TOKYO
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High Speed Rail: Shinkansen Train
Japan’s high speed trains are known as bullet trains or shinkansen. These trains have been apart of the growth in Japan after World War II. Many say that the shinkansen has become a symbol of Japan, especially after the opening of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, a high-speed railway system connecting Tokyo and Osaka. Soon after, it grew into a network of shinkansen covering most areas of Japan [2]. The network of shinkansen consists of six lines that link major cities: Tokaido Shinkansen, Sanyo Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen, Hokuriku Shinkansen, and Kyushu Shinkansen. [4]. About 5.6 billion people have used the Tokaido since its inauguration in 1964. It links three largest metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. The bullet train has supported Japan’s economic growth by allowing the metropolises to connect thousands of passengers daily [5].
Tokyo's
Subway Systems
The main source of transportation in Tokyo is the subway and train system. The subway system consists of 13 lines that run in the heart of Tokyo, which circles around many of the cities centers. The railways harbor about 24 million passengers daily, with quick travel time and limited delays. These railway networks were developed in response to the increased expansion of the Metropolitan Area. A policy report of the Council for Transport in Tokyo outlines a basic plan concerning the development of transport links on the rapid-transit railway in Tokyo metropolitan area. It is revised every ten to fifteen years. The most recent policy report was revised in the year 2000 known as policy report number eighteen. The policy was a response to the routine overcrowding and lack of accessibility on commuter trains [3]. Some aspects of the policy include decreasing train congestion, improving express services, ease of accesses to shinkansen, and to make traffic service barrier-free [1].
References:
[1] "Basic Concept of Public Transport Planning in Tokyo." Asian Human Net. Accessed February 17, 2015.
[2] Sato, Yasushi. "Christopher P. Hood. Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan." East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal: 139-41.
[3] Karan, Pradyumna P. The Japanese City=Nihon No Toshi. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky, 1997.
[4] "Japan-guide.com - Japan Travel and Living Guide." Japan-guide.com - Japan Travel and Living Guide. Accessed February 11, 2015.
[5] "Outline." Outline. Accessed March 16, 2015. http://english.jr-central.co.jp/about/outline.html.