Subways

Subways

Large Japanese cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Sendai and Fukuoka have subway networks. Many subways use the same standards as railroads above ground, so their cars able to run on each other's tracks, though some have rubber tires instead of steel wheels and use snow shields when above ground like the subway in Sapporo, while others use linear motors like the Toei Oedo Line. There are many railroad lines that have the same standards for tracks and rail cars as subways, so they are able to run on each other's tracks.

Each line is represented by a color, and stations are numbered, so you can rely on these if you are unable to read a station's name. Trains typically run in 3 to 10-minute intervals. Unlike above-ground railways, most subway stations do not have ground-level station buildings or rotaries, and some entrances lead straight into office buildings. Each region has its own uniquely-named IC card that uses electronic money to access their public transportation networks--which include above-ground railways and buses in addition to subways--conveniently eliminating the need to purchase individual tickets.

There are 13 Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines in downtown Tokyo that distributed along fairly complex routes. The two networks are run by different operators, so changing between their lines incurs separate fares, increasing the total amount. Just like the above-ground trains, some subway lines become so jam-packed during the morning rush that riders can't even move. The Toei Oedo Line was constructed relatively recently, so it runs deeper underground than the existing lines, with some station requiring long escalators running from their platforms that take more than 5 minutes to the top.

http://www.tokyometro.jp/global/kr/service/pdf/routemap_en.pdf
http://www.tokyometro.jp/global/
http://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/english/index.html