The Hanzōmon Line (半蔵門線) is run by Tokyo Metro (東京地下鉄). It runs from Shibuya Station in Shibuya ward to Oshiage Station in Sumida ward, Tokyo.
History
Planning started in 1969. On 18 August 1969 an application was filed for a permit to build a railway from Shibuya to Kakigara-chō, now Suitengumae. The permit was granted on 28 April 1971. Construction began in 1973. Work started on the Aoyama-itchome to Nagatachō section on 1 March 1973. Work on Shibuya to Aoyama-itchome followed on 4 June 1973. Work on Hanzomon to Mitsukoshimae started on 18 September 1973.
Shibuya Station opened on 7 April 1977 as a station on the Tokyu Shin-Tamagawa Line (東急新玉川線), which is now part of the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line (東急田園都市線). The Teito Rapid Transit Authority (帝都高速度交通営団, called Eidan) built the station, but Tokyu Electric Railway (東急電鉄, called Tokyu) managed it until 1978. On 1 June 1978 the line, then known as Line 11, was named the Hanzōmon Line. Work on Nagatachō to Hanzomon started on 16 November 1978. The first section, Shibuya to Aoyama-itchome (2.7 km), opened on 1 August 1978. Trains ran through over the Tokyu lines to Nagatsuda. Shibuya Station also moved from Tokyu to Eidan that day. At opening only Tokyu 8500 series trains ran. Japanese Wikipedia says Eidan's own new trains would have left more spare cars than needed, which made them uneconomical.
In 1979 the Tokyu through-running section was extended to Tsukimino, on 12 August. On 21 September 1979 the Aoyama-itchome to Nagatachō section (1.4 km) opened as a single track. Until a second track was added, rush-hour trains ran alternately to Aoyama-itchome and to Nagatachō. On 1 April 1981 Eidan's 8000 series trains began service, and the Saginuma depot was completed. On 9 December 1982 the Nagatachō to Hanzomon section (1.0 km) opened, and single-track working ended. On 22 January 1983 Tokyu cars began running 10-car trains. On 9 April 1984 the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line was fully open, and through running was extended to Chuo-Rinkan.
On 26 February 1983 work started on Mitsukoshimae to Suitengumae. On 4 October 1986 the conversion of Tokyu cars to 10-car trains was completed. On 26 September 1987 Eidan cars began running 10-car trains. On 1 June 1988 air-conditioned cars began service. On 26 January 1989 the Hanzomon to Mitsukoshimae section (4.4 km) opened. Landowners along the line organised supporters and protests, so the opening was far later than planned. It was the first railway extension in Japan in the Heisei era. In early June 1989 all cars became air-conditioned. It was the first Eidan subway line to reach 100 percent air-conditioning.
On 28 November 1990 the Mitsukoshimae to Suitengumae section (1.3 km) opened. On 18 May 1993 an application was filed for a permit to operate a railway from Suitengumae to Oshiage. The permit was granted on 23 June 1993, and work on that section started on 6 December 1993. On 28 October 1994 Eidan's cars were all converted to 10-car trains. On 2 May 2002 Tokyu 5000 series trains began service. On 7 January 2003 the 08 series began service. On 2 February 2003 the train safety system changed from the old CS-ATC to a new CS-ATC. On 25 April 2003 a train operation management system (PTC) was introduced. On 19 March 2003 the Suitengumae to Oshiage section (6.0 km) opened. It was the last new section that Eidan opened. Through running to Minami-Kurihashi began over the Tobu Isesaki Line (東武伊勢崎線) and the Nikko Line (日光線). Tobu 30000 series trains began running here, and the daytime interval changed from six minutes to five minutes.
On 1 April 2004 Eidan was privatised, and its business passed to Tokyo Metro. On 14 February 2005 six-door cars with folding seats began running on weekday morning rush-hour trains towards Oshiage. On 9 May 2005 Tokyo Metro introduced its first women-only car. On 18 March 2006 through running on the Tobu line was extended to Kuki Station. Tobu brought in 50050 series trains for this, and the 30000 series were gradually withdrawn. Before 2007 the Hanzōmon Line was the only Tokyo Metro line that ran into other companies' lines and managed every station itself. Japanese Wikipedia gives the reason: Eidan built both junction stations, Shibuya and Oshiage, and Tokyu and Tobu ran trains into them. On 2 December 2007 Shibuya Station was transferred back from Tokyo Metro to Tokyu, and its signs and displays changed to Tokyu style.
On 14 March 2011 power plants had stopped after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake on 11 March. Tokyo Electric Power then ran rolling blackouts, and through running with Tobu was paused for 20 days. Through running resumed on 2 April 2011. Mobile phone use was added section by section from 20 December 2012, and the last section, Shibuya to Nagatachō, was added on 14 March 2013. On 17 March 2018 Suitengumae began transfers to the Hibiya Line (日比谷線) and the Asakusa Line (浅草線) at Ningyocho Station. On 28 March 2018 Tokyu 2020 series trains began service. On 7 August 2021 the 18000 series began service. On 9 August 2026 damage to ventilation equipment at Hanzomon Station let lint fall onto the platform. On 11 August the lint was found to contain asbestos. The station and the Shibuya to Kudanshita service were suspended from the first train that day. After a specialist removed the material, the station reopened and service resumed at 19:20 on 11 August 2026.
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Written by an AI from the line's history on Japanese Wikipedia, nothing else, and checked by a program for dates and numbers that are not in those facts. It can still be wrong. Adapted from Japanese Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0; this text is shared under the same licence.