The Japanese transportation network is probably the best in the world. If you want to know more about its history and development, make sure to visit some of the train and railway museums found across the country, such as the following:

Railway Museum

Located in Saitama, the Railway Museum was opened to the public on 14 October 2007. Constructed and run by the East Japan Railway Culture Foundation, it occupies a total land area of 42,500 square metres, with a display area that is 9,500 square metres in size and features numerous mini trains, railway model dioramas, train cab simulators, books and video booths.

To get there, take a train to JR Omiya Station, get on the New Shuttle and get off at Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan Station. The entrance fee is 1,000 yen and its operating hours are between 10 am and 6 pm.

Kyoto Railway Museum

The JR West-owned Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto houses various locomotive exhibits — steam, diesel and electric — as well as Shinkansen, freight wagons, DMUs and EMUs. It was originally known as the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum and opened on 10 October 1972, but was renamed in 2016 after its expansion and modernisation.

From Kyoto Station, the museum is only a 20-minute walk. Its operating hours are from 10 am to 5:30 pm, and admission fee is 1,200 yen.

Hara Model Railway Museum

With a wide collection of Japanese model trains and railway items, the Hara Model Railway Museum in Yokohama is regarded as one of the country’s best railway museums. It was founded by avid railway enthusiast Nobutaro Hara, who studied railway technology at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and has a massive collection of model train cars from all over the world.

The museum is just five minutes by foot from JR Yokohama Station and two minutes from Shin-Takashima Station. It is open every day except Tuesdays, from 10 am to 5 pm, and a ticket costs 1,000 yen.

SCMAGLEV and Railway Park

Launched on 14 March 2011, the SCMaglev and Railway Park is a railway museum found in Nagoya, with exhibits that include several railway model dioramas, train cab simulators and full-size railway vehicles.

From Nagoya Station, get on the Aonami Line and get off at Kinjofuto Station. The museum is about a two-minute walk away. Operating hours start are from 10 am until 5:30 pm, and admission fee is 1,000 yen.