Harajuku Station Redevelopment

[Das Steinkopf]

Apparently Harajuku Station is set for a major redevelopement to prepare it for a tourist influx with the 2020 Olympics, hopefully the original station building will be retained as it is a very charming structure and adds a lot of character to the area.

 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/07/business/jr-east-rebuild-tokyos-harajuku-station-amid-tourism-boom/

Edited May 25, 2018 by railsquid
fix spelling in thread title

[bill937ca]

I'd be surprised if it survives. Nearby Otsuka lost its station building recently.  Shin Okubo has another small station building. I'm really surprised that small station at Shin Okubo handle the traffic volume on the Yamanote line.  

Edited June 8, 2016 by bill937ca

[railsquid]

Shin-Okubu is nothing like as busy, even at weekends, also Okubu Station is a very short walk away. Harajuku was overcrowded at weekends even 10~15 years ago, I used to stay in the area quite often. I made the mistake of walking there from the Shibuya area on a Sunday afternoon a while back and regretted it. The Takeshita-dori exit in particular is vastly under-dimensioned.

 

I'd bet the plan is to build the new station with access from the Jingu bridge, and possibly widen the platform by removing the existing temporary platform (which is only used around New Year).

[bikkuri bahn]

According to this Tokyo Shimbun article, JR East is considering whether or not to preserve the building (apparently it's not listed?)*.  As railsquid said, they are planning to build the new station building south of the current site, spanning the tracks.

 

*the half-timbered station building survived WW2 relatively unscathed, being hit by an incendiary bomb that turned out to be a dud.

 

http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/s/article/2016060690135527.html

[railsquid]

Would be nice if they're enlightened enough to keep it - it's not like it will be directly in the way of a new structure over the tracks .

[Das Steinkopf]

I really hope they keep the original building, as I said before it adds a lot of charm and character to the area compared to the rather sterile blocks of concrete and glass that reside across the road from it, apart from the station building the area looks rather bland until you get down to Takeshita Dori.

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

I have always thought of Harajuku Station as "homely".  I think it should be retained that way; not just the building, but also the setting.  Unfortunately, doing so is not very profitable and we live in a society where profit must be made!  So, watch out for bulldozers, steel, concrete, glass and brand name shopping!

 

So sad!  :(

[Sacto1985]

I think while we'd all like to preserve the original building, given the large number of people using the station, it may not be practical to actually save it in its current configuration.

 

One possibility though: how about putting up a replacement with a similar architectural design? Maybe someone with the skills of Eiji Mitooka could pull it off (sorry, Mitooka-san couldn't do this because of his close association with JR Kyushu).

[bikkuri bahn]

Maybe someone with the skills of Eiji Mitooka could pull it off

 

God I hope not.  Whatever his popularity, his pseudo-historical style is no replacement for the original.  And JR Kyushu has a pretty spotty record wrt to preserving historical buildings.  Take any pics of remaining original wooden stations in Kyushu, b/c they may be gone within a few years...

[railsquid]

 

I'd bet the plan is to build the new station with access from the Jingu bridge, and possibly widen the platform by removing the existing temporary platform (which is only used around New Year).

 

Seems like they'll be expanding the temporary platform as the full-time platform for the clockwise services.

 

Video report here:

http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye2792508.html

 

It looks like it will be fully separate from the existing structure.

[Densha]

"Railway officials say they will consult with locals on whether to demolish the current western-style building, which was built in 1924. It is known as the oldest wooden station building in Tokyo." Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/editors/3/2016060910/

 

Let's hope the old building will be kept.

[katoftw]

Surely if it was built in 1924 it should be part of the designated as one of the cultural heritage buildings? 

[bill937ca]

Probably viewed as less important because its Western style.

[Sacto1985]

Probably viewed as less important because its Western style.

 

There's a possibility it may be saved because of its unique design and the fact it predates World War II (it survived for the reason mentioned earlier).

[railsquid]

Indeed, "Western" vs "Japanese" is pretty much irrelevant, more of a case of hoping there's enough interest and pressure to refrain from tearing it down and building yet another Atre on the probably quite valuable lucrative space.

 

Having said that, things have improved in that respect over recent years, with at least some attempts to integrate structures with historic value into new projects (Omotesando Hills and the JP Tower in front of Tokyo station come to mind).

