Japanese Government Railways – Official National Timetable, May 1926 (Taishō 15) Rare original timetable issued by the Ministry of Railways (Tetsudōshō Un’yukyoku) in the final year of the Taishō era. This large-format softcover edition (Vol. 3, No. 5) presents the complete railway schedules across Japan and its overseas territories shortly before the transition to the Shōwa period. It includes all principal lines of the Japanese Government Railways, regional and private railways, ferry and coastal shipping routes, and early inter-island services. Of particular note is the beautifully printed colour map of the entire Japanese empire, showing routes in Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū, Shikoku, Taiwan and Korea, reflecting the nation’s transport network at its 1920s height. Richly illustrated with contemporary advertisements for companies such as Takara Cider and Sakura Sake, it captures the vibrant commercial and cultural atmosphere of pre-war Japan. Approximately 190 pages. Published price 50 sen. Condition good: lightly toned paper, intact spine and fold-out map. A scarce and highly desirable artefact of Japanese railway and industrial history.