Tokyo’s circular train line that connects Tokyo’s best neighborhoods, the JR Yamanote Line is one of the easiest ways to navigate the Japanese capital.
Passing through Ueno, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Tokyo Station, this JR Yamanote loop line – 山手線 – is a great way to see lots of the most popular places in a relatively short amount of time.
With departures every few minutes and Yamanote Line trains running around 20 hours a day, this is one JR Line in Tokyo you definitely need to take a ride on.
From hotels near Yamanote Line to its train fares, here is our guide to the Tokyo Yamanote Line (loop).
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Yamanote Line overview
Run by JR East, the Yamanote Line takes in 30 stations all across downtown Tokyo and covers about 35 km of track.
All but two of the 30 Yamanote Line stations have direct access to other Metro or railway lines so it is a quick and simple way to get around Tokyo’s main districts.
If you were to stay on and do an entire Yamanote Line loop, the journey would take around 1 hour. So don’t fall asleep at night on the circular line or you could be there a while!
Yamanote line JR trains run along the Tokyo loop line in both directions – clockwise outer carriages are called “sotomawari” whilst the inner cars are called “uchi-mawari”.
The Yamanote line is light green in colour, both in terms of the trains themselves plus the station / line signage.
Given the colour coding and ticket terminals that have different language settings, it is very easy to get around Tokyo by JR Train and the subway.
Almost 140 years old (construction first began in 1885), the Yamanote Line is one of the oldest and most-used JR lines in Tokyo. That said, all the Yamanote Line stations include free WiFi and have shops, kiosks and help desks.
And if you were wondering, Yamanote in Japanese roughly translates as ‘mountain hands’ – a ‘peak’ fact!
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For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
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Yamanote Line fares
Most Yamanote line fares costs between 167 Yen to 274 Yen (the equivalent of £0.80 to £1.30 or $1 USD to $1.70).
Be sure to use a SUICA or PASMO prepaid card to get around on the Tokyo public transport system.
Example Yamanote Line Fares in 2024:
- Ikebukuro to Shinjuku – 4 stops / 9 minutes – 167 Yen
- Shinjuku to Shinagawa – 7 stops / 18 minutes – 208 Yen
- Shinagawa to Ueno – 10 stops / 20 minutes, 208 Yen
- Ueno to Shinjuku – 12 stops / 26 minutes – 208 Yen
- Tokyo Station to Ikebukuro – 12 stops / 25 minutes – 208 Yen
- Ikebukuro to Shinagawa – 11 stops / 25 minutes – 274 Yen
All example Yamanote line JR fares in Tokyo are correct as of July 2024, using a prepaid card.
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Yamanote Line map
The Yamanote Line comprises 30 stations, with the busiest stations being Tokyo Station, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno and Shinagawa.
Below you can see the Yamanote Line map for 2024:
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Yamanote Line JR – first and last train
As the Yamanote Line is popular with commuters (‘salarymen’ but this term seems quite outdated), it runs for over 20 hours a day.
The first Yamanote Line train starts at 4:26am in the morning. The last Yamanote Line train finishes around 1am in the morning.
Yamanote Line departures are usually every few minutes – usually 4 to 5 minutes but every 2 minutes during peak periods and rush-hour.
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Key Tokyo neighbourhoods on the Yamanote Line
Here is a quick ‘Plan My Japan’ overview of the main Tokyo neighborhoods that the Yamanote Line goes through:
Shinjuku
Shinjuku shines at night! One of Tokyo’s most dazzling districts (and with the world’s busiest train station), Shinjuku is packed full of interesting activities and things to do.
From the atmospheric alleyways of Golden Gai and Omoide Yokochō through to the night-time sights and sounds of Kabukichō and karaoke, Shinjuku is a top Tokyo neighborhood to stay in and explore.
The Yamanote Line to Shinjuku is an easy journey and less than half an hour from the other side of the JR Tokyo loop line.
Check out our Shinjuku area guide here >
Ikebukuro
Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district is fun to visit day or night and home to massive malls, Kawaii pop-ups, gaming arcades galore plus some of Tokyo’s more unusual activities.
A popular retail destination and geek chic center, Ikebukuro comes alive in the evenings with neon nights, ‘red lights’ and traditional Japanese bites.
Check out our Ikebukuro area guide here >
Shibuya
Shibuya in Tokyo is a marvellous mix of shopping by day and awesome alley-ways at night. Never quiet (or dull), Shibuya is a 24 hour party place, with craft beer bars, izakayas and night-clubs galore.
Home to Tokyo Nintendo, Shibuya Sky and several shopping malls with rooftops and gardens, the area has changed a lot over the years but Shibuya still has a slightly seedy undertone (‘Love Hotel Hill’ is always interesting).
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Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station is the gateway to many of Tokyo’s neighborhoods like Ginza shopping district and a short walk to Imperial Palace.
Also make sure you check out Tokyo Character Street directly below Tokyo Station. Also known as ‘First Avenue’, it is a colorful, cartoon world packed full of anime stores, gachapon galore and all your favorite animated characters.
Check out our guide to Tokyo Character Street here >
Ueno
A modern metropolis, Ueno is perhaps known for Ueno Park. Tokyo’s most famous park (especially during cherry blossom season), Ueno Park is a popular place for families given its lakeside setting, Ueno Park Zoo plus a lake full of cute swan pedalos and rowing boats to hire.
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Shinagawa
One of Tokyo’s main business districts with shopping, waterside views and tons of top Japanese restaurants and craft beer pubs – kanpai!
The Shinagawa Yamanote Line is always busy given all the business people that use the line to commute to and from here.
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Hotels near Yamanote Line
Given how quick and easy the Tokyo circular line is in terms of going between some of Tokyo’s best neighborhoods, we’d recommend staying in a hotel near the Yamanote line (山手線).
Some of the best hotels near the Yamanote Line include:
Shibuya
Mid-Range ($$)
Hotel Mets Shibuya
Clean and comfortable 3 star chain hotel connected to Shibuya station. Check rates and availability for Hotel Mets Shibuya
Ikebukuro
Luxury ($$$)
Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro
Clean and comfortable 4 star hotel with large rooms (some with Mount Fuji views) and located close to the train station. Check rates and availability for Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro
Shinjuku
Mid-Range ($$)
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku (AKA Shinjuku Godzilla)
Popular hotel with a terrace that has a giant Godzilla head! Check rates and availability for Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
Plan My Japan Tip
It sounds obvious but try to book your Tokyo accommodation months in advance to secure the best rates, especially if you want hotels near Yamanote Line.
Make full use of the cancellable hotel room policies on Booking.com, Hostelworld.com and Agoda.com so you can cancel and rebook if you find cheaper hotel rooms later on.
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