A major milestone in Japan's railway history

On this day, March 10th, in 1975 the Sanyo Shinkansen (bullet train) extended from Okayama to Hakata completing the entire route from Tokyo all the way to Kyushu. Thus, today is known (among other things) as Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen Full Line Opening Anniversary Day 東海道・山陽新幹線全通記念日 (Tōkaidō – Sanyō Shinkansen Zent­sū Kinenbi). 

With this extension, the full stretch from Tokyo to Hakata became connected by Shinkansen. The Tokaidō section covers 515.4 km, while the Sanyō section adds another 553.7 km, bringing the total route to over 1,000 km. Today, trains like the Nozomi and Hikari run frequently along this corridor. Travel times have also improved dramatically: what once took nearly seven hours in 1975 can now be done in under five.

The campaign slogan at the time was “Hikari wa nishi e” — “The Hikari heads west,” capturing the excitement of a new era of long‑distance high‑speed travel. But more than excitement, the completion of the line connected regions, supported business and shaped modern Japan's sense of distance and mobility.