting Tokyo and Ueno came relatively late in 1925, some 40 years after the West route's construction as it passes through the denser Ginza district.
The funny thing is that many of the stations aren't even in their namesake wards, e.g. Shinagawa station is in Minato, Meguro is in Shinagawa, Shinjuku is in Shibuya, and so on. Over time though, the stations have come to define the areas they are in.
@@遠見志雄 >Shinjuku is in Shibuya You're half right here, or "one third" right, should I say. Shinjuku Station north of Kōshū Kaidō street (i.e. roughly two thirds of the station premises) is indeed in the Ward of Shinjuku (Shinjuku-ku). The rest, which is called Southern Terrace Exit area, is in the Ward of Shibuya (Shibuya-ku) as you pointed out. It's a bit tricky, though.
@@Clippercarduser Meanwhile my country has built some stations in neighbourhoods some 40 yrs after they were populated & ended up having to make design compromises probably so as to stay within budget e.g. having to build the platforms further away from apartment buildings as there's lack of room to build nearer
@@lzh4950 I know that compromises can be made if you actually try with more budget, but the downsides of that can easily cause governments in some countries to simply give up, especially in the us(shame)
Lived in Tokyo doing a co-op work program while on university exchange in 2000 and the Yamanote-sen was such a contrast with the experience of riding the Yonge-Spadina or Bloor Lines of Toronto, where I grew up. It was like slow version teleportation - I had no sense of the city in between stations, and each station ecosystem was a world unto itself. Shibuya or Harajuku for a fun weekend, Tokyo station was a portal to the rest of Japan, Shinjuku for meet up with friends, Ueno for a wind down. Akihabara was home, outside the crazy Electric Town, it was a cute small town neighborhood where old ladies who swept the street daily, would give me soup because they heard I was sick and were concerned they hadn’t seen me walking to work for a few days and knew I was in town alone.
Damn. This comment brought on so much nostalgia for when I was living in Tokyo during my uni days. You're totally accurate about the stations being like portals. Live in Japan long enough you go on on autopilot moving through those stations (especially ones like Shinjuku) and poof you're suddenly somewhere else. Not to mention when you're on the Yamanote it's not often that you get to see the city rush by because of how crowded it always is.
@@Sanyu-Tumusiime Then you're really missing out. The population density of Tokyo makes cars a liability, not an asset. The solution is an exceptional public transport system, and Tokyo's nailed it.
@@bigbrowntau seems inconvenient though, like you have to go into a train with 500 other total strangers. besides, not everyone lives close to the station -- with a car you can just walk outside your home and just drive straight to your destination real quick.
I am Japanese in Tokyo. I learned a lot from this video. Thank you very much. As you know, Osaka is an interesting place with a loop line and railway network similar to Tokyo. Recently, construction of new stations and new lines is booming in Osaka. please come to Japan again.
For the love of God, lose the pointless and stupid masks, as wearing one does not make anyone safer. The Japanese gentleman to the right believes as much 11:21.
@@user-kc1tf7zm3b You can look up videos pre-covid and see that masks have always been in use in Asia especially in Japan and Korea when you have a slight fever or cough. There are and will always be a small minority that are stubborn and irresponsible, but for the most part, it works.
@@user-kc1tf7zm3b It's not just for coughs, it's also used for allergies... if you're sneezing, it's kind of gross spraying your spittle everywhere, so in offices, people with allergies tend to also wear masks. It's less about YOUR safety, and more just etiquette.
There was a great behind the scenes clip of the control room on Japan Railway Journal. Basically, when disruption happened they stopped ALL trains for a few minutes to sort the problem (I think it was a dropped bag on the tracks or something) before restarting service with the regular headways. Very impressive! (Sadly the clip is no longer available)
@@1121494 in Europe you'd have to delay every train in the continent by that amount, and to coordinate that would be such a major headache... I think it's better to build a bit more infrastructure than needed in most cases, but if you can afford it, go for this approach japan takes
Also the long pick up stick (those claw hand on stick) stored every few meter on the platform so staff member can pick up object from track if commuter dropped it without going down to track and causing longer delays.
Saying Tokyo, Keiyo Line and Yamanote Line is my most favorite lines in JR East Network. But Keiyo Line seems to be underrated, and I think it should be more famous. Most of the sections are elevated and it passes along the edge of Tokyo Bay, which is really stunning especially at night.
Keiyo line is great! In JR East's infinite wisdom, the Tokyo terminal platform was built over 15 minutes away by foot from any other platform, giving Keiyo commuters healthier lifestyles by forcing them to walk a lot. It promotes remote work and safety by being very susceptible to service suspension in high wind, precisely because it's on elevated tracks next to the sea. And finally, it has given the Japanese a taste of the English word "enshittification" by unilaterally discontinuing commuter express service in 2024, leaving people who bought condos in the distant suburbs high and dry. Sarcasm aside, yes, the view is stunning, and it also gets you to Tokyo Disneyland--which is actually in Chiba and not Tokyo.
One thing that struck me was that, when talking to a Japanese person about the Tokyo suburb I once lived in, since he was from Osaka, he got confused and then asked: "what stop on the yamanote line is it?"
Yes. I would agree. Was a regular user of this line when I first visited Tokyo in 1975. What amazed me (for someone used only to UK's BR network) at that time is how the units accelerated (low gearing perhaps) and how they would only brake upon entering the station platform. Service frequency incredible. A train every few mins for most of the day.
I love you wonder around Tokyo with no special direction and when you notice there is more street life, more shops, more people you can be sure that a rail station is not far. As you mentioned they are urban hearts, fokal points of urban life. Unlike in other countries where stations are undesirable and dirty, stations in Japan are fancy and places you like to go to, like to spend time at and are actually inspiring.
I love the Yamanote line, every station has their music interlude. Every 3 minute interval. If you plan to visit Tokio, take a hotel on this line. A full circle takes about a full hour
The borders of the Yamanote line basically mark where suburban services end and the city centre begins. Big real estate in Tokyo (with the exception of small patches in Shinagawa and Ginza) all exists within the boundaries of the Yamanote line.
There's something called the Municipal Monroe doctrine which this highlights - it was implemented in other Japanese cities to prevent private capital infrastructure from entering the city limits. It's worked well in Tokyo I guess but in Nagoya it's another problem
@RMTransit, as a once daily rider of the Yamanote, remember how it got there in the first place; it was opened in sections as a wye, only getting its loop closed years after the first part opened. Also the reason why most of the areas on the western part of the loop exist is because of the rail line itself- there were no Shibuya, Shinjuku or Ikebukuro areas before the forerunner to the Yamanote was built. In fact the Yamanote line owes its existence to the Yebisu Beer Company as they co-financed a rail connection between their new brewery southeast of Shibuya Temple and the dock lands near to Shinagawa and Osaki. This is the southern leg of the Yamanote.
I was staying close the line in a residential neighbourhood about 20 min walk on my last trip to Tokyo and this line was amazing inc the feeder bus that ran past the apartment in the case of being too tired after running around Tokyo. My mother wants to visit Tokyo and this line will make the trip so much easier
As someone from Chicago who used to travel to Tokyo at least once a year, I've always loved riding the Yamanote Line. That statement about how it connects tourists to major destinations within Tokyo was spot on. I've taken that line to Akihabara, Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shibuya and then take to Shimbashi to transfer on to the Yurikamome people mover back to my hotel. The JR Yamanote line showed me a better transit system from a privatized entity that the CTA back home can't be. There were reliable and consistent scheduled departure times, very convenient connections to other rail lines (especially ones ran from other operators other than JR East), impressive stations that look like shopping malls, clean trains, as well as reasonable fares where it's not a flat fare but your fare is calculated by how far you travel. That, the ads, the leasing of retail space, as well as leasing properties outside certain stations is how the operator, JR East, is able to stay profitable while providing an exceptional public service at affordable prices .
Great video. What makes the Yamanote even more useful is that it’s often the quickest way to travel along the line. It’s often as fast, if not faster, as taking a taxi or driving. The frequency is good and the average speed is also higher than many other urban railways. Another thing I like about the Japanese railway system is that they renew stations and add platform doors without interrupting the service. They even didn’t close Harajuku Station for a day. Another example, Tokyu switched from overground to underground overnight (there’s a RUclips video about it). You can always rely on the services because they’re so reliable. The Yamanote line became so popular and it was overcrowded, so JR added the new express Ueno Tokyo line and Tokyo Metro constructed the Fukutoshin line. The Yamanote line has exited and played an important role for such a long time, so the stations attracted even more destinations and redevelopments. It’s how big cities should be built.
There have been several times when the Yamanote Line has been canceled due to construction work.However, we can cover you by making alternative routes available nearby at no additional charge.
As someone who uses the Yamanote line on her commute every day, even though it's just one stop of my one hour long commute, I can confirm it's so much more important than any other line here in Tokyo. All the other lines are important for many people, yeah, but Yamanote is crucial to (slightly exaggerated) just about everyone.
Years ago I spent a total of three weeks in Tokyo on business over two trips. We took trains for most of the trips to see customers and sight seeing in the evenings and on the weekend. Almost all the trips involved the Yamanote line. It was great.
