Niitsu Railway Museum: The Shining History of a Railway Town

Railways are one of the most-loved forms of transportation, so much so that many people are “railfans.” As someone who gets carsick easily, I am very grateful that trains exist and will always choose the train over a bus whenever I can. This time we visited the Niitsu Railway Museum, a wonderful chance to learn all about trains! 

This is the Niitsu area which is known as a “Railway Town,” the Niitsu station itself opened all the way back in 1897! During its peak, it was said that in Niitsu, one in four people worked in the railway industry and the town grew alongside the railways. Next to the entrance is a sign for Niitsu Station, making me feel like I had just arrived at the train station!

The exhibits inside were full of easy-to-understand explanations of history, old ticket machines, and more. There were models of trains that were actually in use that the children especially were excited about. I thought it was cute and, surprised by the intricate details, I circled the diorama a number of times.

Proceeding to the next exhibit room, there were real train engines and old signboards that were just like the ones I had seen in the movies which made it that much more exciting. You can come here and take a photo as if you were on a black-and-white movie set. I also highly recommend having a try at driving a train yourself using the simulator!

　After we finished looking around inside, we went outside to find different models of trains that were actually used, positioned in an impressive lineup! This is such a rare sight to see that I was so excited taking pictures and looking at them up close. I feel like this museum can truly be enjoyed by everyone from children to people like me who weren’t particularly interested in trains and I would love to come back and bring a friend with me. Thank you for reading!

ACCESS MAP