Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914 is a cultural and engineering history of railway building in Japan during the Meiji era. The 19th century was the first age of sustained, comprehensive contact between Asia and the West. This book describes the history of Japanese social adaptation to railway development, with many details never-before-published in English. In addition, Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914 details the often overlooked American efforts to build the first railways in Japan. This richly illustrated account also takes a look at long disused corporate logos, locomotive data and headlamp marker codes. Many of the photos and illustrations, all pulled from the author's private collection, are quite rare and are not widely known, even in Japan.

Appealing to more than just railroad fans, this fascinating account of early Japanese efforts to build railways also paints a clear picture of the Meiji era and the historical, cultural and social ramifications of the railway in Japan.