Tokyo
Tokyo's rail history began in October 1872, when the line from Shimbashi to Yokohama opened as Japan's first railway. The city's network grew out of JR, private railways, and the subway together. In November 1925 the Yamanote Line became a full loop, with private railways reaching out to the suburbs from loop stations like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro, and in 1927 the Ginza Line opened as Japan's first subway. In 1960 the Toei Asakusa Line began through service with Keisei, and since then subway, private, and JR trains have been linked so riders can go from the suburbs to the city center without changing trains. In March 2023 the Sotetsu and Tokyu link brought western Yokohama into the same web.
