At the start of the Menji Era, Japan emerged from its years of self-imposed isolation and quickly modernised. Part of this modernisation was the construction of the railways – the first of which opened between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872.
The railways were nationalised in the early 1900s and continued to expand, with new line construction continuing through the 1980s. However, the 1980s also brought rising costs and falling revenues, so the state-owned network was split into seven different companies. Each company owns and maintains its section of tracks and operates the trains.
Following on from Japan’s Railways: Hokkaido to Chubu, this book takes the reader on a journey from Kinki to Kyushu, showcasing the lesser-known, and lesser-visited, lines. Spanning the years between 2004 and 2016, this book is fully illustrated with over 170 images, and shows how the lines have changed during this time, along with the various trains and tracks that cover Japan. 96 pages.