Railway Museum, Railway museum in Ōnarichō, Japan
The Railway Museum is a history museum for railways in Ōnarichō, Japan, spread across several buildings and displaying 36 pieces of rolling stock, including steam locomotives, passenger cars, and high-speed trains. Each vehicle sits in dedicated station areas, allowing visitors to follow the different eras of Japanese rail transport.
The museum opened in October 2007 to mark the 20th anniversary of JR East and displays Japan's first locomotive from 1872. The collection documents the shift from steam operation to modern Shinkansen trains.
Visitors experience the evolution of Japanese railway culture through hands-on demonstrations and original equipment in an area showing how train operators and maintenance crews perform their daily tasks. The exhibition makes clear how much punctuality and technical precision matter in Japanese rail operations.
The museum opens daily from 10 am to 6 pm, with adult admission at 1,600 yen and reduced rates for students and children. The site is mostly accessible at ground level and offers overviews from raised galleries above the vehicles.
Visitors can try train simulators that replicate operating real locomotives and explore a large diorama showing railway operations in miniature. Through windows on one side of the building, actual trains on the Takasaki Line pass by, offering a direct comparison between historic and current rolling stock.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