The platform gates look so simple and so sensible, Here in New York, the MTA seems to think of them as an exotic experiment that must be tested for years in a few stations. They subscribe to the school of Not Invented Here.
That's partly because there isn't a culture of crime in Japan. Lots of things run on the honour system. Not defending or criticising--their society is just waaaayyy too different.
@@canto_v12 What do you mean by a culture of crime? There is crime, it's a lot less than most places but it's still a concern, small things get stolen, drunk people pee on things, women get groped, it happens. But I don't see what that has to do with platform gates.
@@DevynCairns I’ll be a bit more blunt then haha: Gate jumping and vandalism are generally not problems in Japan. They have other social problems but public areas are respected.
@@ericreese7792 aaarrrrgh I’ve misread the thread. Yes, platform barriers are awesome, especially the half height which still let you feel some train wind. Embarrassing faux pas for someone from Hong Kong which pioneered platform barrier retrofitting to old lines. 😝
Another interesting fact about the Yamanote line is that every station has its own short song or melody that is played upon arrival. Even if you can’t see the board on a crowded train, the unique 10-15 second melody identifies the station. Look up “eki melodies” to learn more.
I currently live along the Yamanote line and it's one of the best places I've lived. I can't believe more cities don't model their transportation system around it. I commute between Ikebukuro and Shibuya with ease. I can easily get almost anywhere in the city, even the country, with just one or two transfers. Ditching the car for this system is seriously a huge quality of life upgrade
I want to go to japan so bad! And specially to ride all the different trains! I know this isn't is a good place, but if you dont mind could you tell what you do in japan? I have been trying to move with no luck
There's Paris which is doing something in the same spirit with the currently being built line M15, the huge loop of the Grand Paris Expess project. Although it will be twice longer (75km) and be linking major business, shopping & leisure districts and transit hubs outside the core of the city instead of inside, it will also have all but 2 of its stations that will be interchange ones to a form of rail transit (connections with metro, tram, RER, Transilien suburban rail and TGV). The only 2 stations without rail connection I mentioned will still offer bus interchange. It's planned to become the absolute shortcut for suburbs to suburbs journeys and the workhorse of the network.
I rode the Yamanote Line only once, very briefly, when I was in Tokyo. A single stop from harajuku to Yoyogi to transfer to the Sobu line back to my hotel in ryogoku. that is the beauty of circle lines, after all: they provide excellent transfers and connectivity between different transit services, which is why their ridership is often so much higher than any other line in their respective systems. I hope one day to return and ride the full loop.
I've often seen Yamanote Line ridership cited as 3-4 million average weekday boardings, or about five Washington Metros (before COVID). When I was in Japan in 2009 I rode an entire hour loop around the Yamanote Line at the height of the AM peak. My railcar had a peak load of approximately 300 passengers crammed cheek to jowl, and watching the riders ebb and flow on and off at each station, it appeared that about 900-1,000 people used the railcar I was on at some point or another during the loop. Multiply that by 11 cars on the train and you're talking a peak load of 3,000 passengers and a total of 10,000 passengers touching this train on my hour's loop...one of the 48 trains (24 in each direction) that hour. Very impressive stuff. Kids in Japan are also taught a children's song to memorize the stops on the Yamanote Line which has aired on national TV childrens' shows. Because elementary school kids in Japan ride the trains around Tokyo by themselves...and one-third of the country lives in the Greater Tokyo Metro area.
It's not a U-Bahn unfortunately, but a Stadtbahn. Reece has already made a video about it, and you can look it up on Wikipedia, but basically these systems were supposed to be U-Bahns but then stopped in the place now most commonly known as LRT in the English-speaking world (or is there any significant difference?). Many Stadtbahn systems feature street running, separated alignments, underground and elevated sections, and sometimes even running on mainline rail - and sometimes most of those in one singular line!
I love the Yamanote-sen! When I’m feeling like I just wanna do nothing and listen to music or a podcast, I just take it the long way around to my destination or even ride for an extra loop. Not to mention how incredibly affordable it is to ride.
Advertising on the outside of trains isn't a purely modern phenomenon - the Millwall Extension Railway topped their meagre finances up by putting adverts for Pear's Soap on the tanks of their locomotives.
I love the fact that it runs entirely above ground and passes through some iconic neighbourhoods. It’s nice to be able to look out the window and see the city. Ironically, because of this one of the few times I’ve ever experienced any sort of real delay on Tokyo’s rail network was when my train had to be stopped due to smoke from a building on fire near the tracks.
While it has been decades since I've had the pleasure of visiting Tokyo, I remain a big fan of the Yamanote line. From its elevated viewpoint a tourist can glimpse most of the buildings and signage that makes Tokyo a delight. Getting on after the morning rush hour will give you room to stretch and view the sights. After an hour you get back to your exact original stop with a ticket cost of less than $2. The experience is priceless.
Good video. I have been a regular visitor to Tokyo for 25 years and so used the train and subway system many times. Central Tokyo covers a large area and the Yamanote line is the anchor point. A lot has gone into making the whole system work really well: everything is coordinated as much as possible so that it’s easy for large numbers of people to get on and off trains quickly and make connections just by crossing a platform.
The reason most other train lines connect to Yamanote line is because the Japanese government banned train lines other than subways to enter inside of Yamanote line so other train lines had to connect and terminate at Yamanote line, making Yamanote line a very important line to get around Tokyo, and make Yamanote line's stations hub stations. The only exception is the Chuo line which was built before the Yamanote loop line was completed in 1925. Also, Yamanote line was originally made as a freight line to connect Touhoku main line and Toukaido main line because back then Shinbashi and Ueno was not connected by rail on the eastern side.
The many of connections on the Yamanote Line is incredible as it give lot of ridership. Not to mention the area the line served mostly are important part of the city. Speaking of train ad, the train exterior ad are inspiring many other countries trains. In Indonesia, the idea was taken from Japan to put ad sticker on train wall. Now, it's normal to see some of train have the whole fleet covered in one brand ad, make the train exterior look standing out.
Using the Yamanote line to get from Haneda airport (via the monorail) to Tokyo station is so easy. And cheap - particularly when the queue is long to swap your voucher for the JR pass. Interesting clip. Thank you
JR has done this for a very long time. Yamanote has had this colour since the 60s with the 103 series EMU, and line colours were started to be used widely with it's predecessor not long before that. They used to be almost entirely green!
I’m fully aware that I’m being super pedantic, but Yamanote line trains were already blasting into the platforms at around 70 ish kph before the installation of platform doors. The limitation wasn’t safety, but the difficulty of manually stopping the train at the designated point as quickly as possible, without resorting to the emergency brakes. Platform doors require higher precision when braking, so TASC (Train Automatic Stop-position Controller) was installed to partially automate the braking process. If approach speeds are faster now, it’s probably because of TASC, rather than the added safety provided by the doors themselves.
The quality of this video (like all your videos) is through the roof. I expected to learn something new, but I didn't expect the very high production value (and tie-in affiliate link). Under-rated train! Great job!
To mention what you said about ads, it reminds me of how here in Seoul, buses play audio ads. The audio announcing the next stop will play, and then an audio ad will play right after. To me, this seems like more of a downside than visual ads, because you have to be listening to the bus announcements (and you can’t just not listen otherwise you’ll miss your stop- some buses don’t have screens where the stop is announced).
Yeah!! Some bus operators here in Tokyo also do run audio ads and it can get annoying. But many are switching to digital ads so it's easier to tune out if we want.
When the E235 series trains were just introduced, I had a competition with my cousin to see who could ride on more of the newer sets. We don't live on the Yamanote Line or any JR line for that matter but still both managed to rack up 10+ rides each over the course of that summer (it was a 60/40 chance between getting the older E231 and E235).
@@RMTransit I remember being wowed with the front in promotional pictures but then being very underwhelmed with the sides, especially when compared to the somewhat futuristic front
Ahh yes, new Japanese trains are fun! It's always a joy riding the new trains JR introduces. However, I was super sad seeing the series 201 orange trains leaving, 201系 has a special place in my heart.
@@RMTransit Very true. And as you have mentioned in past videos, the monitors above the doors in each car are very useful for wayfinding information when you get off at a particular station. (Wayfinding trumps advertising. What a concept!) I suppose it is inevitable that heavily used and convenient lines like the Yamanote will be crowded at many points in the day. My only wish is that Tokyo and other cities in Japan would create decent cycling infrastructure so that people on shorter trips could ride their bikes instead and free up space on the train for passengers on longer journeys. The trains in Tokyo are great, but they should not be the only option IMHO. Anyhow, enjoying the videos! Hope you can make it over to Japan for some on-the-scene videos at some point. Cheers from Nagoya, Japan. 👍
Yeah, just got back from Tokyo. Yamanote was pretty crowded most times of the day! Their transportation system really is a wonder of the world, though, like the city itself.
A very interesting video, Yamanote Line made me think to Line 15 in Paris. It may have been inspired by Yamanote Line. It is under construction right now, bit alomst every station is gonna be connected at leat an other line. We can't know right now how much ridership it is gonna bring. But analysts think it will be one of the most used line of the network.
