Ikebukuro WE ROAD
A public pedestrian underpass linking the east and west sides north of Ikebukuro Station. See the color artwork covering its walls and ceiling as you pass through.
At a glance
- Location
- Around 1-28-2 Minami-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku
- Purpose
- Public east–west pedestrian underpass north of the station
- Artist
- Shiho Ueda
- Official introduction
- Toshima City landscape resources ↗
Checked · 2026.10.27
Ikebukuro WE ROAD
A public pedestrian underpass linking the east and west sides north of Ikebukuro Station. See the color artwork covering its walls and ceiling as you pass through.
- Public pedestrian passage
- Mural and lighting
A route linking the station’s east and west sides
WE ROAD is a public passage connecting east and west north of the station. It is not a space to wait for admission to an art museum: residents and commuters continuously pass through it. Avoid blocking the route by stopping for a long time to view the work or setting up a tripod, and check the pedestrian flow before taking photos.
A 1925 passage and a 2019 color artwork
Its predecessor was the Zoshigaya Tunnel, built in 1925. Toshima City’s landscape-resource guide says the current nickname was adopted with the 1986 refurbishment. In November 2019, the passage was renewed with artwork painted directly on its walls and ceiling by artist Shiho Ueda, whose name is written 植田志保.
See the light together with the walls
Colors that follow the walls’ contours combine with lighting to shape the space. The official description says lighting changes by time of day, greeting people heading out in the morning and returning in the evening. Rather than expecting the brightness and colors to match a single photograph at all times, observe the changes inside the passage itself.
Separate passage conditions from nearby facilities
The landscape-resource introduction checked for this guide does not specify opening hours or a facility fee. This does not establish guaranteed 24-hour access. Check individual guides for nearby parks, toilets and shops. The traveler’s personal scene of recalling a song title appears in the linked JOURNAL.
Take a look around
Photographed in March 2026The story behind this place
I Went to Tokyo for Miyu,
and Remembered the People, Too
Another Street beneath the Station
After looking around Bic Camera, I began making my way toward my accommodation. It lay northwest of Ikebukuro Station, so I still had some distance to cover around the station. I could have…
Read this scene ↗