Accident History Exhibition Hall

The Accident History Exhibition Hall is a railway safety museum at the East Japan Railway Company Training Center in Shirakawa, featuring wrecked carriages and broken tracks from historic incidents. Nine thematic zones organize damage documentation by accident type, including derailments and signal failures

The center opened in November 2002 in response to recurring safety incidents across the Japanese rail system since the Meiji era in 1872. The 34 documented cases were selected to train staff on warning signs and system weaknesses

Staff walk through sections named "Protecting Railway Lives" and "Learning from Mistakes," labels that shape how employees understand their responsibilities each shift starts

Only East Japan Railway Company employees may enter the premises as part of their mandatory training program. Outside visitors cannot obtain permission, even for academic or journalistic purposes

A brake handle from the fatal 1992 Narita Line crossing accident sits in a locked glass case beside photographs of the incident site. Carriages damaged during the 2011 tsunami still show salt water stains and twisted metal from the wave