Man, new harajuku station has so much less character than the old one... Wish they had been able to preserve more of it like TRA is doing with the new Kaohsiung station
I don't know whether it's from the composition or the presentation, but when I visited Japan, the advertisement in Japanese transit system felt much like an art piece or a mural sponsored by a company rather than an instruction from a company to buy their products. So despite the on your face approach, it didn't bother me like the advertisement in the other transit system.
I just rode this line, and many others in Tokyo last week! Their transit network is AMAZING. From my hotel I easily went everywhere on Metro. And then I took a Shinkansen (bullet train) all across the country. Incredible. It can be very confusing trying to find your way out of a station, and (as mentioned in this video,) it is often challenging to find a connecting rail line. Lots and lots of walking, and stairs stairs stairs.
Been there many years ago just for the Japanese train experience. Used my rail pass daily. Did you know the yamamoto line had 6 door carriages in the past? The middle carriages had more doors than windows.
Yamanote line also as 1st tier railway line to powered by electricity in early 20th Century. Due to heavy use, the replacement of EMU quite often in Yamanote line. The Ads on trains often see Anime-Comic-Games ads on train's exterior.
Osaka has loop line too but there's many differences, Yamanote line trains are only local services but some Osaka Loop line trains are rapid that through Yamatoji line and Hanwa line, and local trains for Yumesaki line and limited express for Kansai international airport Nagoya has underground loop line too called Meijo line and through service to Meiko line, so it's "Q" shape
Even Tokyo itself has multiple loop lines, there is also the Oedo subway line and Mega Loop (Musashino) line... Worth noting that the Yamanote loop is paralleled by express tracks in its entirety, whereas Osaka Loop line does not have that luxury.
@@trainsandmore2319 Timed overtaking - this is especially prevalent in private railways where station distances are shorter and there are more types of express services. To achieve this, there are certain stations are intentionally built with overtaking facilities and you find that the schedules are designed in such a way that overtaking almost always happens at these stations. In the bigger overtaking stations, you can often do a cross-platform transfer from slower to faster services and vice versa so no matter where you start from you can get to any station as efficiently as possible. This might be a good topic to cover in a separate video on it's own.
There used to be an annual Halloween party on the Yamanote line that started in the 80s. Folks would custome up and ride the line for 1 full loop, drinking at each stop. As it got more popular, it attracted more morons who ruined it and the cops eventually cracked down and killed it around 2010.
Yamamoto always feel like a “roundabout” even though it’s the “ring road” of rail. I tend to avoid the line now if I can, but it’s always a good old reliable option when I give travellers direction. I would rather point them to the closest Yamanote station which can be a 15 minutes walk than the closer private line because so many times people just get lost again.
Being someone who uses Japanese trains at a fair frequency, I didn't realize how massive our trains are until just recently. Thanks for confirming this!
I'm going to Japan next February and will utilize JR Rail pass. The Yamanote line along with the Shinkansen and other JR lines will be very convenient for me while staying in Tokyo. Your Tokyo urban transit videos are very information and helpful for my planning. Thank you.
I highly recommend 'crunching the numbers' before purchasing a JR Rail Pass. Lots of travelers get them thinking they'll save money, but it is not always the case: I just came back from a three week trip to Japan. I planned on getting a JR Rail Pass, as I was going to take Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakone, and then to Hamamatsu and Kyoto. Well when I did the math, the JR Pass cost more than the trips I was going to take, by a substantial amount. Even with all the metro rides I took, for me personally it was cheaper to pay ala carte and not get a JR Rail Pass.
@@vasilikonstan The trip will involve numerous Shinkansen rides, hop-on hop-off type of trip from top to bottom the way I did Greyhound bus in Australia and Magic Bus in New Zealand. Buying a ticket every time will be quite headache since I have zero Japanese language ability. Buying a pass like this saves me from the hassle. I’ve used a 7-day JR pass before and I quite like the flexibility. I try to save on accommodations as I don’t mind staying at cheap hotels so I spend a bit more on transportation for peace of mind. Mind you, I still go for the cheapest airline even if it’s a budget airline with zero flexibility. Poor ass can’t be too choosy, I guess :D
It's a shame there aren't passenger numbers available, as the numbers would be good to see. It is amazing how many people get off and on Yamanote Line trains at almost every station during peak hours. You get at least 1/4 of a fully loaded 11-car 4-door train get off and the same amount of new passengers then board, due to the line connecting to almost every major rail terminal and commercial centre in Tokyo. The narrow platforms you mention are the factor limiting train throughput - hundreds of people alight onto a platform that is already full of people waiting to board. When the new passengers board and the train departs the next train pulls in and repeats the same procedure about every 3 minutes.
The majority of the passengers coming from a correspondence, one cannot count them. The JR has surely only the incoming ones in station (it is already very important). It's the same problem with lines with many connecting stations. The Parisian equivalent being the RER A with 1.2 million passengers/day and the RER B which has just passed the million. But it is estimated that with transits via only correspondences we can add 20 to 25% more passengers.
@@RMTransit Woo! I'm so glad you're a fan! Shame I missed you when you were over for the Liz Line, couldve shown you my photographs of them when I did their gigs :((
Sometimes the subway network or that cross-city line (Chuo-Sobu) will always be faster than the Yamanote Line. However, the Yamanote Line has a MUCH better view but it is also FAR more crowded (but the Chuo-Sobu line also has a nice view of the river next to it and the sports venues and the rapid service, not the local, is also really crowded when I usually rode it back to Koenji station during rush hour; a 14-minute bus ride to the stop that is the closest to my Airbnb).
My Airbnb was 7 minutes away from Nogata station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line to Takadanobaba where I would usually make a transfer to mostly the Tozai subway line. I transferred to the Yamanote Line at the same station via the first-floor entrance (because I often boarded the last few cars of the Seibu line at Nogata, the sign for the JR (Yamanote) line was leading me down towards the first floor where you can just do a single-gate transfer). I rode the Yamanote Line to Shinjuku for some lunch. At Shinjuku, I looked for the "Keio Department Store Exit" (as it said on Google Maps) but it only took a while for me to realize that the Keio store was literally next to the Keio Line (fortunately, that area will soon be redeveloped with a massive skyscraper + improved signage) Funny story here, yes, the signage at Shinjuku station can be confusing at times. After my lunch, I took the Yamanote Line again to Harajuku to access the first gate of the Meiji Jingu Shrine. When night fell, I walked from Omote-sando to Shibuya and crossed the famous crossing before I took Yamanote Line from Shibuya to Shinjuku to change to the Chuo Line Rapid Service. Yeah, I did go over that "O-gado Bridge" for a few times whenever I rode the two JR lines going back to my Airbnb.
I would argue that Japan has middle density urban areas. But hardly any low-density ones. Hence why you can go everywhere on public transit. And that's a great thing IMO.
I'm a Japanese person living in Tokyo. Are you a `railroad geek' in Japan, so-called ‘Tecchan’ in Japanese, or a hobbyist who loves railway engineering? Do you know why Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Shibuya historically developed as transfer stations on the Yamanote Line? If you ever come to Japan, I would like to meet you.
I came back from Tokyo recently and one thing I didn’t enjoy about Yamanote line is it’s busyness(local trains also feel very slow). Sometimes it feels like train intervals should be shortened a lot. BTW, it’s worth mentioning that some parts of Yamanote line are duplicated by express services: Saikyo and Futukoshin.
The Yamanote Line service interval cannot be shortened in the morning.Almost all the trains are already running, and due to the effects of signal equipment, adding more trains will only result in delays.
I'll be very happy if our government made a rail line half as good in our new capital of Indonesia, Jakarta and Surabaya is already beyond saving (thanks to Soeharto and his American alignment), I hope they won't make the same mistake for IKN
Been around the loop many times such a convenient service. The only issue is that if you want to change from this line to other metro lines and you only have a JR pass I suggest you get a suica pass and put some credit on it as soon as you start your time in Tokyo. Changing lines and having a tight schedule requires knowledge and as such I would suggest when using the tokyo metro system is relax and enjoy it as a part of the holiday. If you like mazes you will love the tokyo inner city stations as they have crazy amounts of exits even a small station like Ginza has 32 exits and pedestrian tunnels that in many cases go to other stations as such you may not even need to change trains to get to where you are going. This is also great for walking around tokyo in the summer.
1:06 what do you mean by "missing middle density"? Tokyo has such liberal zoning laws that density is directly linked to demand. Unlike cities in the US e.g. where you've got a CBD and single family home zoning. Because of it's zoning laws, tokyo reaches the ideal density around the city. You can see a great gradual transition from low to high density. And it definitely has lots of middle density housing
Walking the Yamanote line used to be a thing. I've never done it, but I seem to remember the folks who did would do it at night, taking all night to walk the whole loop.
The black yamanote train is a really cool collaboration. I was lucky to ride it a few times so far. It's a Collab between Netflix and the yamanote line. Each car is outfitted with art from different Netflix series. It's quite a cool way to do advertising, though it also commemorated 150 years of rail service in Japan. The black color is reminiscent of No. 1 Awesome video! I love learning new things about my favorite trains.
