Shimbashi Station

Shimbashi Station (also spelt Shinbashi) is the original point where Japan’s first railway terminated, the original station was built in the late 1800s but was later lost in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. After the quake the area made way for a goods yard and the line was moved west to its current location where the modern Shimbashi Station is located.

The area around the the original station was transformed into a business district known as Shio-Site in the 1990s and a replica of the original station was built in the location where the origional once stood. The station now houses a cafe and museum with lots of artifacts and history of Japan’s early railways, some of the artifacts were dug up during a archeological dig at the very site where the replica station stands.

Old Shimbashi Station is situated between the many skyscrapers of Shiodome and is only a few minutes walk east of the New Shimbashi Station or north of Shiodome Station. The station sits right next door to another great free exhibit, The Panasonic Centre.