Are there any loop lines in your country? In Japan, there are a few. For example, the Osaka Loop Line is a well-known circular line in the western part of the country. The Meijo Line in Nagoya is the only subway loop line with continuous circular operation, and the Disney Resort Line in Chiba Prefecture is the only monorail loop line in Japan.
Thank you for waiting. Here comes the headliner! Japan’s most famous loop line is none other than JR East’s Yamanote Line. It loops through several central areas of Tokyo. The line is double-tracked, and each train keeps running in the same direction throughout the day—either clockwise or counterclockwise.
On November 1st, 2025, JR East will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Yamanote Line’s circular operation. The line originally opened as part of the Nippon Railway’s Shinagawa Line and was gradually extended. In 1925, it was finally connected into a loop, and circular operation began under the Japanese Government Railways.
To commemorate this remarkable milestone, JR East is operating special trains using Sets 39 and 44 of the EMU E235 series. Set 39 features the nostalgic face of the former EMU 103 series, which ran on the line between 1963 and 1988, while Set 44 is designed in the style of the EMU 205 series, which was in service from 1985 to 2005.
Recently, I’ve often seen many railway fans gathering along the Yamanote Line to celebrate this special event. Of course, I’m one of them too.
Happy 100th anniversary of circular operation to the Yamanote Line!
