"Absolutely amazing! This museum offers an incredibly immersive journey through the history of Japan's pioneering train technology. It's a true sensory experience – a feast for the eyes, ears, and even your sense of wonder. Witnessing these magnificent machines firsthand is an absolute must-do when in Japan. And for an incredibly affordable ¥500, you can even try your hand at a train driver simulation! If you happen to arrive early, consider a visit to the nearby Legoland Japan or explore the fascinating Dome furniture store to fill your time before diving into this railway treasure. Truly the pride of Japan."

CK Tan

"Visited with family in the morning and had a great time. The train collection is really impressive — from early steam engines to shinkansen and the maglev. It’s fascinating to see the history and technology behind Japan’s rail system, even if you're not a hardcore train fan.

Our son enjoyed walking through the train cars and trying out the interactive exhibits. Unfortunately, the driving simulator was already sold out when we arrived, which was a bit disappointing — so definitely get there early if you want to try it. The massive diorama was a highlight — very detailed and fun to watch.

The museum is spacious, clean, and mostly indoors, which made it comfortable even in warm weather. Plenty of English signage too, so it’s easy to follow along.

Tips:
1. If you're interested in the simulator, arrive early as tickets sell out quickly.
2. There’s a small kids' play area that’s great for younger children.
3. Be aware that there are no vegan or vegetarian food options inside the museum, so plan accordingly if you have dietary restrictions."

Ayush Saxena

"I can't really call myself a train enthusiast, but I am obsessed with efficiency while traveling, and that journey has led me here. I'm from a state with a high speed track to nowhere, where no one ever knows if it will be completed. In general, a country that has abandoned almost all public trail transport, but still complains how badly it hurts when prices rise. Japan solved all this, and the history of their success is here.

Honestly, if it wasn't for JR I wouldn't have had the opportunity to "chase the sun" so easily in a cherry blossom season where rain appeared randomly across cities. JR Pass, combined with being in Nagoya salvaged my entire trip ( and trips to Japan ain't cheap).

Like with other museums in Japan, entry was easy. There is a person working the counter as well as automatic kiosks, which seems to be a pretty standard affair.

There is an audio assistant available in various languages that guides you around the museum, but I opted to explore on my own. The only real restrictions here seem to be no selfie sticks and not sitting in the seats on the exhibits.

The staff was really polite here, so basically Japanese, and there is an entire kids play area if your visit is really tailored to adults.

While I can't call myself an enthusiast, I learned to love trains. What started as a simple conversation with a railroad engineer in Dallas eventually made me rethink the entire transportation system, so this was the perfect place to bring it all together.

The museum features all the most famous Japanese models on their way to (profitable) rail dominance, each one listing the new speed record set when it was put into service.

It's cool to see how the controls and interior have evolved into the modern day shinkansen, which is an absolutely awesome ride. No offense to regional airlines, but I really don't know how they are still in business.

There's also a ridiculous room that's entirely a train set, and I think it's a recreation of the entire Nagoya train station. It's impressive, and makes me feel a little bit more nerdy about trains without putting in much effort.

The museum also includes a bullet train sim that rivals professional F1 simulators, but there is an additional cost that's well worth it.

Overall the experience is really cool even if you're not a diehard train nerd, and it places perspective on travel in a way most non-japanese residents will never understand. As I landed in Texas on a plane, some remarked that you can "only take trains when you have extra time," and it made me realize how much that's an American perspective.

If you're in a rush in Japan, you look for the Shinkansen and the Green Window..."

Jermain Allen (J. Allen)