Editing Toei Asakusa Line (section)

== History ==
The Toei Asakusa Line was the first subway line constructed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The line number is Line 1, because it was technically the first subway line in Tokyo to be planned in the 1920s as an underground route connecting the [[Keikyu]] and [[Keisei Electric Railway]] via {{STN|Shinagawa|x}}, eventually allowing for through trains between these two railways. In its original plan form, the line would have actually bypassed [[Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro, Toei, Tobu)|Asakusa Station]] entirely. However, the plan was changed to take advantage of the existing [[Tobu Isesaki Line]] (section now named as the [[Tobu Skytree Line]]) and [[Tokyo Metro Ginza Line]] connections at Asakusa.

Construction of this line began on 27 August 1956 after years of delays, and the initial {{Cvt|3.2|km|mi|abbr=on}} segment between Oshiage and Asakusabashi opened on 4 December 1960. The line then opened in stages from north to south:
* May 1962: Asakusabashi to Higashi-Nihombashi
* September 1962: Higashi-Nihombashi to Ningyōchō
* February 1963: Ningyōchō to Higashi-Ginza
* December 1963: Higashi-Ginza to Shimbashi
* October 1964: Shimbashi to Daimon
* June 1968: Daimon to Sengakuji (Through service with Keikyū begins)
* 15 November 1968: Sengakuji to Nishi-Magome

The line was named Asakusa Line on 1 July 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |title=都営交通のあらまし2020 |trans-title=Toei Transportation Summary 2020 |url=https://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/about/service/pdf/kotsu_aramashi_2020.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109043025/https://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/about/service/pdf/kotsu_aramashi_2020.pdf |archive-date=9 November 2020 |access-date=29 May 2022 |website=Toei Transportation Online |language=ja |format=PDF}}</ref>

From 1998 to 2002, the Asakusa Line was used as part of a rail connection between Tokyo's two major airports, [[Haneda Airport|Haneda]] and [[Narita International Airport|Narita]]. While a few trains still run between the airports, the service has greatly diminished in frequency since 2002.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}

In 2005, a research group of government, metropolitan and railway company officials proposed that the Asakusa Line be connected to [[Tokyo Station]] via a spur to the north of [[Takarachō Station]]. This would provide Tokyo Station's first direct connection to the Toei subway network. It would also make it possible to reach Haneda Airport in 25 minutes (versus 35 minutes today) and Narita Airport in 40 minutes (versus 57 minutes today).<ref>[http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/INET/CHOUSA/2003/05/60d5t201.htm 都営浅草線東京駅接着等の事業化推進に関する検討 調査結果のとりまとめ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824104537/http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/INET/CHOUSA/2003/05/60d5t201.htm |date=2007-08-24 }}, May 2003.</ref> This plan has yet to be finalized or formally adopted. Authorities are re-considering a similar plan as part of the infrastructure improvements for the [[2020 Summer Olympics]]; the proposed line would cut travel time to Haneda from 30 minutes to 18 minutes, and to Narita from 55 minutes to 36 minutes, at a total cost of around 400 billion yen.<ref>{{cite news|title=羽田・成田発着を拡大、五輪へインフラ整備急ぐ|trans-title=Race to increase slots at Haneda & Narita and build infrastructure for Olympics|url=http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASGC0900Z_Z00C13A9MM8000/|access-date=10 September 2013|newspaper=Nihon Keizai Shimbun|publisher=Nikkei Inc.|date=10 September 2013}}</ref>