Tokyo-Yokohama railway opens

June 16, 1873 marked the public opening of Japan's inaugural railway between Shimbashi in Tokyo and Yokohama. British engineer Edmund Morel oversaw construction using 3 ft 6 in gauge track and imported locomotives from the UK. The 29 km line overcame coastal terrain challenges and symbolized the Meiji Restoration's push for rapid modernization. Emperor Meiji attended the ceremony, underscoring national importance. The railway boosted trade, passenger mobility, and industrial growth, becoming the foundation for the expansive Japan Railways system and inspiring further lines across the archipelago.