Japan’s iconic bullet train linking Tokyo and Osaka turns 60

NAGOYA, Japan — The high-speed shinkansen railway that connects the Japanese metropolises of Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka celebrated 60 years in service on Tuesday, with the operator pledging to meet the ever-evolving needs of travelers.

Debuting on Oct. 1, 1964, the Tokaido shinkansen on the major east-west corridor initially catered to business travelers and helped drive the country’s post-war economic growth. It has carried an aggregate of 7 billion passengers on the 515-kilometer line over the past six decades.