[kvp]

The interior design drawing for the new station actually shows the old station building through the side windows. Let's hope they keep it and also don't chase the weekend crowd away from the old bridge. ( http://piotrkloczkowski.com/foto_jp/jp13/harajuku-bridge-11-2006-01.jpg )

[bikkuri bahn]

JR East press release with a diagram of the new platform arrangement (scroll down a bit to page 2):

http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2016/20160605.pdf

 

*Hat tip to momo1435 over at the ssc forum

[railsquid]

Aha, so the new exits won't connect to the bridge (Jingubashi) and will leave it as is. They mention that the "new" ex-temporary platform will connect to the Takeshita-dori exit, I hope that will involve widening the tunnel there as on a crowded day it's downright dangerous.

[kvp]

Based on this the old station and the current overhead bridge won't be connected. At least they are not on the drawing. If they do leave the old station (visible on the top right image across the tracks from the new station), then it's a question what role they plan to assign to it and how it will be connected to the new building.

[railsquid]

I went past the other day and preparatory work for the construction site is already underway.

 

"Entrance":

harajuku-station-2017-01-26a by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Construction notice:

harajuku-station-2017-01-26b by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Construction site on the left:

harajuku-station-2017-01-26d by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Some construction machinery in position

harajuku-station-2017-01-26e by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Closer view:

harajuku-station-2017-01-26c by Rail Squid, on Flickr

Edited January 27, 2017 by railsquid

[Suica]

While I try to avoid Harajuku as I absolutely hate the area, I think it would be sad if the old building had to go. It's a rarely found kind in the middle of a big city.

[miyakoji]

While I try to avoid Harajuku as I absolutely hate the area, I think it would be sad if the old building had to go. It's a rarely found kind in the middle of a big city.

Yeah the goings on around the station do not interest me at all, but I like the small, single-story station building in the midst of the big city, and it's cool that the Emperor gets his own platform there...

[railsquid]

So, almost a year later, progress is becoming more visible.

 

The stub of fenced-off platform at the south end visible in this earlier photo:

harajuku-station-2017-01-26e by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

has gone, replaced by what I'd guess is some kind of load-bearing foundation:

Harajuku Station platform end, 2017-12-14 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

To the east of this, work is being carried out on the side of the cutting, I'd guess this will support the main entrance on a new bridge structure spanning the tracks (the convenience store which occupied this spot is gone):

 

Harajuku Station abutement at south end, east side, 2017-12-14 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Currently work is going on to secure the temporary platform on the Meiji Jingu side for its annual use on New Year's eve:

 

Harajuku Station platform overview, 2017-12-14 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Temporary entrance/exit:

Harajuku Station temporary platform, temporary steps, 2017-12-14 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

At the Takeshita-dori end, on the outer loop platform there's a section without platform doors:

Harajuku Station, gap in platform doors, 2017-12-14 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Both that section and the matching segment on the Meiji Jingu platform are temporary:

Harajuku Station, temporary platform segments, 2017-12-14 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

I presume this is to facilitate extension of the Takeshita-dori exit tunnel, which I also presume will be expanded substantially, as it's too small to cope even now.Takeshita-dori itself was heaving even on a normal Thursday afternoon. I lived down the bottom end about 10 years ago, and I'm sure it was never that crowded on weekdays.

 

Takeshita-dori from Harajuku Station, 2017-12-14 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

[railsquid]

A few photos from last weekend.

 

The girders which will support the new overhead station building are now partially in place.

 

harajuku-station-2018-03-31a by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

harajuku-station-2018-03-31b by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

harajuku-station-2018-03-31c by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

harajuku-station-2018-03-31d by Rail Squid, on Flickr

[railsquid]

Some photos from Friday, taken on a dull late afternoon.

 

North (Yoyogi) end of the old-new platform

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_002 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Looking south (Shibuya direction)

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_004 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Location of the new overhead station building

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_006 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Structure spanning the outer Yamanote line track

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_009 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Rather precarious-looking crane thingy, demonstrating how constrained the construction site is:

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_011 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Remnant of the old platform:

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_013 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Existing station building:

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_015 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

View from Jingubashi:

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_017 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Future location of stairs or escalators:

jr-harajuku-2018-05-18_019 by Rail Squid, on Flickr