Tokyo Monorail Coloring Pages

Zoom Across the Sky and Sea! The Tokyo Monorail

The Tokyo Monorail is a super famous monorail that connects Hamamatsucho in central Tokyo with Haneda Airport. It opened in 1964 and carries lots of travelers and people heading to Haneda Airport every day. It is a cool train that zooms dynamically through high places, from between big city buildings to right over the wide ocean and canals!

The History and Trains of the Tokyo Monorail

The Tokyo Monorail was the very first airport access monorail built in Japan. It opened just in time for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and new train cars have evolved with the times ever since!

• Series 100, 200, and 300: These were the very first trains that debuted when it opened in 1964. They are special trains that started the history of Japanese monorails.
• Series 500: These trains debuted in 1969. The train bodies got bigger so they could carry many more people at once.
• Series 1000: These long-selling trains debuted in 1989. People have loved their different designs for many years, like the original red stripe, the blue and orange colors, and special nostalgic paint jobs!
• Series 2000: These trains debuted in 1997. They have a sleek design and use technology that makes them run quietly and smoothly.
• Series 10000: These are the newest trains, introduced in 2014. They are "smart monorails" with blue marker lights and gradient stripes inspired by the sky and ocean.

Awesome Things About the Monorail and How It Runs

Normal trains run on top of two steel rails, but the Tokyo Monorail has lots of special tricks to run fast and safe!

• Straddle-type that hugs a single rail: It uses a system called the "straddle-type." It sits on top of a thick concrete beam (rail) and hugs it using big tires underneath the train. Because of this design, you almost never have to worry about derailment. It is super safe!
• Quiet rubber tires that are great on hills: It runs on big rubber tires instead of steel wheels, so there is little friction noise and it is very quiet. The tires are strong, so the train can climb steep hills and turn curves smoothly.
• One of the fastest monorails around: It can run at a top speed of 80 km/h (about 50 mph). It is so fast that it connects Hamamatsucho and Haneda Airport in a flash!
• An amazing view: Because it travels up high, you can look out the train window and see Tokyo Tower, tall skyscrapers, big canals, and even planes at Haneda Airport!

How to choose colors

When you color the Tokyo Monorail coloring page, try to recreate the colors of your favorite train!

• 1000 series (Classic Colors): Color the main body white and color the stripes red and black. This makes the classic 1000 series look just like it did when it first appeared!
• 2000 series: Color the top of the body bright blue, the window area black, and the lines on the body light blue or white to make it look just like the real thing.
• 10000 series: Color the front of the body black. Next, color the side stripes from top to bottom in light green, light blue, and blue. This shows off the cool style of the newest train!
• Shiny metal body: Color the main part of the body silver or light gray. This gives it the texture of a shiny aluminum train body.
• Tires and equipment: Try coloring the tires that hug the concrete track, as well as the machinery under the train, in black or dark gray.

Make the train look dynamic as it runs!

The monorail zooms smoothly high up on elevated tracks! Try coloring it with depth and a sense of speed.

• Concrete track (beam): Color the thick single rail and the pillars that hold up the monorail in gray. Adding dark shadows underneath makes it look big and strong.
• Highlights and shine: Leave a white shine on the rounded top of the train, or color the bright parts where light hits it. This gives it depth and makes it pop!

Try creative backgrounds

There are so many exciting sights around the Tokyo Monorail! Draw a background where the monorail runs! You can draw canals or the sea with big ships floating by. Or draw tall skyscrapers and Tokyo Tower to make a big city scene! If you choose a scene near Haneda Airport, drawing a huge airplane in the blue sky looks super cool!

Tips for enjoying your coloring page!

You do not just have to use real colors. It is also fun to make your very own original Tokyo Monorail design! You can make rainbow stripes, or color it shiny gold like a monorail from the future. That would look so cool too!

It's a Monorail, but It Goes Underground!? The Secret of the Tunnel

When you think of a monorail, you might imagine it running high up in the air. But Tokyo Monorail actually has a spot where it dives under the ground (into an underground tunnel)! Once it enters the grounds of Haneda Airport, it runs through an underground tunnel beneath the runway so big airplanes can take off safely. It is so exciting when it dives from the high tracks into the underground!

It Hugs a Single Concrete Beam Tight So It Won't Fall!

Tokyo Monorail runs using a system called the "straddle type." Lots of big rubber tires hidden under the train cars hug the thick concrete beam tightly from both the top and the sides. That is why it will not fall off the track or tip over, even if a strong wind blows or it goes around a sharp curve!

An Amazing View Just Like a Theme Park Ride!

Most of the Tokyo Monorail tracks are built over canals and the sea. Watching it glide over the water stretching out in front of you feels just like flying over the ocean! After weaving between big buildings, the view suddenly opens up to the vast sea. Just riding it makes you feel like you are on a theme park ride!