Tokyo Toden
The Tokyo Toden or simply Toden, is the tram network of Tokyo, Japan. Of all its former routes, only one, the Tokyo Sakura Tram, remains in service. The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operates the Toden. The formal legal name is Tokyo-to Densha. Its nickname, "Toden," distinguished it from the "Kokuden".
The network had a track gauge of, except for the former Seibu Railway lines which were. Today the Toden has 30 stops, running from Minowabashi Station to Waseda Station.
History
At its peak, the Toden system boasted 41 routes with of track. However, the increase in reliance on automobile traffic resulted in reductions in ridership, and from 1967 to 1972, of track were abandoned as the Bureau changed its emphasis to bus and subway modes of transportation.- 1903: The Tokyo Horse-drawn Railway changed its motive power to electricity and, under the name Tokyo Electric Railway commenced operations between and.
- 1903: The Tokyo Urban Railway began operations between Sukiyabashi and Kandabashi.
- 1904: The Tokyo Electric Railway connecting Shimbashi Station and Ochanomizu opened.
- 1905: The three companies published the "Tokyo Geography Education Streetcar Song" to promote knowledge of the geography of Tokyo.
- 1906: The three companies merged to form the Tokyo Railways.
- 1911: Tokyo City purchased the Tokyo Railways, established its Electric Bureau, and inaugurated the Tokyo City Streetcar system.
- 1911–1922: The streetcar network expands, with various new companies and lines serving areas in the city and to the west.
- 1933: The route from Shinagawa Station to North Shinagawa Station is abandoned.
- 1933–1943: New companies, mergers, and realignments alter the network.
- 1943: Tokyo City is abolished and the larger Tokyo Prefecture assumes its administrative functions. The Tokyo City Streetcar bureau becomes the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation.
- 1944: Service is stopped on nine segments.
- 1945–1951: During the Occupation of Japan, the network evolved slowly.
- 1952: The segment of the Imai Line between Higashi-arakawa and Imaibashi Stations was replaced with trolley buses.
- 1953, 1961: Two segments stop operating.
- 1963: In preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, two segments cease operations. The Suginami Line closes because it duplicates a line of the Eidan Subway.
- 1967–1972: A plan for financial restructuring is put into effect in seven stages, resulting in the closure of most of the network.
- 1974: A plan for abandoning the remaining track is cancelled. The remaining routes are consolidated into a single line, named the Arakawa Line.
- 1978: One-man operation begins.
- 1990: The 8500 Series rolling stock is introduced. It is the first new design in 28 years.
- 2000: A new station,, opens between two existing stations.
- 2007: 9000 Series rolling stock was scheduled for introduction.
Former lines
Routes
As of 1962, there were 41 routes in operation; the maximum for the system:| Nº | Terminus | via | Terminus |
| Shinagawa-Ekimae | Shinagawa Line – Kanasugi Line – Hondōri Line – Ueno Line | Ueno-Ekimae | |
| Mita | Mita Line – Kandabashi Line – Suidōbashi Line – Hakusan Line – Sugamo Line | Tōyō-Daigaku-mae | |
| Shinagawa-Ekimae | Shinagawa Line – Fudanotsuji Line – Roppongi Line – Toranomon Line – Tameike Line – Ushigome Line | Iidabashi | |
| Gotanda-Ekimae | Gotanda Line – Meguro Line – Isarago Line – Furukawa Line – Kanasugi Line – Hondōri Line | Ginza-Nichōme | |
| Meguro-Ekimae | Meguro Line – Isarago Line – Furukawa Line – Mita Line – Kandabashi Line – Hatchōbori Line | Eitaibashi | |
| Shibuya-Ekimae | Aoyama Line – Kasumichō Line – Tameike Line – Hōraibashi Line | Shimbashi | |