Not surprised that "the world's most indispensable transit line" would be in Japan. If one did the equivalent for mainline rail, it would surely be the Shinkansen. It would simply have been impossible to carry that level of long-distance traffic on JR's old 3'6" gauge lines, which were overcrowded even in the 1960s.
There are too much advertisements of Chinese Anime-style mobile games on trains in Yamanote line… There are at least 4 Genshin Impact and 5 Arknights in those video clips showing trains in Yamanote line in this video…
The refurbished trainsets for Yamanote Line is currently in use for Jakarta Commuter Train service. Yes, the train is ginormous. It has 10-12 cars per trainset configuration, with 4 doors for each side per car. And even there are some high density carriage with 5 doors for each side per car.
I wonder if you will cover the privatization of JNR splitting into six passenger regions and national freight in 1987 due to heavy debt from the Shinkansen construction. When prior for decades, it was state run.
I love just how many services run in conjunction to the Yamanote line. From the capacity adding local service of the Keihin-Tohoku Line (with peak hour rapid services left over from the era of disconnected Tokaido and Tohoku Line trains at Tokyo and Ueno respectively), to the now interconnected express Ueno-Toyko line services in the eastern half of the loop, and the express Saikyo and Shonan-Shinjuku Line services in the western half of the loop to provide additional capacity and services, especially between major interchange stations for the express services.
nice video. I've been avid fan of Yamanote sen. It has been a decade though since the last time I rode it. I love it when I ride the entire loop without going out of stations.
The best thing about stations in Japan (and in general in Japan) is the ubiquity of free toilets. Having said that, I'm always surprised how many people line up to use number two. I tend to avoid that since they can be a real mess.
Recently playing "Densha de Go!: Yamanote Sen" on PS5, which sparked my love for the Yamanote. I have been to Japan / Tokyo two tims in the past. But the next time I will visit, I will ride the Yamanote even more deliberate and sensible. Also cool: You can circle the full loop once + to the next station, and you only have to pay the minimum fare of 130 Yen. As a foreigner using the JR Railpass you could do a full loop and even get out at the same station again in the end (without getting to the next station)
Osaka Loop Line (also in Honshu, Japan) also connects to all major rail services in the city. It is not only a loop because it also has through services to other lines. With the short spur to JR Namba, it also serves the original downtown Namba. Once the Naniwasuji Line (extension to JR Namba) is complete, the Osaka Loop Line will be able to serve all downtowns of Osaka without terminating, which are Namba, Umeda, Shin-Osaka, Kyobashi, and Tennoji/Abenobashi. Currently, all of those places are already served by the line, but service has to be terminated at JR Namba due to tracks dead-ending. Arguably the Osaka Loop Line will be even more important to Osaka than Yamanote Line is to Tokyo once the Naniwasuji Line is completed in 2031, because Osaka Loop Line connects all of Osaka's major destinations, whereas Yamanote Line does not serve Asakusa, though it is just a 25-minute walk away from Ueno. Regarding Ginza, the Yamanote Line already serves it (though as a secondary effect) because Yurakucho Station is on the edge of Ginza.
wow youn know a lot about japanese transportation Osaka too has incredible public transportation with jr lines, loop line, subway and hankyuu do you by any chance live in japan?
@@BLACKSTA361 Nope, but I am fascinated by Japanese trains, especially with their large amount of subway lines and mainlines through running into each other!
Well, the thing is that the Osaka Loop line actually encircles the core of the city, while the Yamanote bisects it on the east section (so it's 'off-kilter' in that respect and underserves the eastern parts of Tokyo, as you alluded to). In Osaka that spine corridor is the subway Midosuji line. Come to think of it, a closer analogue to the Yamanote loop would actually be the Naniwasuji / Osaka Higashi / Yamatoji sections, which in theory should make a complete circuit when completed, but is probably not going to see service in that configuration.
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Asakusa is served by the Yamanote, albeit as a sort of "tertiary" effect. You can transfer in Ueno and take the Ginza subway (the Ueno-Asakusa section is, in fact, the oldest Asian subway in service).
@ well I don't think it can be consider as "served"......as a frequent visitor of Tokyo before COVID, I used to stay at Asakusa and I find myself rarely using Yamanote line. Asakusa is actually 3 station away from Ueno, even thought stations of Ginza line is close, it's definitely not within reasonable distance from any Yamanote line station. If a few stops away is good enough to be consider as "serviced", can I say Kyoto, which is also a few stops away from Shinagawa when using Nozomi, is served by Yamanote line? :P
Ads are a nice way to supplement funding. I'm fine with them as long as they are fun. I've seen animated beer ads in tunnels years ago. As the train zooms pass this portion of the tunnel, the sequence of still billboards animate like a zeotrope. Now, there are LED strips that does the same thing.
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And I'm fine with advertising as long as they add value, too.
I understand the issues with ads, but honestly, as long as the revenue generated is directed back into improving public transit, I really don't see the problem with them.
If you enjoy this video, make sure to share it with someone who doesn’t know about the wonders of Japanese railways!
"Berlin U-Bahn system" - shows a Berlin S-Bahn. Sorry, you goofed in the first 25 sec!
I really enjoyed it as railway engineering student
Funny thing, I'm going to Japan in Mid-March. Getting a JR Pass for the 4th was natural. Then this videos comes out and I'm going to sponsor someone, with something I would've done anyway.
Just needed to wait a few days.
:D
I quite like the idea of the Yamanote line App you can download - doesn't just tell you when the next train is coming to the station where you are, but how crowded each car is, and what the temperature of each car is!
You know, you’re an important rail line when….
You mean the JR east app?
@@Clippercarduser Not totally sure - I saw a description of the app on a NHK World TV programme. I got the impression that it was a specific Yamanote line app.
@@timbounds7190 those features are a part of the JR East app. I use Yamanote line almost every day for commuting etc. and normally I'm just fine without looking at the info but it is very useful when disruption happens
Actually, this kind of information is displayed on Google Maps too.
Very, very jealous of the hyper detailed screens on the trains - next station and upcoming stations, transfers at stations, how long the journey is going to take, where the exits are on the platforms are (and where they lead) - and all in multiple languages!
IMO - they’re the best in class urban rail information screens.
Paris has been doing something similar on its newest trains - it’s an excellent way of orienting people!
Note that those screens don't exist on all trains in Tokyo. Some subway trains and private railway trains don't have them at all.
@@ericng5707 They've become extremely common. I know there are some holdouts, but even a lot of subway trains and private railways do have them now.
A close friend recently visited Tokyo and told me that it was very difficult to find useful information in those screens due to the sheer amount of ads being shown in them at all times, which kind of adds to what RM said in the video.
According to my friend, with ads running nonstop and most of the information being in Japanese, he could only obtain actual information in English for a few seconds per minute :D
On a side note, I live in Barcelona and the latest metro trains have similar info screens above the doors; I noticed that half of them show ads (plus a little space reserved for next stop info) and the other half display exclusively schematic line/station/transfer information. I find it well balanced like this
@@DevynCairns I found it quite surprising, on my ride to Narita Airport on the Toei Asakusa Line/Keisei Line, that not only were there no screens, but for half the journey there were also no automated announcements, and crew made manual announcements in Japanese only.
One of the reasons why the Yamanote line did not "destroy any neighborhoods" is that the original intent of the west side route was literally to bypass the busy Tokyo city centre and the Tokaido line in general, by constructing a second freight rail in the then rural Ikebukuro/Shinjuku/Shibuya area. The idea of a loop really came as a second thought. The completion of the line connecting Tokyo and Ueno came relatively late in 1925, some 40 years after the West route's construction as it passes through the denser Ginza district.
The funny thing is that many of the stations aren't even in their namesake wards, e.g. Shinagawa station is in Minato, Meguro is in Shinagawa, Shinjuku is in Shibuya, and so on. Over time though, the stations have come to define the areas they are in.
So the lesson is: don’t only begin planning when the demand is already there, plan beforehand, and people will naturally flow there
@@遠見志雄
>Shinjuku is in Shibuya
You're half right here, or "one third" right, should I say. Shinjuku Station north of Kōshū Kaidō street (i.e. roughly two thirds of the station premises) is indeed in the Ward of Shinjuku (Shinjuku-ku). The rest, which is called Southern Terrace Exit area, is in the Ward of Shibuya (Shibuya-ku) as you pointed out. It's a bit tricky, though.
@@Clippercarduser Meanwhile my country has built some stations in neighbourhoods some 40 yrs after they were populated & ended up having to make design compromises probably so as to stay within budget e.g. having to build the platforms further away from apartment buildings as there's lack of room to build nearer
@@lzh4950 I know that compromises can be made if you actually try with more budget, but the downsides of that can easily cause governments in some countries to simply give up, especially in the us(shame)
Lived in Tokyo doing a co-op work program while on university exchange in 2000 and the Yamanote-sen was such a contrast with the experience of riding the Yonge-Spadina or Bloor Lines of Toronto, where I grew up. It was like slow version teleportation - I had no sense of the city in between stations, and each station ecosystem was a world unto itself.
