Tokyo 1964: The Olympics and the First Bullet Train

Published October 15, 2026 at 12:13 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

The Autumn Japan Welcomed the World

In October 1964, Tokyo became the first city in Asia to host the Summer Olympic Games, and the country marked the moment with a burst of creativity, optimism and design. Just days before the opening ceremony, a brand new train line connected Tokyo and Osaka at a speed no railway had offered before. Together, the Games and the Shinkansen became a symbol of a confident, welcoming Japan.

This guide looks at how those two milestones fit together, what made them special and how their legacy is still easy to experience in the Tokyo of today. You will find stories about the architecture, the sports and the technology, along with practical ideas for riding the bullet train and visiting buildings that are still in use. It is a friendly introduction to a chapter of Japanese history that people remember with real pride.

The Games of 1964

The Tokyo Olympics ran from 10 to 24 October 1964, and around ninety nations took part. Emperor Showa opened the Games, and the opening ceremony featured a theme song composed by Yuji Koseki, one of the country's best-loved composers. The Olympic flame was lit by Yoshinori Sakai, a young runner who was chosen as a symbol of peace and a hopeful new era.

Judo made its Olympic debut in Tokyo, a fitting moment for a martial art that began in Japan. Japanese athletes won three of the four judo gold medals, and the open category was won by Anton Geesink of the Netherlands, a result that showed how widely judo was already loved. The Japanese women's volleyball team also won gold, and their final was broadcast live to an enormous audience at home.

The Games were also a pioneer in broadcasting. They were the first Olympics to be televised internationally by satellite without tapes being flown overseas, using early communication satellites such as Syncom 3 to carry the pictures across the Pacific. For viewers in many countries, it was a first taste of a truly global live event.

The First Bullet Train

On 1 October 1964, just ahead of the Games, the Tokaido Shinkansen opened between Tokyo and Osaka. It was the world's first high-speed railway built for regular service above 200 kilometers per hour. The route covered about 515 kilometers, and the original fleet, known as the 0 Series, had a rounded nose that inspired the English nickname bullet train, a translation of the Japanese word dangan ressha.

At the beginning, the fastest Hikari trains took about four hours to make the trip, while the stopping Kodama trains took about five. In late 1965, after schedules were adjusted for the trains' full 210 kilometers per hour design speed, the journey on Hikari dropped to three hours and ten minutes. Today, the fastest trips between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka take about two hours and twenty minutes, and trains run at up to 285 kilometers per hour.

Behind the achievement were determined engineers and railway leaders. Shinji Sogo, president of Japanese National Railways, and chief engineer Hideo Shima championed the idea of a new standard-gauge electrified line built just for fast trains, rather than adding to the older narrow-gauge network. Their vision created a model that other countries later admired. Over many decades, the Shinkansen has become known for safety and punctuality, with an average delay measured in seconds rather than minutes in a year reported by the operator.

Buildings That Still Inspire

The Olympics left behind some of Tokyo's most admired architecture. Yoyogi National Gymnasium, designed by Kenzo Tange with engineer Yoshikatsu Tsuboi, opened on 10 October 1964 and hosted swimming and diving as well as basketball. Its dramatic suspended roof swoops across the main arena like a great sail. Tange later won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, and the citation praised the stadium as among the most beautiful buildings of the twentieth century.

The Nippon Budokan was built for the Olympic judo competition, and it still serves martial arts today. The eight-sided hall stands about 42 meters tall in Kitanomaru Park near the Imperial Palace and holds roughly 14,000 people. It is also a famous concert hall, and The Beatles played there in 1966, becoming the first rock group to perform at the venue. The building continues to host major judo and karate events.

Both buildings are still in active use, which makes them easy to appreciate as living history rather than museum pieces. Yoyogi sits in Shibuya near Harajuku Station and the greenery of Yoyogi Park, while the Budokan is a short walk from Kudanshita Station. Even if you cannot go inside, seeing the exterior shapes is a rewarding stop on a Tokyo walk.

Experiencing the Legacy Today

The simplest way to connect with 1964 is to ride the Shinkansen. From Tokyo Station, the Tokaido line carries travelers to Kyoto, Osaka and many points between. Trains are frequent, clean and quiet, and the line normally runs from early morning until around midnight. Hikari and Kodama still exist as service names, and the Nozomi is the fastest of the family.

It helps to know a few practical tips. Seats can be reserved or unreserved, so check which type you hold before boarding, and keep your ticket handy for the exit gates. Baggage rules for large suitcases can change, so check the rail operator's official website before you travel. Many travelers enjoy picking up an ekiben, a boxed meal sold at stations, to enjoy on board.

In Tokyo, plan a walk that links Harajuku, Yoyogi Park and the gymnasium, then add the Imperial Palace gardens and the Budokan on a different day. The mix of architecture, parks and everyday city life is a pleasant way to feel the optimism that shaped the era. A little reading beforehand makes the sights even more meaningful.

The spirit of 1964 also shows in smaller details around the city. Pictograms, the simple wordless symbols that help international visitors understand signs, became a celebrated feature of the era's design thinking, and the idea of making a city easy to navigate for guests from many countries has stayed with Tokyo ever since. When you follow clear signs in a station or find your way around a park with ease, you are enjoying a little of that welcoming mindset.

It is also fun to think about how the two milestones complement each other. The Games invited the world to Japan, and the Shinkansen offered a fast, comfortable way to see more of the country once you arrived. Visitors today can make the same pairing, spending a few days in Tokyo and then riding west to Kyoto or Osaka, which turns a simple journey into a lesson in modern history.

Quick Takeaways

The Tokyo Olympics and the Shinkansen opened within days of each other in October 1964, and together they told the world that Japan was ready to share its creativity and craftsmanship. The Games brought first-ever judo medals, a landmark satellite broadcast and beautiful venues, while the bullet train introduced a new standard for fast and reliable travel.

Today, you can still ride the line, admire the buildings and enjoy a city that carries the spirit of that year. Pair a Shinkansen trip with a stop at Yoyogi or the Budokan, and you will have a small but memorable tour through one of modern Japan's proudest moments.