| Yotsuya-Sanchōme | Shinanomachi Line – Hiroo Line – Furukawa Line – Isarago Line – Shinagawa Line | Shinagawa-Ekimae | |
| Naka-Meguro | Naka-Meguro Line – Tengenjibashi Line – Furukawa Line – Fudanotsuji Line – Roppongi Line – Toranomon Line – Hanzōmon Line – Tsukiji Line | Tsukiji | |
| Shibuya-Ekimae | Aoyama Line – Hanzōmon Line – Tsukiji Line – Shin-Ōhashi Line | Hamachō-Nakanohashi | |
| Shibuya-Ekimae | Aoyama Line – Hanzōmon Line – Bammachi Line – Kudanshita Line – Ryōgokubashi Line | Sudachō | |
| Shinjuku-Ekimae | Shinjuku Line – Hanzōmon Line – Tsukiji Line – Kachidokibashi Line | Tsukishima | |
| Shinjuku-Ekimae | Shinjuku Line – Ushigome Line – Ichigaya Line – Kudan Line – Ryōgokubashi Line – Ryōgoku-eki Leading Line | Ryōgoku-Ekimae | |
| Shinjuku-Ekimae | Shinjuku Line – Tsunohazu Line – Ochanomizu Line – Izumibashi Line | Suitengū-mae | |
| Shinjuku-Ekimae | Kōenji Line – Ogikubo Line | Ogikubo-Ekimae | |
| Takadanobaba-Ekimae | Totsuka Line – Waseda Line – Edogawa Line – Kudan Line – Kandabashi Line – Chiyodabashi Line | Kayabachō | |
| Ōtsuka-Ekimae | Ōtsuka Line – Tomisaka Line – Kiridōshi Line – Umayabashi Line – Narihira Line – Ishiwara Line | Kinshichō-Ekimae | |
| Ikebukuro-Ekimae | Ikebukuro Line – Gokokuji Line – Ōtsuka Line – Tomisaka Line – Suidōbashi Line – Dobashi Line | Sukiyabashi | |
| Shimura-Sakaue | Shimura Line – Itabashi Line – Sugamo Line – Hakusan Line – Suidōbashi Line | Kandabashi | |
| Ōji-Ekimae | Takinogawa Line – Asukayama Line – Komagome Line – Hongō Line – Ochanomizu Line – Ueno Line – Hondōri Line | Tōri-Sanchōme | |
| Edogawabashi | Otowa Line – Gokokuji Line – Dōzaka Line – Ueno Line | Sudachō | |
| Senju-Yonchōme | Kita-Senju Line – Minowa Line – Izumibashi Line | Suitengū-mae | |
| Minami-Senju | Senju Line – Kuramae Line – Muromachi Line – Hondōri Line | Shimbashi | |
| Kaminarimon | Kuramae Line – Muromachi Line – Hondōri Line | Shimbashi | |
| Fukujimbashi | Narihira Line – Takahashi Line – Tsukishima Line | Tsukishima | |
| Fukujimbashi | Narihira Line – Azumabashi Line – Ueno Line | Sudachō | |
| Nishi-Arakawa | Komatsugawa Line – Kōtōbashi Line – Ryōgokubashi Line – Kandabashi Line | Hibiya-Kōen | |
| Higashi-Arakawa | Ichinoe Line | Imaibashi | |
| Minowabashi | Mikawashima Line – Arakawa Line – Akabane Line | Akabane | |
| Kinshichō-Ekimae | Sarue Line – Suzaki Line – Chiyodabashi Line – Marunouchi Line | Tochō-mae | |
| Kasaibashi | Kasaibashi Line – Sunamachi Line – Komatsugawa Line – Kōtōbashi Line – Ryōgokubashi Line | Sudachō | |
| Kasaibashi | Kasaibashi Line – Sunamachi Line – Suzaki Line – Chiyodabashi Line | Nihombashi | |
| Higashi-Mukōjima-Nichōme | Mukōjima Line – Azumabashi Line – Ueno Line | Sudachō | |
| Minowabashi | Mikawashima Line – Senzoku Line – Kuramae Line – Muromachi Line – Marunouchi Line | Tochō-mae | |
| Arakawa-Shako-mae | Arakawa Line – Takinogawa Line – Waseda Line | Waseda | |
| Yotsuya-Sanchōme | Shinanomachi Line – Roppongi Line | Hamamatsuchō-Itchōme | |
| Shibuya-Ekimae | Tengenjibashi Line | Tengenjibashi | |
| Sugamo-Shako-mae | Sugamo Line – Hakusan Line – Suidōbashi Line – Kandabashi Line – Mita Line | Nishi-Shimbashi-Itchōme | |
| Kinshichō-Ekimae | Sarue Line – Shin-Ōhashi Line – Tsukiji Line | Tsukiji | |
| Mita | Mita Line – Kandabashi Line – Ryōgokubashi Line – Awajichō Line – Ueno Line – Dōzaka Line | Sendagi-Nichōme | |
| Kishinbori-Shako-mae | Kōtōbashi Line – Komatsugawa Line – Sunamachi Line – Suzaki Line – Chiyodabashi Line | Nihombashi | |
| Waseda | Edogawa Line – Tomisaka Line – Kiridōshi Line – Umayabashi Line | Umayabashi | |
| Shimmeichō-Shako-mae | Dōzaka Line – Ueno Line – Hondōri Line | Ginza-Nanachōme | |
| Shimurabashi | Shimura Line – Itabashi Line | Sugamo-Shako-mae |
Note: Route 26 discontinued by 1952.