The iconic image of majestic bullet train blasting past the snowcapped peaks of Mount Fuji has become a symbol of Japan's growth into an economic and technological juggernaut. This month, the blue-and-white liveried Shinkansen Bullet Train that stars in the photo above is officially 50 years old.
Over the past half century, the Bullet Train has become inextricably linked with the nation and the people it has served so diligently. Since its debut in 1964, the Shinkansen has grown from a single line connecting Tokyo and Osaka to lines linking all parts of the country. These days, the BBC reports that one bullet train leaves Tokyo for Osaka every 3 minutes.
When the Shinkansen first appeared, it was unlike anything people had seen before. So they simply referred to it by the shape of its design.
The first bullet train trip left Tokyo for Osaka at 6:00 AM on the morning of Oct. 1, 1964...
On its way to Osaka, the train zoomed past Mount Fuji...
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