Shibuya or Harajuku for a fun weekend, Tokyo station was a portal to the rest of Japan, Shinjuku for meet up with friends, Ueno for a wind down. Akihabara was home, outside the crazy Electric Town, it was a cute small town neighborhood where old ladies who swept the street daily, would give me soup because they heard I was sick and were concerned they hadn’t seen me walking to work for a few days and knew I was in town alone.
OH HOW LOVELY - BRINGING YOU SOUP! There is something about Japanese culture I love. Thanks for another glimpse into the best corner on that nation.
@@GedMaybury23 down here in Texas, there ain't no public transport we just drive everywhere
Damn. This comment brought on so much nostalgia for when I was living in Tokyo during my uni days.
You're totally accurate about the stations being like portals. Live in Japan long enough you go on on autopilot moving through those stations (especially ones like Shinjuku) and poof you're suddenly somewhere else.
Not to mention when you're on the Yamanote it's not often that you get to see the city rush by because of how crowded it always is.
@@Sanyu-Tumusiime Then you're really missing out. The population density of Tokyo makes cars a liability, not an asset. The solution is an exceptional public transport system, and Tokyo's nailed it.
@@bigbrowntau seems inconvenient though, like you have to go into a train with 500 other total strangers. besides, not everyone lives close to the station -- with a car you can just walk outside your home and just drive straight to your destination real quick.
I am Japanese in Tokyo. I learned a lot from this video. Thank you very much. As you know, Osaka is an interesting place with a loop line and railway network similar to Tokyo. Recently, construction of new stations and new lines is booming in Osaka. please come to Japan again.
It’s obviously booming because Expo 2025 is fast approaching.
For the love of God, lose the pointless and stupid masks, as wearing one does not make anyone safer. The Japanese gentleman to the right believes as much 11:21.
@@user-kc1tf7zm3b You can look up videos pre-covid and see that masks have always been in use in Asia especially in Japan and Korea when you have a slight fever or cough. There are and will always be a small minority that are stubborn and irresponsible, but for the most part, it works.
@@user-kc1tf7zm3b It's not just for coughs, it's also used for allergies... if you're sneezing, it's kind of gross spraying your spittle everywhere, so in offices, people with allergies tend to also wear masks.
It's less about YOUR safety, and more just etiquette.
@@TheNewGreenIsBlue Permanent mask wearing is utterly stupid. If you need to cough, use a hanky.
There was a great behind the scenes clip of the control room on Japan Railway Journal. Basically, when disruption happened they stopped ALL trains for a few minutes to sort the problem (I think it was a dropped bag on the tracks or something) before restarting service with the regular headways. Very impressive!
(Sadly the clip is no longer available)
There is just a care and diligence to the Japanese railways that is almost unheard of anywhere else in the world!
@@RMTransit Including with DB?
@@1121494 in Europe you'd have to delay every train in the continent by that amount, and to coordinate that would be such a major headache... I think it's better to build a bit more infrastructure than needed in most cases, but if you can afford it, go for this approach japan takes
I hate traveling outside of where I can get by train, but I’d take a plane to experience this masterpiece.
Also the long pick up stick (those claw hand on stick) stored every few meter on the platform so staff member can pick up object from track if commuter dropped it without going down to track and causing longer delays.
Saying Tokyo, Keiyo Line and Yamanote Line is my most favorite lines in JR East Network. But Keiyo Line seems to be underrated, and I think it should be more famous. Most of the sections are elevated and it passes along the edge of Tokyo Bay, which is really stunning especially at night.
I will try that, when I get to Tokyo. Now tell me: are you a densha otaku? 電車オタクですか
@@GedMaybury23 yep🙂
@@keiyolinee233series8 With that user-name, I couldn't go wrong, eh!?
Keiyo line is great! In JR East's infinite wisdom, the Tokyo terminal platform was built over 15 minutes away by foot from any other platform, giving Keiyo commuters healthier lifestyles by forcing them to walk a lot. It promotes remote work and safety by being very susceptible to service suspension in high wind, precisely because it's on elevated tracks next to the sea. And finally, it has given the Japanese a taste of the English word "enshittification" by unilaterally discontinuing commuter express service in 2024, leaving people who bought condos in the distant suburbs high and dry.
Sarcasm aside, yes, the view is stunning, and it also gets you to Tokyo Disneyland--which is actually in Chiba and not Tokyo.
One thing that struck me was that, when talking to a Japanese person about the Tokyo suburb I once lived in, since he was from Osaka, he got confused and then asked: "what stop on the yamanote line is it?"
山手線自体そこまで大きくないにも関わらず、駅ごとに全く違う文化が根付いてるのは不思議
LOL he was thinking of the Osaka loop line
Yes. I would agree. Was a regular user of this line when I first visited Tokyo in 1975. What amazed me (for someone used only to UK's BR network) at that time is how the units accelerated (low gearing perhaps) and how they would only brake upon entering the station platform. Service frequency incredible. A train every few mins for most of the day.
They certainly use a very strong acceleration rate, which other places have started to adopt over the years! Good way to get more speed and frequency!
@@RMTransit and that 2 minute headway!! ❤
I love you wonder around Tokyo with no special direction and when you notice there is more street life, more shops, more people you can be sure that a rail station is not far.
As you mentioned they are urban hearts, fokal points of urban life. Unlike in other countries where stations are undesirable and dirty, stations in Japan are fancy and places you like to go to, like to spend time at and are actually inspiring.
I love the Yamanote line, every station has their music interlude. Every 3 minute interval. If you plan to visit Tokio, take a hotel on this line. A full circle takes about a full hour
The borders of the Yamanote line basically mark where suburban services end and the city centre begins. Big real estate in Tokyo (with the exception of small patches in Shinagawa and Ginza) all exists within the boundaries of the Yamanote line.
Indeed, and of course, the private railways famously did not cross within!
Also Asakusa and Oshiage (which became prime real estate after opening of Tokyo Skytree).
There's something called the Municipal Monroe doctrine which this highlights - it was implemented in other Japanese cities to prevent private capital infrastructure from entering the city limits.
It's worked well in Tokyo I guess but in Nagoya it's another problem
@@jmstransit Nagoya? That's not usually considered a place where the Municipal Monroe Doctrine is established
@RMTransit, as a once daily rider of the Yamanote, remember how it got there in the first place; it was opened in sections as a wye, only getting its loop closed years after the first part opened.
Also the reason why most of the areas on the western part of the loop exist is because of the rail line itself- there were no Shibuya, Shinjuku or Ikebukuro areas before the forerunner to the Yamanote was built.
In fact the Yamanote line owes its existence to the Yebisu Beer Company as they co-financed a rail connection between their new brewery southeast of Shibuya Temple and the dock lands near to Shinagawa and Osaki. This is the southern leg of the Yamanote.
I was staying close the line in a residential neighbourhood about 20 min walk on my last trip to Tokyo and this line was amazing inc the feeder bus that ran past the apartment in the case of being too tired after running around Tokyo. My mother wants to visit Tokyo and this line will make the trip so much easier
It really is! It’s the ultimate convenience!
@@RMTransit bro please jiggle a bit less in the video, looks like you're dancing, not filming
As someone from Chicago who used to travel to Tokyo at least once a year, I've always loved riding the Yamanote Line. That statement about how it connects tourists to major destinations within Tokyo was spot on. I've taken that line to Akihabara, Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shibuya and then take to Shimbashi to transfer on to the Yurikamome people mover back to my hotel.
The JR Yamanote line showed me a better transit system from a privatized entity that the CTA back home can't be. There were reliable and consistent scheduled departure times, very convenient connections to other rail lines (especially ones ran from other operators other than JR East), impressive stations that look like shopping malls, clean trains, as well as reasonable fares where it's not a flat fare but your fare is calculated by how far you travel. That, the ads, the leasing of retail space, as well as leasing properties outside certain stations is how the operator, JR East, is able to stay profitable while providing an exceptional public service at affordable prices .
Great video. What makes the Yamanote even more useful is that it’s often the quickest way to travel along the line. It’s often as fast, if not faster, as taking a taxi or driving. The frequency is good and the average speed is also higher than many other urban railways.
Another thing I like about the Japanese railway system is that they renew stations and add platform doors without interrupting the service. They even didn’t close Harajuku Station for a day. Another example, Tokyu switched from overground to underground overnight (there’s a RUclips video about it). You can always rely on the services because they’re so reliable.
The Yamanote line became so popular and it was overcrowded, so JR added the new express Ueno Tokyo line and Tokyo Metro constructed the Fukutoshin line. The Yamanote line has exited and played an important role for such a long time, so the stations attracted even more destinations and redevelopments. It’s how big cities should be built.
There have been several times when the Yamanote Line has been canceled due to construction work.However, we can cover you by making alternative routes available nearby at no additional charge.
about the adds, you should definetely check-out the ads in São Paulo metro system, specially Line-4 Yellow, it's absolutely crazy the amount of adds.
As someone who uses the Yamanote line on her commute every day, even though it's just one stop of my one hour long commute, I can confirm it's so much more important than any other line here in Tokyo. All the other lines are important for many people, yeah, but Yamanote is crucial to (slightly exaggerated) just about everyone.
