Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line

Opened in 1954, the second subway line in Tokyo after the Ginza Line. A main line runs from Ikebukuro through Tokyo and Shinjuku to Ogikubo, with a branch from Nakano-sakaue to Honancho — about 27 kilometres and 28 stations in all. It is known for its red cars and the stretches where it surfaces above ground.

Tokyo’s Second Subway

The Marunouchi Line opened on 20 January 1954 between Ikebukuro and Ochanomizu — the second subway in Tokyo after the Ginza Line of 1927. Begun amid the postwar reconstruction, its tunnelling beneath the city centre became a symbol of the urban rebuilding rising from the ruins. The line was extended step by step through Tokyo, Ginza, and Shinjuku, reaching Ogikubo in 1962.

Today the Marunouchi Line combines a main line from Ikebukuro to Ogikubo with a branch that splits at Nakano-sakaue toward Honancho — about 27 kilometres across 28 stations. Its scarlet cars with a white stripe, and their rounded profile, make it one of the most recognisable lines on the Tokyo subway.

A Subway That Surfaces

The Marunouchi Line is famous for the moments when this “subway” runs in the open air. Near Ochanomizu it climbs out to cross the Kanda River, and around Korakuen it rides an elevated section. The line was laid to thread the uneven terrain of central Tokyo without diving too deep. Because it draws power from a third rail rather than overhead wires, the sky stays clear and open even along its surface stretches.

The line strings together Tokyo Station, Otemachi, Ginza, and Shinjuku — the core of the central districts — carrying vast flows of commuters, shoppers, and transferring passengers. Sweeping in a great arc from Ikebukuro to Ogikubo, it cuts diagonally inside the Yamanote loop and ties together the radial lines fanning out from the centre.

Summary

Since opening in 1954, the Marunouchi Line has served central Tokyo as the city’s second subway after the Ginza Line. Its roughly 27-kilometre, 28-station route is beloved for its red cars and the distinctive scenes where it surfaces at Ochanomizu and Korakuen. Watch from the window during that brief run across the Kanda River and you feel the character of a line that pierces the city centre by moving between underground and open sky.

Related: Marunouchi Building / Tokyo Metro Ginza Line

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