The Hibiya Line (日比谷線) is a subway line of Tokyo Metro (東京地下鉄). It runs from Kita-Senju Station in Adachi ward, Tokyo, to Naka-Meguro Station in Meguro ward.
History
The line's licence goes back to a plan by Tokyo City (東京市) in 1925. In 1941 the licence was passed to the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (帝都高速度交通営団, the Eidan subway). On 18 May 1957 the Eidan decided to build the Hibiya Line. The line was to be built in 3 sections: Kita-Senju to Ningyōchō, Ningyōchō to Toranomon, and Toranomon to Naka-Meguro. In 1957 the route was changed to pass east of the Imperial Palace. The gauge was set at 1,067 mm so that through services with Tōbu Railway and Tokyu could run. Construction began on 1 May 1959. The first section, from Minami-Senju to Naka-Ochanomachi, 3.7 km long, opened on 28 March 1961.
The Ginza Line was close to its capacity limit, and the Eidan wanted to move passengers from the Tokyu Toyoko Line (東急東横線) to a new route via Naka-Meguro. The line was built from the Minami-Senju side because the Japanese National Railways (JNR) sold land there for a depot. The section between Kita-Senju and Minami-Senju was built above ground because of soft ground and cost. It crosses the Sumida River on a bridge 131 m long, which was the Eidan's first full bridge construction. After Tokyo was chosen to host the 1964 Olympics, in April 1960, the aim was to open the whole line before the Games. Ginza Station was the hard part. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government had planned an underground road there, and agreement took about 4 years. So the Naka-Meguro side was built first, and Ginza was built last. Ginza Station work began in September 1962 and had to be finished in only 2 years. The line opened in stages. Kita-Senju to Minami-Senju opened on 31 May 1962, and Ningyōchō to Higashi-Ginza on 28 February 1963. Kasumigaseki to Ebisu opened on 25 March 1964, and Ebisu to Naka-Meguro on 22 July 1964. The last section, Higashi-Ginza to Kasumigaseki, opened on 29 August 1964. This completed the line and started through trains to Tokyu's Hiyoshi Station.
The first plan expected up to 8-car trains from Tokyu and 6-car trains from Tōbu. In April 1960 the platforms between Naka-Meguro and Hatchōbori were redesigned for 8 cars. ATO, automatic train operation, first ran on 8 September 1964 between Minami-Senju and Ningyōchō. On 1 September 1966 all trains became 6-car trains, and the Tōbu Isesaki Line through running was extended to Kita-Kasukabe. Passengers from the Tōbu side grew well beyond what had been expected, and the Eidan decided to run 8-car trains on the whole line. On 27 January 1968 a train caught fire between Kamiyachō and Roppongi, and after it the fire resistance of rolling stock was strengthened. The line colour, silver, was introduced in July 1970. ATO ran across the whole line from 7 October 1970. All-day 8-car running began on 31 May 1971. On 21 November 1972 a train caught fire at Hiroo Station. On 16 March 1981 the Tōbu through running was extended to Tōbu Dōbutsu-kōen Station.
On 1 June 1988 car cooling began. On 1 July 1988 the 03 series began service, and the Tōbu 20000 series and Tokyu 1000 series also began service that year. On 9 August 1988 a timetable change extended Tokyu through trains to Kikuna Station. On 17 September 1990 a prototype 5-door 03 series began service. On 16 June 1992 a collision happened on the Naka-Meguro lead-in track. On 23 July 1994 the 3000 series was withdrawn, and all cars were air-conditioned.
On 23 July 1996 most of the North Senju station work was done, and Hibiya Line trains moved to a third-floor platform, apart from the Tōbu platforms on the ground floor. The whole station was finished on 25 March 1997. On 8 March 2000 a train derailed and collided near Naka-Meguro Station, and 5 people died. It was the only accident in the Eidan era in which passengers died. On 28 March 2001 the Tōbu Isesaki Line was made four-track from Kita-Senju to Kita-Koshigaya, and the through train services with Tokyu were reduced. On 12 October 2003 the line changed from ground-based signal ATC (WS-ATC) to in-cab signal ATC (CS-ATC). On 18 October 2003 the maximum speed rose from 70 km/h to 80 km/h. On 1 April 2004 the Eidan was privatised and became Tokyo Metro. After the earthquake of 11 March 2011, power shortages stopped the through services with Tōbu and Tokyu on 14 March 2011. Tōbu services resumed on 28 March, and Tokyu services resumed on weekday rush hours on 25 April. They were fully restored on 10 September 2011. Mobile phone service was added in stages from 30 August 2012 to 7 March 2013. On 16 March 2013 the through services with the Tokyu Toyoko Line ended, when Tokyu began running through to the Fukutoshin Line. The Tōbu through services were extended to Minami-Kurihashi Station on the Nikkō Line.
On 25 March 2017 the 13000 series began full service, with seven-car trains of 20 m cars. On 7 July 2017 the Tōbu 70000 series began service. In 2020 the 03 series was retired on 28 February. On 27 March 2020 the 18 m cars ended service, and on 28 March 2020 all trains became 20 m cars, with ATO running. In 2020 Toranomon Hills Station opened between Kamiyachō and Kasumigaseki, with a transfer to the Ginza Line Toranomon Station. It was the first new Hibiya Line station since Hibiya Station opened in August 1964. In 2020 a reserved-seat service called the TH Liner also started.
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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.