As a railway enthusiast from Saitama who moved to Canada as a kid, your videos about Tokyo's railways are informative and fascinating
Years ago I spent a total of three weeks in Tokyo on business over two trips. We took trains for most of the trips to see customers and sight seeing in the evenings and on the weekend. Almost all the trips involved the Yamanote line. It was great.
The platform gates look so simple and so sensible, Here in New York, the MTA seems to think of them as an exotic experiment that must be tested for years in a few stations. They subscribe to the school of Not Invented Here.
That's partly because there isn't a culture of crime in Japan. Lots of things run on the honour system. Not defending or criticising--their society is just waaaayyy too different.
@@canto_v12 What do you mean by a culture of crime? There is crime, it's a lot less than most places but it's still a concern, small things get stolen, drunk people pee on things, women get groped, it happens. But I don't see what that has to do with platform gates.
@@DevynCairns I’ll be a bit more blunt then haha: Gate jumping and vandalism are generally not problems in Japan. They have other social problems but public areas are respected.
@@canto_v12 The platform gates aren't fare gates, they're simply fall barriers.
@@ericreese7792 aaarrrrgh I’ve misread the thread. Yes, platform barriers are awesome, especially the half height which still let you feel some train wind.
Embarrassing faux pas for someone from Hong Kong which pioneered platform barrier retrofitting to old lines. 😝
Another interesting fact about the Yamanote line is that every station has its own short song or melody that is played upon arrival. Even if you can’t see the board on a crowded train, the unique 10-15 second melody identifies the station. Look up “eki melodies” to learn more.
I currently live along the Yamanote line and it's one of the best places I've lived. I can't believe more cities don't model their transportation system around it.
I commute between Ikebukuro and Shibuya with ease. I can easily get almost anywhere in the city, even the country, with just one or two transfers. Ditching the car for this system is seriously a huge quality of life upgrade
I want to go to japan so bad! And specially to ride all the different trains!
I know this isn't is a good place, but if you dont mind could you tell what you do in japan?
I have been trying to move with no luck
There's Paris which is doing something in the same spirit with the currently being built line M15, the huge loop of the Grand Paris Expess project.
Although it will be twice longer (75km) and be linking major business, shopping & leisure districts and transit hubs outside the core of the city instead of inside, it will also have all but 2 of its stations that will be interchange ones to a form of rail transit (connections with metro, tram, RER, Transilien suburban rail and TGV).
The only 2 stations without rail connection I mentioned will still offer bus interchange.
It's planned to become the absolute shortcut for suburbs to suburbs journeys and the workhorse of the network.
Lots of cities have circles MTA (Berlin, London, Paris, Spore)
I rode the Yamanote Line only once, very briefly, when I was in Tokyo. A single stop from harajuku to Yoyogi to transfer to the Sobu line back to my hotel in ryogoku. that is the beauty of circle lines, after all: they provide excellent transfers and connectivity between different transit services, which is why their ridership is often so much higher than any other line in their respective systems. I hope one day to return and ride the full loop.
I've often seen Yamanote Line ridership cited as 3-4 million average weekday boardings, or about five Washington Metros (before COVID). When I was in Japan in 2009 I rode an entire hour loop around the Yamanote Line at the height of the AM peak. My railcar had a peak load of approximately 300 passengers crammed cheek to jowl, and watching the riders ebb and flow on and off at each station, it appeared that about 900-1,000 people used the railcar I was on at some point or another during the loop. Multiply that by 11 cars on the train and you're talking a peak load of 3,000 passengers and a total of 10,000 passengers touching this train on my hour's loop...one of the 48 trains (24 in each direction) that hour. Very impressive stuff.
Kids in Japan are also taught a children's song to memorize the stops on the Yamanote Line which has aired on national TV childrens' shows. Because elementary school kids in Japan ride the trains around Tokyo by themselves...and one-third of the country lives in the Greater Tokyo Metro area.
As for the last paragraph, wonder how they will update that song with Takanawa Gateway in it.
The ads in the tunnels in Rome were impressive. They ‘follow’ the train !
hey reece, please make an video of the Rhein-Ruhr U-Bahn, its really unique as its one big region and lines are spread over multiple cities
Eventually!
appreciate it
It's not a U-Bahn unfortunately, but a Stadtbahn. Reece has already made a video about it, and you can look it up on Wikipedia, but basically these systems were supposed to be U-Bahns but then stopped in the place now most commonly known as LRT in the English-speaking world (or is there any significant difference?).
Many Stadtbahn systems feature street running, separated alignments, underground and elevated sections, and sometimes even running on mainline rail - and sometimes most of those in one singular line!
I love the Yamanote-sen!
When I’m feeling like I just wanna do nothing and listen to music or a podcast, I just take it the long way around to my destination or even ride for an extra loop.
Not to mention how incredibly affordable it is to ride.
Advertising on the outside of trains isn't a purely modern phenomenon - the Millwall Extension Railway topped their meagre finances up by putting adverts for Pear's Soap on the tanks of their locomotives.
I love the fact that it runs entirely above ground and passes through some iconic neighbourhoods. It’s nice to be able to look out the window and see the city. Ironically, because of this one of the few times I’ve ever experienced any sort of real delay on Tokyo’s rail network was when my train had to be stopped due to smoke from a building on fire near the tracks.
While it has been decades since I've had the pleasure of visiting Tokyo, I remain a big fan of the Yamanote line. From its elevated viewpoint a tourist can glimpse most of the buildings and signage that makes Tokyo a delight. Getting on after the morning rush hour will give you room to stretch and view the sights. After an hour you get back to your exact original stop with a ticket cost of less than $2.
The experience is priceless.
Thats so fascinating to hear!
Good video. I have been a regular visitor to Tokyo for 25 years and so used the train and subway system many times. Central Tokyo covers a large area and the Yamanote line is the anchor point. A lot has gone into making the whole system work really well: everything is coordinated as much as possible so that it’s easy for large numbers of people to get on and off trains quickly and make connections just by crossing a platform.
Yamanote Sen is fantastic!
The reason most other train lines connect to Yamanote line is because the Japanese government banned train lines other than subways to enter inside of Yamanote line so other train lines had to connect and terminate at Yamanote line, making Yamanote line a very important line to get around Tokyo, and make Yamanote line's stations hub stations. The only exception is the Chuo line which was built before the Yamanote loop line was completed in 1925. Also, Yamanote line was originally made as a freight line to connect Touhoku main line and Toukaido main line because back then Shinbashi and Ueno was not connected by rail on the eastern side.
We see why suburban railways have through services with the subway lines without needing to change trains at the terminus.
The many of connections on the Yamanote Line is incredible as it give lot of ridership. Not to mention the area the line served mostly are important part of the city.
Speaking of train ad, the train exterior ad are inspiring many other countries trains. In Indonesia, the idea was taken from Japan to put ad sticker on train wall. Now, it's normal to see some of train have the whole fleet covered in one brand ad, make the train exterior look standing out.
Using the Yamanote line to get from Haneda airport (via the monorail) to Tokyo station is so easy. And cheap - particularly when the queue is long to swap your voucher for the JR pass. Interesting clip. Thank you
What I find interesting is that the train cars correspond to the colored lines they operate along 🥰
The tube carriages are also colour coded, up to a point. You just have to look a little harder.
And it's inside.
JR has done this for a very long time. Yamanote has had this colour since the 60s with the 103 series EMU, and line colours were started to be used widely with it's predecessor not long before that. They used to be almost entirely green!
My dads going to japan in a bit and he is gonna go on the Yamanote line on a business trip he’s taking literally tomorrow, exited for him
I've heard of some strange affiliate links but a JR pass affiliate takes the cake
Excellent coverage and well reasoned discussion of this amazing line.
Common RMtransit W
I’m fully aware that I’m being super pedantic, but Yamanote line trains were already blasting into the platforms at around 70 ish kph before the installation of platform doors. The limitation wasn’t safety, but the difficulty of manually stopping the train at the designated point as quickly as possible, without resorting to the emergency brakes.
Platform doors require higher precision when braking, so TASC (Train Automatic Stop-position Controller) was installed to partially automate the braking process. If approach speeds are faster now, it’s probably because of TASC, rather than the added safety provided by the doors themselves.
The quality of this video (like all your videos) is through the roof. I expected to learn something new, but I didn't expect the very high production value (and tie-in affiliate link). Under-rated train! Great job!
To mention what you said about ads, it reminds me of how here in Seoul, buses play audio ads. The audio announcing the next stop will play, and then an audio ad will play right after. To me, this seems like more of a downside than visual ads, because you have to be listening to the bus announcements (and you can’t just not listen otherwise you’ll miss your stop- some buses don’t have screens where the stop is announced).
Yeah!! Some bus operators here in Tokyo also do run audio ads and it can get annoying. But many are switching to digital ads so it's easier to tune out if we want.
When the E235 series trains were just introduced, I had a competition with my cousin to see who could ride on more of the newer sets. We don't live on the Yamanote Line or any JR line for that matter but still both managed to rack up 10+ rides each over the course of that summer (it was a 60/40 chance between getting the older E231 and E235).
They are lovely, trans and I particularly love the front fascia!
