Nakano-sakaue Station
M06 E30 · Marunouchi Line and Oedo Line · Nakano
Nakano-sakaue Station (中野坂上)
Nakano-sakaue is where the Marunouchi Line splits. The station opened on 8 February 1961, and the 3.2 km branch to Honancho starts from the same platforms, which is why Tokyo Metro built two island platforms with three tracks between them on the second basement level. Off-peak, platform 2 belongs to the branch shuttles; at the peaks some Honancho trains leave from platform 1 instead and some through services from the branch to Ikebukuro use platform 2, so the destination board matters more than habit here.
Toei’s Oedo Line added E30 on 19 December 1997, two levels further down on the fourth basement, and the two companies have shared the name since. Above ground the station marks the Nakano end of the office towers that march out from Nishi-shinjuku, and M06 is the last Marunouchi Line station before the line crosses into Shinjuku ward.
Finding Nakano-sakaue on the signs
Every line gives the station its own letter-and-number code. You never have to read the Japanese name to find the right platform.
Station numbers at Nakano-sakaue
Tokyo signposts every platform, exit and train door with a letter and a two-digit number. Matching the number is faster than reading the name — and it is what you will see on the map, in announcements and on the platform edge.
First and last trains at Nakano-sakaue
| Line and direction | Weekdays first – last | Saturdays, Sundays & holidays first – last |
|---|---|---|
| MMarunouchiM06 towards Ikebukuro | 05:04 to Shinjuku-sanchome – 00:05 to Shinjuku-sanchome | 05:04 to Shinjuku-sanchome – 00:05 to Shinjuku-sanchome |
| MMarunouchiM06 towards Honancho | 05:09 – 00:26 to Nakano-fujimicho | 05:09 – 00:26 to Nakano-fujimicho |
| MMarunouchiM06 towards Ogikubo | 05:00 – 00:19 | 05:00 – 00:19 |
| EOedoE30 towards Tochomae | 05:07 – 00:41 | 05:07 – 00:41 |
| EOedoE30 towards Tochomae | 05:17 – 00:35 | 05:17 – 00:35 |
Departure times come from the operators’ own GTFS timetables (ODPT GTFS Toei-Train-GTFS (version 20261009, valid 2026-03-14..2027-03-12) + TokyoMetro-Train-GTFS (version 20261008, valid 2026-09-19..2027-03-12)). Japan publishes two subway timetables: 平日 weekdays and 土休日 Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. There is no separate Sunday timetable, and the December 30 – January 3 period runs the holiday timetable.
How often do trains run?
| Line | Weekdays, busiest hour | Sat / Sun / holidays, busiest hour |
|---|---|---|
| MMarunouchi | 27 trains/hour (about one every 2.2 min) | 15 trains/hour |
| EOedo | 20 trains/hour (about one every 3 min) | 12 trains/hour |
Departures in one direction during the hour with the most trains at this station, counted in the operators’ timetable.
Next stations from Nakano-sakaue
Scheduled running time between Nakano-sakaue and the stations either side of it.
| Line | Next station | Running time |
|---|---|---|
| MMarunouchi | Mb05Nakano-Shimbashi | 3 min |
| MMarunouchi | M07Nishi-shinjuku | 2 min |
| MMarunouchi | M05Shin-nakano | 2 min |
| EOedo | E31Higashi-nakano | 2 min |
| EOedo | E29Nishi-shinjuku-gochome | 2 min |
Transfers and connections
- Subway: transfer between Marunouchi Line and Oedo Line. The Tokyo Metro lines and the Toei Subway lines belong to different companies, so a trip that uses both costs more than one operator alone — see fares.
Accessibility
| Line | Step-free by elevator | Accessible toilet | Escalator | Exits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MMarunouchi | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5 |
| MMarunouchi | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5 |
| EOedo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5 |
- Marunouchi Line: Step-free elevator route street-gate-platform (official “1-route by elevator”). Street elevator at exit(s): 3, A1. Operator page (checked Oct 20, 2026).
- Oedo Line: Toei: step-free “1-route” secured; 2 elevator(s) on this line. Elevator exit(s): A1, 3. Operator page (checked Oct 20, 2026).
Taken from the operators’ own accessibility pages and nothing else. Tokyo Metro: the “1-route” (step-free street-gate-platform path by elevator, slope, stair lift or wheelchair escalator) is complete at all 180 stations; a separate list shows stations with an elevator-only 1-route. Toei: every station has elevators and a street-gate-platform “1-route” is secured.
What is near Nakano-sakaue Station?
Two office blocks stand immediately outside, the Nakano-Sakaue Sun Bright Twin about 80 m from the exits and the Sumitomo building roughly 100 m, with a ward library around 140 m and a hospital some 170 m. Hosen Gakuen is about 240 m away and the Tokyo Polytechnic University’s Nakano campus is among the places the station serves, along with Nakano police station. Hosenji temple lies roughly 300 m out and Joganji about 370 m, with small ward parks between 90 m and 350 m.
| Place | Distance (straight line) | On foot, estimated |
|---|---|---|
| Hosenji 宝仙寺 | 300 m | about 5 min |
| Joganji 成願寺 | 370 m | about 6 min |
| 白玉稲荷神社 | 100 m | about 2 min |
| 中野の森広場公園 | 90 m | about 1 min |
| 白金龍昇宮 | 160 m | about 3 min |
| 中野区立塔の山公園 | 190 m | about 3 min |
| 中野区立なかの坂公園 | 250 m | about 4 min |
| 中野区立朝日が丘公園 | 310 m | about 5 min |
Places from OpenStreetMap within 400 m of the station. The walking time is an estimate (straight line plus 30 %, 80 m a minute), not a measured route. © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Frequently asked questions
A 3.2 km spur of the Marunouchi Line that begins at Nakano-sakaue and runs to Honancho by way of Nakano-shimbashi and Nakano-fujimicho. For most of the day it is worked separately by three-car shuttle trains, so you change here rather than riding straight through.
Two levels: the Tokyo Metro platforms are on the second basement and the Toei Oedo Line platform on the fourth. They are different companies as well as different depths, so allow a little time and expect to pass through gates between them.