This was the main maintenance depot from the time the line first opened in 1914 until the larger facility at Shinrin-kōen was built in 1971.

Handovers in Ikebukuro are to facilitate short turnaround times while allowing crews to take brief breaks.

On 1 May 1914, the Tojo Railway (東上鉄道, Tōjō Tetsudō) opened the 33.5 km (20.8 mi) section between Ikebukuro and Tanomosawa (田面沢駅) (located between the present stations of Kawagoeshi and Kasumigaseki).

[5] The section from Shimo-Itabashi to Ikebukuro was initially treated as a light railway extension of the main line.

[5] While the original plan had been to extend the line as far as Gunma Prefecture, the connection at Yorii did at least allow for through operations via the Chichibu Railway.

With the steadily growing population along the line, trains were gradually increased in length to the maximum 10 cars seen today, and the original single track was doubled and even quadrupled in some places (between Wakōshi and Shiki).

[citation needed] In 1949, Flying Tojo limited express services commenced, running between Ikebukuro and Nagatoro (長瀞駅) on the Chichibu Railway, initially using 5310 series EMUs with transverse seating, and taking approximately two hours.

(From 17 March 2005) From the start of the revised timetable on 14 June 2008, new limited-stop evening TJ Liner services commenced using new 50090 series rolling stock.

[7] From the start of the revised timetable on 5 March 2011, TJ Liner services were increased from six to nine on weekday evenings.

Following the revised timetable introduced on 26 March 2016, through services to and from Motomachi-Chukagai in Yokohama, running via the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line were extended to Shinrin-kōen, and upgraded to "Express" status, branded as "F Liner".

Following the revised timetable introduced on 16 March 2019, a new service type named Kawagoe Limited Express (川越特急, Kawagoe-tokkyu) has begun operation.

Services stop at Ikebukuro, Asakadai, Kawagoe, Kawagoe-shi, Sakado and all stations between Higashi-Matsuyama and Ogawamachi.

Kawagoe limited express trains now have increased frequency in operation whilst a notable amount of inbound evening services operate from Ogawamachi to Ikebukuro whereas all inbound trains start from Shinrin-kōen prior to the timetable revision.