@@RMTransit I remember being wowed with the front in promotional pictures but then being very underwhelmed with the sides, especially when compared to the somewhat futuristic front
Ahh yes, new Japanese trains are fun! It's always a joy riding the new trains JR introduces. However, I was super sad seeing the series 201 orange trains leaving, 201系 has a special place in my heart.
Great line. But it's so well used you can show up in the late afternoon (far before rush hour) and still find a very crowded car.
Yep! But usually it’s still pretty comfortable and there’s lots to see out of the windows!
@@RMTransit Very true. And as you have mentioned in past videos, the monitors above the doors in each car are very useful for wayfinding information when you get off at a particular station. (Wayfinding trumps advertising. What a concept!)
I suppose it is inevitable that heavily used and convenient lines like the Yamanote will be crowded at many points in the day.
My only wish is that Tokyo and other cities in Japan would create decent cycling infrastructure so that people on shorter trips could ride their bikes instead and free up space on the train for passengers on longer journeys. The trains in Tokyo are great, but they should not be the only option IMHO.
Anyhow, enjoying the videos! Hope you can make it over to Japan for some on-the-scene videos at some point.
Cheers from Nagoya, Japan. 👍
Yeah, just got back from Tokyo. Yamanote was pretty crowded most times of the day! Their transportation system really is a wonder of the world, though, like the city itself.
Back in 2013 I was one of those tourists who got away relying solely on the Yamanote line for getting around Tokyo.
The renovation work on the Yamanote Line is also interesting. They are carefully prepared and completed as quick as possible.
Love the ads, breaks up the monotony. If you're that sensitive I suggest the suburbs.
A very interesting video, Yamanote Line made me think to Line 15 in Paris. It may have been inspired by Yamanote Line. It is under construction right now, bit alomst every station is gonna be connected at leat an other line. We can't know right now how much ridership it is gonna bring. But analysts think it will be one of the most used line of the network.
Man, new harajuku station has so much less character than the old one... Wish they had been able to preserve more of it like TRA is doing with the new Kaohsiung station
Yeah, I don’t disagree
I don't know whether it's from the composition or the presentation, but when I visited Japan, the advertisement in Japanese transit system felt much like an art piece or a mural sponsored by a company rather than an instruction from a company to buy their products.
So despite the on your face approach, it didn't bother me like the advertisement in the other transit system.
I just rode this line, and many others in Tokyo last week! Their transit network is AMAZING. From my hotel I easily went everywhere on Metro. And then I took a Shinkansen (bullet train) all across the country. Incredible.
It can be very confusing trying to find your way out of a station, and (as mentioned in this video,) it is often challenging to find a connecting rail line. Lots and lots of walking, and stairs stairs stairs.
Been there many years ago just for the Japanese train experience. Used my rail pass daily. Did you know the yamamoto line had 6 door carriages in the past? The middle carriages had more doors than windows.
The 6-door car was abolished in order to install platform doors.
Yamanote line also as 1st tier railway line to powered by electricity in early 20th Century.
Due to heavy use, the replacement of EMU quite often in Yamanote line.
The Ads on trains often see Anime-Comic-Games ads on train's exterior.
The Yamamote line is an engineering marvel and likely the most useful transit system in and of itself on the planet.
Osaka has loop line too but there's many differences, Yamanote line trains are only local services but some Osaka Loop line trains are rapid that through Yamatoji line and Hanwa line, and local trains for Yumesaki line and limited express for Kansai international airport
Nagoya has underground loop line too called Meijo line and through service to Meiko line, so it's "Q" shape
Yeah, they will probably be the subjects of future videos…..
Even Tokyo itself has multiple loop lines, there is also the Oedo subway line and Mega Loop (Musashino) line...
Worth noting that the Yamanote loop is paralleled by express tracks in its entirety, whereas Osaka Loop line does not have that luxury.
But how does Japan manage to pull off express services with very little infrastructure unlike other countries?
@@trainsandmore2319 Timed overtaking - this is especially prevalent in private railways where station distances are shorter and there are more types of express services. To achieve this, there are certain stations are intentionally built with overtaking facilities and you find that the schedules are designed in such a way that overtaking almost always happens at these stations. In the bigger overtaking stations, you can often do a cross-platform transfer from slower to faster services and vice versa so no matter where you start from you can get to any station as efficiently as possible. This might be a good topic to cover in a separate video on it's own.
Loving the Yamanote Line already, and should I visit Tokyo, perhaps I can use it more frequently, hehe...
You should!!
There used to be an annual Halloween party on the Yamanote line that started in the 80s. Folks would custome up and ride the line for 1 full loop, drinking at each stop. As it got more popular, it attracted more morons who ruined it and the cops eventually cracked down and killed it around 2010.
Yamamoto always feel like a “roundabout” even though it’s the “ring road” of rail. I tend to avoid the line now if I can, but it’s always a good old reliable option when I give travellers direction. I would rather point them to the closest Yamanote station which can be a 15 minutes walk than the closer private line because so many times people just get lost again.
Being someone who uses Japanese trains at a fair frequency, I didn't realize how massive our trains are until just recently. Thanks for confirming this!
Yamanote Line is undoubtly the pride of Tokyo and JR East
I'd go as far as to say it represents the entire country, but that's solely based on many tourists not ending up riding the Shinkansen
I'm going to Japan next February and will utilize JR Rail pass. The Yamanote line along with the Shinkansen and other JR lines will be very convenient for me while staying in Tokyo. Your Tokyo urban transit videos are very information and helpful for my planning. Thank you.
I highly recommend 'crunching the numbers' before purchasing a JR Rail Pass. Lots of travelers get them thinking they'll save money, but it is not always the case: I just came back from a three week trip to Japan. I planned on getting a JR Rail Pass, as I was going to take Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakone, and then to Hamamatsu and Kyoto. Well when I did the math, the JR Pass cost more than the trips I was going to take, by a substantial amount. Even with all the metro rides I took, for me personally it was cheaper to pay ala carte and not get a JR Rail Pass.
@@vasilikonstan The trip will involve numerous Shinkansen rides, hop-on hop-off type of trip from top to bottom the way I did Greyhound bus in Australia and Magic Bus in New Zealand.
Buying a ticket every time will be quite headache since I have zero Japanese language ability. Buying a pass like this saves me from the hassle. I’ve used a 7-day JR pass before and I quite like the flexibility.
I try to save on accommodations as I don’t mind staying at cheap hotels so I spend a bit more on transportation for peace of mind.
Mind you, I still go for the cheapest airline even if it’s a budget airline with zero flexibility.
Poor ass can’t be too choosy, I guess :D
It's a shame there aren't passenger numbers available, as the numbers would be good to see. It is amazing how many people get off and on Yamanote Line trains at almost every station during peak hours. You get at least 1/4 of a fully loaded 11-car 4-door train get off and the same amount of new passengers then board, due to the line connecting to almost every major rail terminal and commercial centre in Tokyo. The narrow platforms you mention are the factor limiting train throughput - hundreds of people alight onto a platform that is already full of people waiting to board. When the new passengers board and the train departs the next train pulls in and repeats the same procedure about every 3 minutes.
The majority of the passengers coming from a correspondence, one cannot count them. The JR has surely only the incoming ones in station (it is already very important).
It's the same problem with lines with many connecting stations.
The Parisian equivalent being the RER A with 1.2 million passengers/day and the RER B which has just passed the million. But it is estimated that with transits via only correspondences we can add 20 to 25% more passengers.
ROYAL BLOOD!!!! You were already one my favourite RUclipsrs. Now you are my favourite!!!!!
Why thank you! I am a big fan! 🎸🥁
@@RMTransit Woo! I'm so glad you're a fan! Shame I missed you when you were over for the Liz Line, couldve shown you my photographs of them when I did their gigs :((
Sometimes the subway network or that cross-city line (Chuo-Sobu) will always be faster than the Yamanote Line. However, the Yamanote Line has a MUCH better view but it is also FAR more crowded (but the Chuo-Sobu line also has a nice view of the river next to it and the sports venues and the rapid service, not the local, is also really crowded when I usually rode it back to Koenji station during rush hour; a 14-minute bus ride to the stop that is the closest to my Airbnb).
My Airbnb was 7 minutes away from Nogata station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line to Takadanobaba where I would usually make a transfer to mostly the Tozai subway line. I transferred to the Yamanote Line at the same station via the first-floor entrance (because I often boarded the last few cars of the Seibu line at Nogata, the sign for the JR (Yamanote) line was leading me down towards the first floor where you can just do a single-gate transfer). I rode the Yamanote Line to Shinjuku for some lunch. At Shinjuku, I looked for the "Keio Department Store Exit" (as it said on Google Maps) but it only took a while for me to realize that the Keio store was literally next to the Keio Line (fortunately, that area will soon be redeveloped with a massive skyscraper + improved signage) Funny story here, yes, the signage at Shinjuku station can be confusing at times. After my lunch, I took the Yamanote Line again to Harajuku to access the first gate of the Meiji Jingu Shrine. When night fell, I walked from Omote-sando to Shibuya and crossed the famous crossing before I took Yamanote Line from Shibuya to Shinjuku to change to the Chuo Line Rapid Service. Yeah, I did go over that "O-gado Bridge" for a few times whenever I rode the two JR lines going back to my Airbnb.
