For most city residents, trains and subways are an integral part of daily life, and few countries have embraced rail travel like Japan. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that one of the best train museums in the world is found here: the Kyoto Railway Museum — and it’s a great place to visit with kids.
Opening its doors in 1972 as the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum, the museum received a ¥7 billion makeover in 2016, and reopened as the Kyoto Railway Museum you see today. An astounding space, covering 30,000 square meters, it includes modern, interactive exhibits in addition to 53 trains on display, ranging from steam locomotives to today’s shinkansen technology.
The size and scale of the museum can be felt as soon as you present your ticket and enter the Promenade, a 100-meter covered walkway showcasing examples from three eras of rail transport. On the left is a steam locomotive while on the right an early-model shinkansen bullet train. In the center is a bright orange and green EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) the type of commuter train used nationwide.
The Promenade is also built to resemble a train platform and, like most of the trains at the museum, the vehicles’ railcar doors are open for you to walk through.
Follow the pathway and you’ll encounter more historically significant trains, as well as a “dining car†where you can buy a bento or eat your own packed lunch. Walking though these train cars, it’s easy to get a sense of their various ages and eras by simply looking at their interiors. Some older ones have wood paneling and upholstered seats. Others are all steel and white paint. Some have benches facing the center while others utilize bucket seats and tables.
