Toei Asakusa Station is an underground railway station on the Toei Asakusa Line located beneath Edo-dori Avenue in Tokyo’s Asakusa district. This station has subway services bound for Nihombashi, Ginza, and Shimbashi, and through train services bound for Shinagawa, Haneda Airport, and Narita Airport.
A train at Platform 1,Toei Asakusa Subway Station
Location
There are four stations called “Asakusa Station” in Asakusa. Toei Asakusa Station is located close by the Tobu and Tokyo Metro Asakusa stations and is connected to both stations by underground corridors. TX Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express Line is located about 650 meters to the west of Toei Asakusa Station, or a 9 minute walk away.
The A4 entrance is the closest to Asakusa’s main tourist area
The Main Entrances
Toei Asakusa Station has five entrances, marked A1 – A5. The closest entrance to the Kaminarimon Gate and Asakusa’s main tourist area is the A4 entrance. The closest entrance to Tobu Asakusa Station is the A5 entrance. Although it is possible to transfer between the Tobu and Toei stations via a network of underground corridors, this can be confusing, and it may be easier to find your way above ground.
The A5 entrance is the closest to Tobu Asakusa Station
The Station Layout
Toei Asakusa Station has two sets of ticket gates: the Kaminarimon District Gate and the Komagatabashi District Gate.
The Kaminarimon District Gate
The Kaminarimon District Gate is at the northern end of the station and is closer to Asakusa’s main tourist attractions and to the other Asakusa stations.
The Komagatabashi District Gate
The Komagatabashi District Gate is at the southern end of the station and is close to Komagata-bashi Bridge. The Station Master’s Office and Lost Property Office are located by the Komagatabashi District Gate.
The Lost Property Office by the Komagatabashi District Gate
Platform signage showing the location of each ticket gate
Getting out at the wrong ticket gate can be inconvenient, but there are signs on the station platforms which indicate the direction of each gate so that you can easily find your way.
Buying Tickets
There are automatic ticket machines beside each of the ticket gates.
Automatic ticket machines by the Komagatabashi District Gate
Above the ticket machines are fare charts for the Toei Subway Network, and also for through service destinations on other private railway lines.
A fare chart for the Toei subway network
All fare charts have destinations written in the English alphabet as well as in Japanese.
A fare chart for destinations on Keikyu, Keisei, and Hokuso railway lines
There is also a fare chart for transfers between the Toei and Tokyo Metro lines.
Ticket fares for Tokyo Metro destinations via the Toei Subway
Ticket machines are operated by touch screens.
A touch screen ticket machine
To change the language on the screens to English, touch the “English” button in the bottom left corner.
A ticket machine screen with English guidance
Platforms
Toei Asakusa Station has just two platforms.
The view from Platform 1 at Toei Asakusa Subway Station
Trains arriving at Platform 1 are Toei Asakusa Line services bound for Nishi-Magome, through services for destinations on Keikyu Railway lines (including Shinagawa Station), and through services for Haneda Airport.
A sign on Platform 1 showing the main destinations
Trains arriving at Platform 2 are Toei Asakusa Line services bound for Oshiage, through services for destinations on Keisei Railway lines and the Hokuso Line, and through services bound for Narita Airport (including the Keisei Access Express).
A sign on Platform 2
Exits
Toei Asakusa Station has five exits. Exits A1, and A2 are by the Komagatabashi ticket gates at the south end of the station. Exits A3, A4, and A5 are by the Kaminarimon ticket gates at the north end of the station. Exits A2a and A3 are closed at 22.00 and don’t open again until the first departure. The A2b Exit is the only exit at this station with an elevator.
The A2b Exit has an elevator
Exit A1 is on the west side of Edo-dori Avenue and is convenient for Hotel Hokke Club Asakusa, and for Komakata Dozeu, a 200 year old traditional restaurant specializing in meals cooked with loach.
The A1 Entrance & Exit on Edo-Dori Avenue
Exit A2 is on the east side of Edo-dori Avenue and is convenient for Asakusa Hotel Hatago.
Exit A2a closes at 22.00
Exit A3 is on the east side of Edo-dori Avenue and is convenient for Azuma-bashi Bridge.
The different exits are clearly sign-posted
Exit A4 and Exit A5 are actually on opposite sides of the same building, but open onto different streets.
Exit A4 is closer to the tourist sites
Exit A4 opens on Kaminarimon-ichinomiya Street which leads directly to Kaminarimon-dori Street. This exit is convenient for the Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise shopping street, Sensoji Temple, and Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center.
Exit A5 is closer to Tobu Asakusa Station
Exit A5 is on the west side of Edo-dori Avenue and is convenient for Tobu Asakusa Station and the Ekimise shopping complex.
Lockers at Toei Asakusa Station
You can find some coin lockers by both sets of ticket gates at Toei Asakusa Station. For more details about baggage storage at this and the other Asakusa stations, please see our article: Lockers & Baggage Storage in Asakusa.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.
