Monday 12 August 2013

Night View of Nagoya Station

EMU Shinkansen N700 series stands at Nagoya Station
 
Nagoya is situated some 350km west of Tokyo, and is Japan's fourth largest city in population after Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. As of the year 2010, this city had an estimated population of 2,264,000. Nagoya has been developing rapidly as the central city of the Chukyo metropolitan area, whose total population is about 9,110,000.

The railway network in Nagoya is extensive. The major operators are JR Central, Meitetsu, Kintetsu... and one more, Nagoya Municipal Subway. They are part of a huge transportation network in the Chukyo metropolitan area. Nagoya Station is located in the center of the network. If you visit Nagoya from Tokyo taking the Tokaido Shinkansen, you will arrive at platform 16 or 17. The Shinkansen trains arrive at these two platforms alternately due to frequent operation. It is very busy with a train arriving at a minimum of every three minutes. One train is composed of 16 cars and the total length is 400 meters.

At nightfall, Nagoya Station is still very busy. For instance, the westbound Tokaido Shinkansen trains are operated until 22.57; meanwhile the last eastbound commuter train on the Tokaido Main Line leaves Nagoya at 24.20. It is almost same as busy terminals in Tokyo.

You can see the beautiful night view of Nagoya Station from the station building, namely JR Central Tower. It is composed of 51 and 53-storey twin buildings and it is the world's largest train station complex by floor area. A department store and a hotel are located in the buildings.

 
Night view of Nagoya Station and the downtown area