Japan’s train system is renowned for being highly efficient and extremely punctual. Visiting a railway museum is a good way to get to know their trains and system. During our Nagoya trip, we visited SCMAGLEV and Railway Park, a Railway museum owned by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Even though we are not train aficionados, we enjoyed the visit immensely.
The museum has 39 rolling stocks on display, including conventional carriages and Maglev. Maglev train systems uses 2 sets of magnets, one set to push and repel the train up off the track as in levitation and one set to move the ‘floating train’ at high speed. The SCMaglev (superconducting Maglev) system is developed by JR Central and its Railway Technical Research Institute.
Once we passed the ticket gantry, we entered the Symbolic Rolling Stock Hall where 3 symbols of high-speed railway are displayed. These 3 displays: a steam locomotive, an experimental Shinkansen and a Superconducting Maglev, are rolling stocks that set world record speeds.
The Great Rolling Stock Hall has 3 train zones: Conventional Train Zone, Shinkansen Train Zone and Rare Train Zone.
Most of the rolling stocks are open to visitors. We could walk into the carriages to take a look. As expected in a Japanese attraction, the interiors are in a perfectly well-kept condition.
Take a walk along the Railway System Learning Zone to the left of the Great Rolling Stock Hall. This zone explains the history and revolution of the high-speed railway system with a focus on the Shinkansen. The texts are bilingual; in Japanese and English, so thankfully, no language barrier. We find the video on the operation of Shinkansen particularly interesting as it documents round-the-clock work that goes into running this high-speed railway.
To get a choice to play their Shinkansen Train Driving Simulator and Conventional Train Crew Simulator, you have to literally strike ‘lottery’.
Just tear these serial numbers off the tickets and drop them into the lottery boxes.
Each hour, there will be 4 winners announced. You can then redeem for your chance to play the simulators by paying JPY500 for a one-time 15min play. We struck lottery for their Conventional Train Crew Simulator game.
In this game, our little ones had a chance to try out what the Train Crew does on a daily basis. When the train is nearing the station, play the pre-recorded announcements. When the train reaches the station, open the doors then check that all passengers have boarded or alighted the train. Then close the doors and start the train again. The steps may seem deceptively easy but proved to be a challenge when you are not used to the steps.
Before the game, a staff member briefed DL and CL the sequence to follow. The game was carried out in a corner that is done up like a train crew’s cabin, complete with buttons, phones and graphics. CL fumbled a few times while trying. DL was not really interested when he realised the ‘game’ was not as fast-moving as he thought.
The Conventional Train Driving Simulator proved more of a hit. At JPY100 for a play, they got to try driving and stopping a train within the stipulated timings. Both DL and CL love this game and played several times. The game is in Japanese. Before they started playing, a staff member came over to explain the game with English printed instruction and stayed to guide them in the game.
The museum also has the largest diorama in Japan, featuring trains running within miniature cities and countryside. The scene changes between day and night too. The official website features video clips of this diorama (under Greatest Railway Diorama Room).
A must-do in the Park is to visit the Delica Station where bentos, sandwiches drinks are available for purchase. Go for the ekibens, or bentos sold at train stations or onboard trains.
Each region has their own local specialty with their locally produced ingredients packed in these lunch boxes for consumption on trains. Some of these specialty are seasonal too. Delica Station have a good selection of ekiben as seen from the menu below. We did not see any vegetarian option, but there are different meats to choose from: beef, chicken, pork or seafood. There is even one grilled beef tongue bento, though I was not adventurous enough for that.
Really love the way the food in ekibens is thoughtfully arranged, with varied and colourful dishes, looking both pleasing and appetising. They taste good too, albeit eaten cold. And as with the local dining etiquette, do clear your table and trays after dining and dispose the waste into different bins provided.
Next to Delica Station is a Relics Room, where some of JR Central’s valuable historical documents and objects are displayed.
And finally, after the museum’s exit gantry, there is a Museum Shop with train themed mementos for puchase.
At SCMAGLEV and Railway Park, there is something for everyone, be it train bento for food lovers, rolling stock for train enthusiasts or train simulators for the kids. It is ranked third in TripAdvisor’s list of 438 things to do in Nagoya. Ranking just behind Toyota Commemorative Museum and Port of Nagoya Public Museum and ahead of Nagoya Castle, this is testimonial to the quality of visits other travellers have also experienced. We recommend visiting SCMAGLEV and Railway Park during your next trip to Nagoya.
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Read about our trip itinerary and the places we visited in Japan Nagoya Itinerary 2017 .
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Useful Information
Address: 3 Chome-2-2 Kinjofuto, Minato Ward, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture 455-0848, Japan
Telephone: +81 52-389-6100
Operating Hours: 10:00am to 5:30pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Official Website:: SCMAGLEV and Railway Park
Admission Charge:: JPY1,000 (adults), JPY500 (school kid), JPY200 (child above 3)
Getting There:: Take the Aonami Line to Kinjo-futo station. From the station, the museum is less than 5 minutes walk away.