Japanese railways

Japanese railways are used in Japan for mass and high-speed travel between major cities and for commuter transport in metropolian areas.

Area Map of JR.


Management System of Japanese railways

There are two types of Japanese trains:

  • Japan Railways Group (Japan Railway companies)
  • Private railway (私鉄 Shitetsu)
    • Private railway can be classified as Shitetsu for narrow gauge railways (私鉄), and Koei (公営) for public railways, such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Transportation.

Classification of Japanese railways by structure
Shinkansen 0 Series Mach Liner-class.
A train in Nagasaki.
The unique monorail of the world, in Osaka.
  • Shinkansen（新幹線, meaning "New main line"）(width of rail track is Standard Gauge (1,435mm); speeds of up to 300km/h)
  • Zairaisen（在来線, meaning "Older railway line"） (width of rail track is usually Cape gauge (1,067mm); slower speeds)
    • Subway（地下鉄）
    • Tram（路面電車）
    • Monorail（モノレール）
    • Trolley bus（トロリーバス)
    • Funicular（ケーブルカー）
    • Others

History of Japanese trains
  • 1872 - October, 14: The first Japanese train was started between Shinbashi and Yokohama.
  • 1874 - Osaka-Kobe was opened.
  • 1877 - Kyoto-Osaka was opened.
  • 1880 - Temiya-Sapporo was opened.
  • 1889 - Tōkaidō line is completed (Shinbashi-Kobe)
  • 1927 - Subway (Ueno-Asakusa) was opened.
  • 1964 - The Shinkansen was opened.
  • 1975 - Tōkaidō-San'yō Shinkansen completed.
  • 1976 - All steam locomotives were retired.
  • 1982 - Tōhoku, Joetsu shinkansen opened.
  • 1987 - Japan national railway was dissolved, when JR was created.
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