Inauguration of Tokyo's First Subway Section

On June 21, 1906, a pioneering section of what would become the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line opened between Asakusa and Ueno, marking Japan's entry into underground rail transit. Built with British engineering assistance and using electric multiple-unit trains, the line addressed severe street congestion in the rapidly modernizing capital. Engineers overcame earthquake risks and dense population challenges. This modest 2.2 km stretch laid the foundation for one of the world's largest subway systems, inspiring modelers with its early 20th-century rolling stock and station architecture.