Railway Museums in Kansai

Kyoto Railway Museum

Introduces steam engine history and culture, preserved, restored steam.

(ex Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum)

The Kyoto Railway Museum (ex Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum) has the biggest exclusive steam engines museum in Japan. It was opened after the centennial anniversary of Japanese railroads on Oct 10 1972. It is interesting that, that museum has few active engines there. They are actually running a 1 km line in the museum yard 3 times a day.

Sizes :	L
Location :	Kyoto city.
Exhibit engines :	B2010, C1164, 8630, 9633, C51239, C5345, C551, C56160, C571, C581, C59164, C612, C621, C622, D50140, D511, D51200, D52468,
Official website :	Kyoto Railway Museum (Japanese) Kyoto Railway Museum (English)
My recommended level for visiting museums :

The Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum.
My story .... behind the story.

The Umekoji Steam Locomotive museum closed on the 30th of August 2015.
The new museum was opened on the 29th of April 2016 as the Kyoto Railway Museum.

Sagano Sightseeing Railway

(Sagano Kanko Tetudo)

A part of the Hozukyo (Hozu valley) section on the Sanin line. It was replaced by a new line during Mar 1989. This section was restored to a tram special sightseeing railway during 1991.
Left photo, before replacement of the old line during 1969, and the right photo was taken on the new lines opening year 1991.

Sizes :	M
Location :	Sagano, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto city
Primary exhibits :	Resored diesel railroad. Preserved C5698 C5848 D5151 D51603 A-7 in Sagano.
Official website :	Sagano Railway (English)
My recommended level :

Kaya Railroad Museum
Introduces Kaya private railway.

(Kaya Tetsudo Shiryokan)

Kaya Co. railway service was closed April 30 1985. But the site has been reopened for the Railway museum. Kaya museum displays its precious station house, engines, etc. for the viewing public.

Sizes :	M
Location :	Yosano-mati, Northern part of Kyoto.
Exhibit engines :	Old time steam engines No.2 etc..
Official website :	Kaya Museum
My recommended level :

Nagahama Railway Square

Restored original Nagahama station building.

(Nagahama Tetudo Sukuea)

The museum building is the oldest railroad building still in existence in Japan. The building was built on the tenth of March in 1882 and was part of the Hokuriku line in the direction of Kanazawa. On May first during the next year, 1883, a part of the original Tokaido line (Tokyo-Kobe) joined on to this station from the East. Originally, only ferry service existed on Biwako lake to Otsu (near Kyoto) from this stationside pier. But after the establishment of rail service, the ferry service was closed on July 1st 1889. The building was used until a new station replaced it in 1903.
A picture of the station during its opening period has been reproduced in the museum.

The left photo was taken before the station became a museum in 1972.

Sizes :	M
Location :	Nagahama city
Primary Exhibit :	History of Hokuriku line, ED70 D51793 engines.
Official website :	Nagahama Museum (Japanese)
My recommended level :

Oumi Railway Museum

(Oumi Tetsudo Museum)

Class ED14 No.1
Hikone depot, during Dec 1973

Class ED31 No.5
Hikone depot, during Dec 1973

Left pfoto
The Class ED14 is one of the imported first electric locomotives in Japan. The ED14 had a total of four engines and were imported from the General Electric Co. US as a Class 1060 during 1926. The ED14 is an important locomotive in the history of Japanese electric locomotives.

Consult please .... Class ED17

Sizes :	M
Location :	Hikone city.
Primary exhibits :	Introduction of Oumi Railway. Preserved ED14, ED31 etc.
Official website :	Oumi Railway
My recommended level :

Other Kansai's Railway Museums

Sizes	Museum Name	Official name in Japanese	Location	Primary exhibits	Official site (Japanese) 19:16 2022/06/14
S	Fukutiyama Chug Land (Now closed)	Fukutiyama Tetudokan Pottpo rando	Fukuchiyama city, Kyoto	Introduction of Hokutan Railway. Preserved C5856 and wheel of C5793.	none

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