1920 JGR Pacific C51.5

Designed by combining elements from American, British, and German passenger engines imported for evaluation, the Japanese Government Railways (JGR) C51 class was Japan's first domestically-built Pacific (4-6-2) steam locomotive class.  In total, 289 locomotives were built from 1919 to 1928 by various manufacturers, and the C51 Pacifics could be seen on the Tokaido Main Line's Tsubame limited express and other trains until stronger, more modern locomotives such as the C62 Hudsons replaced them.  Even after their demotion, they continued to influence locomotive design and remained in service until Japanese National Railways (JNR) retired the last steam locomotives in the 1970s.  The oldest survivor, and therefore Japan's oldest remaining Pacific, is C51.5, which was built by JGR's own Hamamatsu Locomotive Works in 1920 and is now on display at the Saitama Railway Museum in Omiya.