
Go forth, mighty heroes/rail passengers! Seek adventure in the magical realm of Yokohama!
The Tokyu Toyoko train line has a lot going for it. It’s clean and punctual (even by Japan’s lofty standards), affordably priced, and connects Tokyo and Yokohama, two of Japan’s most interesting and exciting cities.
As if all that wasn’t enough, there’s now one more reason to take the Toyoko Line. Like at most Japanese rail stations, there’s a musical chime that plays before the doors shut and the train departs, and as of July 5, the Toyoko Line’s customary jingle has been replaced with the opening fanfare of the theme from hit video game series Dragon Quest.
▼ Skip to the 0:10 and 0:46 marks to hear the iconic role-playing tune.
The Toyoko Line starts at Shibuya Station, which is also where you’ll find the Hikarie entertainment complex, venue for this summer’s Dragon Quest Museum exhibit. To commemorate the event, and also to salute the 30th anniversary of the Dragon Quest franchise, the Toyoko Line is sending its southbound trains on their way with the game’s theme. If you want to get an earful of nostalgia, southbound trains depart from platforms 3, 4, and 5. The rousing theme will fill any RPG fans with a sense of purpose as they begin their rail journey.
The Dragon Quest theme will be played between now and September 12, so don’t wait too long to set out on your quest to hear it. And if you’re in need of a destination, remember that you can take the Toyoko Line two stops south to Naka Meguro, then transfer to the Hibiya subway line and take that up to Akihabara Station, which uses idol megagroup AKB48’s “Koi Suru Fortune Cookie” for its departure music.
Images ©RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]
Follow Casey on Twitter for more reasons the Toyoko Line is awesome.


Star Wars and Darth Vader theme melodies now being played at Tokyo train stations 【Video】
Awesome videos show Final Fantasy theme music sending trains on the their way at Japanese station
The unforgettable Dragon Quest theme music took an amazingly short time to write, composer says
Newsflash: Silver “Dragon Quest Metal Slime Edition” PlayStation 4 unveiled by Sony 【Updated】
Dragon Quest town and adventure RPG attraction coming to Japanese theme park
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
7-Eleven Japan rethinks convenience store drinks with new Grilled Corn Chilled Soup Smoothie
Kochia calling: Right now is a great off-season season to visit this beautiful Japanese park
Japanese convenience store Lawson now has stir-fried noodle-cooking robot chefs
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
7-Eleven Japan adds new chocolate fruit gummies to its sweets range, but are they worth the hype?
Studio Ghibli’s No Face twirls to sound of Spirited Away’s theme song in beautiful accessory box
Pokémon comes to McDonald’s Japan for new Happy Meals toys, brings every generation’s starters
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Uniqlo looks back to the very start of Pokémon with new black-and-white pixel art T-shirts[Pics]
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Twitter users claim Dragon Quest theme is eerily similar to university song, North Korea’s anthem
Have a Double Dose of Nostalgia Listening to the Dragon Quest Theme Played On a Moog Synth Courtesy of Google’s Latest Doodle
Gigantic real-life Dragon Quest video game slime to appear in Japan this Christmas
Dragon Quest composer Koichi Sugiyama passes away
Japanese convenience store registers now playing Dragon Quest level-up music for shoppers【Video】
Dragon Quest’s Slime is now a geisha (and delicious)
Dragon Quest at Olympics opening ceremony? Game theme, Eva-connected song heard coming from stadium
Dragon Quest virtual reality attraction opens in Tokyo, and we join the adventure
Tokyo’s labyrinthine Shibuya Station becomes a literal RPG dungeon in free smartphone game
The quest for Dragon Quest Yoshinoya figure sets: Worth taking for fans, tricky for scalpers[Pics]
Japanese commercial for upcoming Dragon Quest XI evokes nostalgia and excitement all at once
Dragon Quest wedding: Japanese video game lovers celebrate with classic Sony PlayStation details
Tokyo Dragon Quest ad made entirely with Lego lets commuters remove blocks to defeat the bad guys
Japanese Dragon Quest fan finds her one-button fix for composer’s questionable politics
Lawson Convenience Store Goes Dragon Quest X Crazy, Puts In-Game Goodies Up for Grabs