Tokyo Metro Ginza Line groundbreaking

Groundbreaking for the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line occurred on May 25, 1915, under the leadership of engineer Noritsugu Hayakawa. This 2.2 km section between Ueno and Asakusa was Japan's first underground railway, built to relieve severe street congestion in rapidly growing Tokyo. Using cut-and-cover methods and electric multiple-unit trains, the line opened in 1927 and set the standard for the world's largest subway system. It demonstrated Japan's early adoption of urban rapid transit technology and influenced post-war reconstruction planning.