How will the flow of people change when JR Shibuya Station/ SAIKYO LINE platform is relocated?

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"JR Shibuya Station New South Exit" with homes such as SAIKYO LINE and SHONAN-SHINJUKU LINE is about 350 meters away from the center of the station, even though it is Shibuya Station. It is a tragedy if a traveler who imagines "Shibuya station square = Hachiko square, scramble crossing" accidentally gets off at the new south exit ticket gate. In fact, the SAIKYO LINE home on the side of the New South Exit ticket gate is also a boarding and alighting point for Narita Express, so before the corona, it is often seen that foreign tourists visiting Japan can not find the Hachiko exit and go right and left. I chose

▲R Shibuya Station New South Exit away from the center of the station

A big change happened to SAIKYO LINE home (line 3 and 4), which was such a "land island". The SAIKYO LINE home was relocated next to the YAMANOTE LINE home (lines 1 and 2) in parallel, and it was put into full use on June 1st.
▲During this relocation work, the blue-green " SAIKYO LINE Home" moved about 350 meters to the red part, and it became annex with the YAMANOTE LINE Home. (From JR East press release)

After the request for self-restraint accompanying the new Corona, many business workers who came to Shibuya for a long time would have been surprised at the great transformation of Shibuya Station. Perhaps some people may get lost in a strange scenery that is different from usual.

▲In front of the Hachiko ticket gate of JR Shibuya Station. The number of people is gradually increasing in Shibuya after the declaration of emergency has been lifted (taken on June 1).

It is part of a large-scale redevelopment once every 100 years at Shibuya Station, but the relocation at this timing is expected to hold the Olympic Games this summer. With the relocation and parallelization of homes, the convenience of changing trains between YAMANOTE LINE, SAIKYO LINE, and SHONAN-SHINJUKU LINE will be improved to accommodate an increasing number of visitors from Japan and overseas. Unfortunately the Olympics were postponed due to the spread of corona infection, but it is very welcome that Shibuya Station, which has been said to be inconvenient and difficult to understand, is easy to use.

While having many homes has many merits, there are some problems. One is that if the New South Exit ticket gate is abolished in the future, access to Shibuya 3-chome/East will become inconvenient.
▲A promenade along the Shibuya River that connects the eastern direction of Shibuya 3-chome in the center of the station.

Of course, with the opening of SHIBUYA STREAM and SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE the urban core connecting the vertical lines and the east exit pedestrian bridge have been replaced, and the promenade along the Shibuya River has also been developed.Access from the center of the station to Shibuya 3-chome and the eastern direction , It became much more comfortable than before including the scenery. However, for people and students who work for companies that have offices in the New South Exit area, it will take more walking distance and time from the station than before.

▲ A fence has been installed on the former SAIKYO LINE platform, and it can be used as it is as a passage to the new south exit.

A fence is installed on the track side of the old SAIKYO LINE platform, and it can be used as it is for a while as a passageway connecting the new south exit and the new south gate. However, there may be not much difference in walking distance whether you walk from the new platform to the new south exit gate about 350 meters, walk from the Hachiko exit, central ticket gate or walk from the new home to the new south exit ticket gate . If you say strong, the advantage of the Shinnan ticket gate is that there is little congestion. This route is recommended for accessing Shibuya 3-chome and the eastern direction until the new south exit ticket gate is abolished.

What is even more of the concern is that the concentration of passengers who have been decentralized between the two platforms until now is likely to increase the congestion at stations during the rush hour. Number of passengers per day with an average of JR Shibuya Station, 370,856 people but count the (fiscal 2018), this number is YAMANOTE LINE Home (1-Line 2), of the new south exit side SAIKYO LINE Home (3, 4 Line) The total number of users. With this move, 370,000 passengers will be concentrated in the center of the station. Since the completion of the new GINZA LINE home this year, morning congestion between the INOKASHIRA LINE and the JR YAMANOTE LINE central ticket gates has been a problem, but I am worried about how the flow of people will change due to the parallelization of the SAIKYO LINE.

Of course, in anticipation of an increase in the number of passengers getting on and off, the Hachiko ticket gate and the station yard on the first floor are undergoing a major renewal. There was a line of ticket vending machines, and the passage that passed through Hachiko Square and the east exit of Shibuya Station was closed. In that space, a passage leading to Platforms 3 and 4 on the SAIKYO LINE was newly established. A space is secured to accommodate the movement of many passengers and passengers.

▲Top photo) Photographed in February 2020 Bottom photo) Photographed on May 31, 2020 The through passage was closed and a new ticket gate was installed to prepare for getting on and off the SAIKYO LINE platform.

▲The front is a new ticket gate leading to the newly opened Hachiko Square. There is a staircase at the back to the SAIKYO LINE platform.

On the other hand, the ticket gate next to the police box was removed, and a new through passage from the Hachiko Square to the east exit (towards Shibuya Hikarie) was set up here.
▲Top photo) Shibuya Station photo taken in February 2020 Photo: May 31, 2020 The ticket gate next to the police box was removed, and the passage changed to the east exit.

▲ A ticket vending machine and a ticket gate were newly installed in the new passage.

A ticket vending machine and a Hachiko ticket gate are newly installed along the aisle, and the traffic lines are wide and the usability is not bad.
▲Through the passage, near the entrance on the east side.

When you exit from the Hachiko ticket gate toward the east exit, you will immediately see the underground entrance to the subway, SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE, and Shibuya Hikarie on your right (upper left in the photo). It is also convenient for transferring and moving from JR.
▲The Shibuya Scramble crossing (photographed on June 1). There are still less crowded than in Shibuya.

However, the emergency situation declaration has just been lifted, and the number of people is not the original number. I am wondering how the new station will function when the bustle of Shibuya once returned.

Editorial department · Fuji Itakashi

Shibuya registrar. In addition to Shibuya of Culture information, seasonal news and topics, it will spell write that feel every day.