Which railway line, opened in 1964, was Japan’s first Shinkansen route between Tokyo and Osaka?

Japan’s first Shinkansen route between Tokyo and Osaka was the Tokaido Shinkansen, opened in 1964.

The line connected Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka, creating a fast rail corridor along Japan’s Pacific coast. Its launch coincided with the Tokyo Olympics and demonstrated that regularly scheduled high-speed rail could serve a major national route.

The Tokaido Shinkansen is often confused with the Sanyo Shinkansen. The Sanyo line continues westward from Shin-Osaka toward Kobe, Hiroshima, and Hakata, but it opened later and is a separate route. Together, the two lines form Japan’s busiest high-speed corridor.

The original trains on the Tokaido line were the 0 Series, recognizable for their rounded noses and white-and-blue livery. Modern services use much faster and more efficient train designs, but the route remains one of the world’s best-known high-speed railways.