TOKYO - The KK Line expressway running through Tokyo's Ginza district was officially closed on Saturday night, as part of a larger plan to transform the area into a pedestrian-centered public space.
The closure comes in response to the long-term suspension of traffic on the Yaesu Route of the Metropolitan Expressway, which will be shut down for ten years to facilitate the underground relocation of the Nihonbashi section.
As a result, the Tokyo Expressway—commonly referred to as the KK Line—that runs through the Ginza area has been abolished. The site is expected to be redeveloped into a public space prioritizing pedestrians.
The KK Line, officially known as the Tokyo Expressway, was constructed in the postwar period as part of Japan's rapid urban development. Unlike other expressways managed by the Metropolitan Expressway Company, the KK Line was privately funded and operated, built by a group of private investors with the goal of stimulating commercial activity in the Ginza and Shimbashi areas. The elevated roadway looped through central Tokyo, primarily serving the districts of Ginza and Kyobashi, and became known for its proximity to upscale shopping and business zones.
Opened in stages starting in the late 1950s, the KK Line was notable for being toll-free, with its operating costs and maintenance supported by rental income from commercial facilities located beneath the elevated structure. These tenants included shops, restaurants, and offices, which gave the expressway a unique character compared to other routes in the city. While never a major thoroughfare in terms of traffic volume, it played a symbolic and functional role in postwar Tokyo’s modernization and commercial resurgence.
Over time, however, the elevated structure became seen as an obstacle to urban aesthetics and pedestrian access. Calls for its removal grew louder alongside broader redevelopment initiatives in central Tokyo, particularly around Nihonbashi and Ginza, where city planners prioritized walkable, open spaces. The eventual abolition of the KK Line aligns with these redevelopment goals, transforming the once car-centric infrastructure into a space designed for public use and pedestrian activity.
Source: FNN