I would argue that Japan has middle density urban areas. But hardly any low-density ones. Hence why you can go everywhere on public transit. And that's a great thing IMO.
I'm a Japanese person living in Tokyo. Are you a `railroad geek' in Japan, so-called ‘Tecchan’ in Japanese, or a hobbyist who loves railway engineering? Do you know why Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Shibuya historically developed as transfer stations on the Yamanote Line? If you ever come to Japan, I would like to meet you.
I came back from Tokyo recently and one thing I didn’t enjoy about Yamanote line is it’s busyness(local trains also feel very slow). Sometimes it feels like train intervals should be shortened a lot.
BTW, it’s worth mentioning that some parts of Yamanote line are duplicated by express services: Saikyo and Futukoshin.
The Yamanote Line service interval cannot be shortened in the morning.Almost all the trains are already running, and due to the effects of signal equipment, adding more trains will only result in delays.
I'll be very happy if our government made a rail line half as good in our new capital of Indonesia, Jakarta and Surabaya is already beyond saving (thanks to Soeharto and his American alignment), I hope they won't make the same mistake for IKN
Been around the loop many times such a convenient service. The only issue is that if you want to change from this line to other metro lines and you only have a JR pass I suggest you get a suica pass and put some credit on it as soon as you start your time in Tokyo.
Changing lines and having a tight schedule requires knowledge and as such I would suggest when using the tokyo metro system is relax and enjoy it as a part of the holiday.
If you like mazes you will love the tokyo inner city stations as they have crazy amounts of exits even a small station like Ginza has 32 exits and pedestrian tunnels that in many cases go to other stations as such you may not even need to change trains to get to where you are going. This is also great for walking around tokyo in the summer.
Seems like lots of trains in Japan are amazing
Accurate!
Trains in Japan are generally all amazing...Japan's systems in general are by far amazing in terms of attention to detail, efficiency, and accuracy
I guessed "Yamanote?" seconds before the name came up, and then went yaaaaaay for myself. I'm such a dork, so glad to be here.
This is exactly what a tourist needs , a solid overview with some granular detail but never getting caught in the weeds. First class
Great overview! I feel like I'm watching an episode of Japan Railway Journal. You'd make an excellent guest / co-host of that show!
Thx I wanted to it 1 hr ago
1:06 what do you mean by "missing middle density"? Tokyo has such liberal zoning laws that density is directly linked to demand. Unlike cities in the US e.g. where you've got a CBD and single family home zoning. Because of it's zoning laws, tokyo reaches the ideal density around the city. You can see a great gradual transition from low to high density. And it definitely has lots of middle density housing
Walking the Yamanote line used to be a thing. I've never done it, but I seem to remember the folks who did would do it at night, taking all night to walk the whole loop.
From the title I knew this would be the yamanote line. Circle lines are amazing and missing in American cities!
The black yamanote train is a really cool collaboration. I was lucky to ride it a few times so far. It's a Collab between Netflix and the yamanote line. Each car is outfitted with art from different Netflix series. It's quite a cool way to do advertising, though it also commemorated 150 years of rail service in Japan. The black color is reminiscent of No. 1
Awesome video! I love learning new things about my favorite trains.
Cool Sweatshirt! Im also big fan of Royal Blood
Not surprised that "the world's most indispensable transit line" would be in Japan. If one did the equivalent for mainline rail, it would surely be the Shinkansen. It would simply have been impossible to carry that level of long-distance traffic on JR's old 3'6" gauge lines, which were overcrowded even in the 1960s.
There are too much advertisements of Chinese Anime-style mobile games on trains in Yamanote line… There are at least 4 Genshin Impact and 5 Arknights in those video clips showing trains in Yamanote line in this video…
The refurbished trainsets for Yamanote Line is currently in use for Jakarta Commuter Train service. Yes, the train is ginormous. It has 10-12 cars per trainset configuration, with 4 doors for each side per car. And even there are some high density carriage with 5 doors for each side per car.
moga next video orangnya bahas commuter line
I wonder if you will cover the privatization of JNR splitting into six passenger regions and national freight in 1987 due to heavy debt from the Shinkansen construction. When prior for decades, it was state run.
I love just how many services run in conjunction to the Yamanote line. From the capacity adding local service of the Keihin-Tohoku Line (with peak hour rapid services left over from the era of disconnected Tokaido and Tohoku Line trains at Tokyo and Ueno respectively), to the now interconnected express Ueno-Toyko line services in the eastern half of the loop, and the express Saikyo and Shonan-Shinjuku Line services in the western half of the loop to provide additional capacity and services, especially between major interchange stations for the express services.
Japan plus trains = you got me!
Housing and apartments are more in demand closer to the stations and prices are higher .
4:55 Arknights Train!
nice video. I've been avid fan of Yamanote sen. It has been a decade though since the last time I rode it. I love it when I ride the entire loop without going out of stations.
The best thing about stations in Japan (and in general in Japan) is the ubiquity of free toilets. Having said that, I'm always surprised how many people line up to use number two. I tend to avoid that since they can be a real mess.
There are restrooms not only at stations, but also on trains. Other than Yamanote Line
How does the Yamanote Line get so much ridership? Well that's a simple secret.
The Yamanote isn't a rail line.
It's an interchange station.
Wow, that’s some great footage! 😉
The circle line I. London does serve an important purpose as it connect 9 major mainline stations around London.
i missed those good old greenline E231-500. i know some of those sets are still bearing yellow lines on sobu local, but its not the same
Recently playing "Densha de Go!: Yamanote Sen" on PS5, which sparked my love for the Yamanote. I have been to Japan / Tokyo two tims in the past. But the next time I will visit, I will ride the Yamanote even more deliberate and sensible. Also cool: You can circle the full loop once + to the next station, and you only have to pay the minimum fare of 130 Yen. As a foreigner using the JR Railpass you could do a full loop and even get out at the same station again in the end (without getting to the next station)
I really wish Taito would release Densha de Go! (and also Jet de Go!) games in North America.
The price of the Japan Rail Pass has increased significantly, so be careful.
Toronto could have a great circular line if we got access to the midtown CNR line that cuts across midtown
Possibly yeah!
Osaka Loop Line (also in Honshu, Japan) also connects to all major rail services in the city. It is not only a loop because it also has through services to other lines. With the short spur to JR Namba, it also serves the original downtown Namba. Once the Naniwasuji Line (extension to JR Namba) is complete, the Osaka Loop Line will be able to serve all downtowns of Osaka without terminating, which are Namba, Umeda, Shin-Osaka, Kyobashi, and Tennoji/Abenobashi. Currently, all of those places are already served by the line, but service has to be terminated at JR Namba due to tracks dead-ending. Arguably the Osaka Loop Line will be even more important to Osaka than Yamanote Line is to Tokyo once the Naniwasuji Line is completed in 2031, because Osaka Loop Line connects all of Osaka's major destinations, whereas Yamanote Line does not serve Asakusa, though it is just a 25-minute walk away from Ueno. Regarding Ginza, the Yamanote Line already serves it (though as a secondary effect) because Yurakucho Station is on the edge of Ginza.
wow youn know a lot about japanese transportation
Osaka too has incredible public transportation with jr lines, loop line, subway and hankyuu
do you by any chance live in japan?
@@BLACKSTA361 Nope, but I am fascinated by Japanese trains, especially with their large amount of subway lines and mainlines through running into each other!
Well, the thing is that the Osaka Loop line actually encircles the core of the city, while the Yamanote bisects it on the east section (so it's 'off-kilter' in that respect and underserves the eastern parts of Tokyo, as you alluded to). In Osaka that spine corridor is the subway Midosuji line.
Come to think of it, a closer analogue to the Yamanote loop would actually be the Naniwasuji / Osaka Higashi / Yamatoji sections, which in theory should make a complete circuit when completed, but is probably not going to see service in that configuration.
Asakusa is served by the Yamanote, albeit as a sort of "tertiary" effect. You can transfer in Ueno and take the Ginza subway (the Ueno-Asakusa section is, in fact, the oldest Asian subway in service).
@ well I don't think it can be consider as "served"......as a frequent visitor of Tokyo before COVID, I used to stay at Asakusa and I find myself rarely using Yamanote line. Asakusa is actually 3 station away from Ueno, even thought stations of Ginza line is close, it's definitely not within reasonable distance from any Yamanote line station. If a few stops away is good enough to be consider as "serviced", can I say Kyoto, which is also a few stops away from Shinagawa when using Nozomi, is served by Yamanote line? :P
Ads are a nice way to supplement funding. I'm fine with them as long as they are fun. I've seen animated beer ads in tunnels years ago. As the train zooms pass this portion of the tunnel, the sequence of still billboards animate like a zeotrope. Now, there are LED strips that does the same thing.
And I'm fine with advertising as long as they add value, too.
I understand the issues with ads, but honestly, as long as the revenue generated is directed back into improving public transit, I really don't see the problem with them.
Very informative. 👍👍👍