🗺️ The Railway Museum, Saitama (鉄道博物館)鉄道博物館

Located in Saitama City, the Railway Museum is a must-visit popular attraction for train enthusiasts. The museum is divided into five exhibition halls, each themed around "Vehicles," "Science," "Work," "History," and "Future," telling the story of railways and humanity from various perspectives. In the museum's largest exhibition hall, the "Vehicle Display Stage," 36 actual train vehicles are lined up in neat rows, creating a spectacular scene. Through sound, lighting, and images, the museum vividly re-creates the appearance of steam trains, electric trains, Shinkansen (新幹線), and various other types of trains from the past, delivering a strong sense of presence that excites both casual visitors and devoted train fans alike. Additionally, the rich hands-on activities are one of the museum's main attractions. These include the experience of driving mini electric trains and simulator experiences of both steam and Shinkansen train driving. The museum also features a restaurant, "Train Restaurant 日本食堂" (Japanese Restaurant), where visitors can enjoy various railway bento boxes as if they were on a train journey. Particularly popular is the Shinkansen-shaped bento, which often sells out quickly right after the museum opens in the morning.

The "Vehicle Exhibition Hall" showcases 36 physical vehicles. You can experience driving a train and engage in railway-related work. It features the largest railway three-dimensional perspective model in Japan. In the museum shop "TRAINIART," you can purchase unique original merchandise available only here. You can also taste the ekiben (railway bento) that nurtures Japanese railway culture.