The area around Takanawa Gateway Station is expected to undergo significant changes in the flow of people and transportation needs, with the partial opening of TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY scheduled for March 2025 and the ongoing development of Shinagawa Station and its surroundings continuing into the 2030s. Additionally, the presence of railway facilities such as tracks near major terminal stations often hinders movement and leads to the division of the city, a common issue for major stations in Tokyo.
In this context, there are challenges such as guiding the flow of people and creating demand for stays in alignment with the user journey from the city to the station during normal times, alleviating congestion, and addressing the needs of stranded commuters during disasters like a major earthquake directly beneath the capital.
Direction for problem-solving
Challenges during normal times
Addressing the creation of demand for stays and alleviating urban congestion through guiding the flow of people in alignment with the user journey from the city to the station, considering congestion during rush hours and railway transport disruptions.
Challenges during emergencies
Addressing the prevention of confusion and secondary damage through smooth evacuation guidance for stranded commuters during disasters such as a major earthquake directly beneath the capital, with coordinated efforts between the station and the city.
Project Overview
Targeted Service
Implementing a seamless people flow management service that integrates railway data (congestion, disruptions) and urban congestion data on a platform that connects emergency and normal times.
Desired state through the implementation of the service
By achieving ‘prevention of confusion through smooth evacuation guidance for stranded commuters’ and ‘alleviation of urban congestion through the creation of demand for stays,’ residents will always be able to enjoy benefits that enhance their quality of life, such as ‘access to necessary information for decision-making,’ ‘appropriate and diverse behavioral options,’ ‘flexible and agile space provision,’ and ‘safe, secure, fulfilling, and comfortable stay and travel times.
Implementing services with public utility, utilizing private data according to the purpose, and conducting cost-effectiveness evaluations to facilitate the integration and utilization of higher value-added data.
Project Outcome
In October 2024, Takanawa Gateway Station implemented in-station announcements as an auditory information transmission method, and in November, it introduced an autonomous robot service for guiding passenger flow as a visual information transmission method.
Scene of autonomous robots operating at Takanawa Gateway Station (1)
Scene of autonomous robots operating at Takanawa Gateway Station (2)
