Transportation in the Empire of Japan
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Japan during the seventh century had linked all towns with a basic system of Imperial roads, which stayed in use for a long time. These roads linked cities with sacred sites, and were used by regular citizens and imperial civil servants. The most famous of these was the Tōkaidō, from Kyoto, the feudal capital, to Yedo (now Tokyo) 300 miles (500 km) away. Other similar roads led from Kyoto to the west tip of Honshū, and to the North.
[edit] Roads
The road system in the time of the Japanese Empire was limited. Motor transport had a low penetration, given the mountainous land and the difficulty of constructing and maintaining roads. Of a total of 1 million km, 90% of that outside urban areas was narrow or of low standard. Cars and imported fuel were expensive for the ordinary Japanese citizen, so buses were popular. In 1923 there were about 100,000 automobiles in the country (around 65,000 cars, 35,000 trucks). The majority of these cars were taxis.
The geography of Japan favoured the development of transport by sea, rather than land. The unfavourable topography spoke against a railway system, but the many coastal ports permitted intense cabotage navigation.
[edit] Railways
Heavy goods were shipped by sea; railway passengers were a main revenue source. The railway system, which was 75% government-owned, was dense, and reached most areas. Within Japan the railway system was about 13,580 miles long in 1938. This carried more than 1000 million passengers per year, (the average journey was 15.4 miles). The gauge was 3 feet 6 inch (1067 mm), in contrast with the standard gauge of 4 feet & 8 1/2 inches (1435 mm). The speed was low, with 2% of lines electrified, principally near Tokyo and Osaka.
