Nagahama Railway Square

Nagahama Railway Square is a museum in Nagahama that showcases steam locomotives and Japan's longest model railway, which stretches 66 meters through the building. The exhibitions display railway equipment and historical items arranged to show visitors how trains and stations functioned.

The museum preserves the first Nagahama Station Building, which is the oldest remaining station structure in Japan's railway network. This original structure demonstrates how early railway stations were designed and built in the country.

Visitors can step into the daily routines of railway workers by wearing authentic conductor uniforms and participating in train operation simulations that show how staff managed trains.

The location is about three minutes from JR Biwako Line's Nagahama Station, making it easy to access from the station plaza. A visit typically takes a few hours, depending on how much time you spend exploring the exhibits and trying the interactive activities.

The facility lets visitors operate model locomotives on detailed track layouts, giving them a hands-on sense of how trains are controlled. This hands-on experience, often overlooked, provides insight into the precision and coordination needed to run railways.