REVIEW | The Railway Museum, Ōmiya, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture

Autumn 2025. We – Sam and Danny, Michel and Wille, and Timothy – are travelling to Japan for a quite classic tour of the Land of the Rising Sun. We are flying separately as we used miles. On the planning: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Shirakawa, Osaka, and Expo 2025, Hiroshima, Himeji, Miyajima, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Hakone, and back to Tokyo. Three weeks plus some extra days.

Our first activity together was JR East‘s The Railway Museum in Ōmiya, a ward of Saitama City in Saitama Prefecture. That is north of Tokyo. Quite a bit of a trek from where we stayed at Tamachi Station in Minato.

To get to The Railway Museum, take a train to Ōmiya Station, where you take the Saitama New Urban Transit New Shuttle, which brings you to Tetsudō-Hakubutsukan Station (which means Railway Museum Station) and the museum.

History of railways in Japan: early development (1872-1906)

Rail transport in Japan began in the late Edo period, as the nation emerged from centuries of isolation and embarked on rapid modernisation. The country’s first railway opened in 1872 between Shimbashi (near modern Tokyo) and Yokohama (Sakuragichō), completing the journey in just under an hour. British engineers and other foreign specialists provided crucial technical guidance, helping to train Japan’s first generation of railway workers and engineers.

The chosen gauge of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), known as ‘Cape gauge‘, was selected for its lower construction costs and foreign precedent, becoming Japan’s national standard. Over the next decade, the network expanded steadily — from Kobe to Osaka and Kyoto by 1880, from the Sea of Japan coast via Tsuruga to Nagoya, and northwards from Tokyo toward Sendai and Aomori.

Although early lines were mostly built by private companies, the government soon took a leading role. The Railway Construction Act of 1892 established a national plan for both state and private lines, and by the end of the century, debates over public versus private ownership had become central to Japan’s railway policy.

Nationalisation and pre-war growth (1906-1945)

In 1906–07, the Railway Nationalisation Act brought 17 major private railways under government control, creating a unified state system. The move was driven partly by military necessity, after the Russo-Japanese War revealed the logistical challenges of fragmented ownership.

Japan’s engineering capabilities advanced rapidly in the early twentieth century. Domestic factories began producing locomotives and rolling stock, reducing reliance on imports. In urban transport, Tokyo inaugurated Asia’s first underground railway in 1927 — the Ginza Line.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War and the subsequent Pacific War, Japan’s railways came under military direction. Many private lines were merged, resources were diverted to the war effort, and civilian passenger services were heavily curtailed.

Post-war recovery and development (1945-1987)

The end of World War II left Japan’s rail infrastructure damaged and depleted. In 1949, the Japanese Government Railways were reorganised as the Japanese National Railways (JNR), which undertook the massive task of rebuilding and modernising the network.

The 1950s and 1960s marked a period of transformation. Steam locomotives were phased out in favour of electric and diesel traction, and by 1956 the Tōkaidō Main Line had been fully electrified. The most iconic achievement came in 1964 with the opening of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka — the world’s first high-speed railway.

As Japan urbanised, rail commuting became a defining feature of modern life. Yet JNR also faced mounting financial difficulties, growing debt, and increasing competition from private cars and airlines. Labour unrest and operational inefficiencies further strained the national system.

Modern era and privatisation (1987-present)

In 1987, JNR was privatised and divided into several regional companies, collectively known as the Japan Railways (JR) Group. This reform revitalised the industry, improving efficiency and service quality. Japan continued to lead in railway innovation, opening the Seikan Tunnel between Honshū and Hokkaidō in 1988 — at the time the world’s longest railway tunnel — and developing successive generations of high-speed Shinkansen trains.

While rural and local lines with low passenger numbers have been reduced or closed, railways remain the backbone of Japan’s public transport network. Urban and intercity lines continue to operate with remarkable punctuality, safety, and technological sophistication.

Today, Japan’s railway system stands as one of the most advanced in the world, reflecting the country’s century-and-a-half of progress, resilience, and commitment to innovation since that first train steamed from Shimbashi to Yokohama in 1872.

The Railway Museum

The Railway Museum (鉄道博物館, Tetsudō Hakubutsukan) opened on 14 October 2007 as the centrepiece of the JR East 20th Anniversary Memorial Project. Operated by the East Japan Railway Culture Foundation, a non-profit organisation affiliated with JR East, the museum occupies a 19,800 m² building on a 42,500 m² site, with 9,500 m² of exhibition space.

