November 1, 1996
Published in "Juku," 1996, no. 201
In the late Taishō period, as Keio University's Mita campus became too small, the university was searching for a site for a partial relocation. In 1928, an offer came from the Tokyo-Yokohama Electric Railway (now Tokyu Corporation) to donate approximately 70,000 tsubo (approx. 231,000 square meters) of land in Hiyoshidai along its line.
After consideration, the university secured a total of about 130,000 tsubo (approx. 429,000 square meters) on this site, combining purchased land, leased land, and the donated portion.
This marked the beginning of the Hiyoshi Campus. Let's look back at the history of Tokyu, which has a long-standing relationship with Keio, and the Tōyoko Line, which have developed together.
The origins of the present-day Tokyu Group can be traced back to Den-en Toshi Co., Ltd., established in 1918 to promote the "garden city" concept advocated by Eiichi Shibusawa, a pioneer of Meiji culture. The center of this urban development was the area around present-day Den-en-chōfu and Senzoku. However, as transportation was poor at the time, the company decided to establish its own transportation system to connect the area with the city center, founding a sister company, the Meguro-Kamata Electric Railway, in 1922. The Meguro-Maruko section of the Meguro-Kamata Line opened in 1923.
Meanwhile, the Musashi Electric Railway, established in 1910, aimed to build a railway connecting Tokyo and Yokohama. However, in 1924, following a decision by Keita Gotō, it began to develop the business jointly with Den-en Toshi Co., Ltd., and changed its name to the Tokyo-Yokohama Electric Railway. The company then began construction of the line between Maruko-Tamagawa (now Tamagawa-en) and Kanagawa (near present-day Yokohama). In 1926, it managed to start operations on the Kanagawa Line (between Meguro and Kanagawa) by connecting with the Meguro-Kamata Line. Because this construction started in Hiyoshi, there is a monument near Hiyoshi Station commemorating the "Birthplace of the Tokyu Electric Railway."
Later, in 1927, the Tokyo-Yokohama Electric Railway opened the section between Shibuya and Maruko-Tamagawa. The direct line connecting Shibuya and Kanagawa was named the "Tōyoko Line." With the opening of the Tōyoko Line, development along the line intensified, and the number of passengers grew rapidly. In 1932, the section between Kanagawa and Sakuragichō opened, completing the entire Tōyoko Line. Express services began in 1935, and business performance gradually improved. It may be hard to believe now, but during the war, based on the Land Transport Business Adjustment Act, the company merged with the present-day Keikyu, Odakyu, and Keio Teito companies, changed its name to Tokyo Kyuko, and was sometimes called "Dai-Tokyu" (Greater Tokyu). (This was demerged back into separate companies in 1948.)
In 1954, a landmark vehicle appeared in the railway's history. This train, called the 5000 series, was a state-of-the-art, lightweight car that incorporated aircraft technology. It was affectionately nicknamed "Aogaeru" (Green Frog) for its heavily curved design and light green color, and it remains popular among railway fans today. Then, in 1958, the 5200 series debuted as Japan's first stainless-steel car. This unpainted, silver vehicle with corrugated outer panels earned the nickname "Yutanpo" (hot water bottle). This spurred other railway companies to successively introduce stainless-steel cars, which are resistant to corrosion and deterioration from wind and rain.
In 1964, the Tōyoko Line began through services with the Hibiya subway line, further improving access to the city center, a system that continues to this day. The Tōyoko Line has developed through integrated planning and development of affluent communities and railways. Keio University's Hiyoshi Campus blends naturally into the mature townscape along the line. The Tōyoko Line is an indispensable means of transportation for those affiliated with Keio, and expectations are high for its future, which will become even more convenient with the addition of quadruple tracks, improvements to the Mekama Line, and through services with new subway lines in the city center.