Construction begins with boring a vertical pit to set up the starting base for a tunneling shield. The shield machine is then carried in through the pit and assembled before commencing excavation in the horizontal direction. The pit is later used for emergency access.

There are two ways to bore a vertical pit. One is the “diaphragm wall construction” method of building a continuous reinforced-concrete wall, and the other is the "pneumatic caisson" method, typically adopted when the groundwater level is relatively high. Both of the methods are very safe, with extensive track records in urban areas. In the Chuo Shinkansen project, JR Central will use the method suitable for each of the construction sites to ensure safety.