A major expansion in July 2018 saw the opening of a new four-storey South Building and a full renovation of the main building. The museum now features five themed areas known as stations: the Rolling Stock Station, Science Station, Job Station, Future Station, and History Station. With these updates, the museum was reborn as a hands-on space that tells the story of the enduring relationship between people and railways through interactive and educational exhibits.

Exhibitions and facilities

The museum encourages learning through interactive experiences. The History Zone explores the development of railway technology with historically significant trains, while the Learning Zone focuses on the science and engineering that make railways possible.

The Teppaku Reading Room, a specialist library, opened on 21 July 2012 in the remodelled North Wing, offering visitors access to an extensive collection of railway-related literature and archives.

Main Building 1F/2F – Historic Trains

The Rolling Stock Station has the largest exhibition area in the museum, displaying 36 trains ranging from Locomotive No. 1, Japan’s first steam locomotive (1872), to modern Shinkansen models representing cutting-edge technology. Visitors can experience the impressive size and power of these vehicles through immersive productions combining video, audio, lighting, and ICT effects.

South Building 1F/2F – Experience Railway Safety Operations

This section highlights the precision and teamwork that keep Japan’s railways safe and punctual. Through live-action video and interactive displays, visitors can learn about the roles of railway professionals and experience the responsibility and fulfilment of ensuring railway safety.

South Building 3F – Tracing the Technological Progress of Japanese Railways

The History Station traces nearly 150 years of Japanese railway development since 1872. Exhibits of historical materials and photographs reveal how railway engineers and workers have adapted to the needs of each era and how technology and innovation have shaped the industry.

Main Building 2F/3F – Principles and Mechanisms of Railways

This zone explores the science behind railway operation. Interactive exhibits explain how trains move, how collisions are prevented, and how Japan’s railways maintain their renowned reliability. Visitors can investigate the mechanisms and systems that keep trains running smoothly from a scientific perspective.

South Building 2F – Imagining the Future of Railways

At the Future Station, visitors can create avatars and explore imaginative worlds representing the potential future of rail transport. This creative exhibit encourages reflection on how railways might evolve—and how today’s dreams could become tomorrow’s reality.

Driving simulators

The museum also features simulators allowing visitors to operate a D51 steam locomotive, an E5 Shinkansen, and trains from the Tokaidō, Keihin-Tōhoku, and Yamanote lines. Reservations are required via in-museum terminals, with a 500 yen fee. The D51 simulator is recommended for junior high school students and older, while the others are suitable for children of primary school age.

Notable exhibits

The museum’s extensive collection includes historic locomotives such as:

Class 150 No. 1 – Japan’s first locomotive.
Class 7100 No. 7101 Benkei.
JNR Class C57 No. 135 – which hauled Japan’s last scheduled steam service (1975).
Class EF55 No. 1, EF66 No. 11, ED75 No. 775, and various Shinkansen cars from the 0, 200, 400, and E1 Series.

Passenger, imperial, and freight carriages are also displayed, including Imperial Carriages Nos. 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, and 12, representing the evolution of luxury and engineering.

A visit, with the raffle system

Online I read a two-hour visit covers the museum but that’s too optimistic. Most panels and explanations are in Japanese. For other languages, go to the website or their app. But as we generally don’t do audioguides, we didn’t. But even without taking time to read or listen, we needed more than two hours.

There’s just so much to see and do, and it’s well presented. Even Sam enjoyed it and took photos, which he usually doesn’t do.

Speaking of things to do. Fo all simulators and such, you need to enter the raffle(s). Obviously, we wanted to do the simulator on the minitrack. We entered a time slot and we got rebuffed. Fair enough. But then it was impossible to enter or another time slot or even another attraction or simulator.

Our best guess is you have to be there at opening time to even stand a small chance. So, to be honest, don’t even bother.

So?

The Railway Museum is good, really good. The Railway Museum Raffle App feels like a scam and is highly frustrating. Luckily we stilled enjoyed our visit very much.

Trip By Trip

REVIEW | The Railway Museum, Ōmiya, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture

History of railways in Japan: early development (1872-1906)

Nationalisation and pre-war growth (1906-1945)

Post-war recovery and development (1945-1987)