Hara Model Railway Museum

We had such a great time visiting the Hara Railway Museum in Yokohama! The collection is incredible, with everything from beautifully detailed model trains to miniature railways that actually run on tracks, complete with scenery that shifts from day to night. What really stood out to me was being able to walk right up to the trains and see the craftsmanship and history up close—it felt like stepping back in time. The exhibits are clearly put together with care and passion, and there’s so much to take in. Even if you’re not a big train fan, it’s a fun and fascinating place to explore. We left with a whole new appreciation for the role trains have played in Japan, and it definitely made for a memorable day. 🚂✨

You will absolutely love this if you are a train enthusiast. Also great for parents with kids. The Dioramas were quote detailed!

Oh. My. God. This place is amazing! I went and it was almost entirely devoid of other guests. The staff are incredibly nice and one of the members and I shared a lovely translated conversation regarding all the little easter eggs on display in the diorama. It really made me appreciate the time and care that all of the staff put together to create such a magnificent diorama. Thdre is also a conductor experience with functional acceleration/brake system which was fun. Everyone with event a hint of appreciation for model railways, dioramas, and mini figures should go to this museum, it is just that cool!

Wow! If you are into model and classic railway, this is must visit place!! There are games and quiz around the place. 2 hours are not enough here.

Great place for both young children and adults (who like railway modelling). It is a small museum but we had a great experience enjoying the railway and city models with running trains. A lot of thoughts have been put into the details. The only downside is the inconvenience of buying the entrance tickets at the convenience store at level 1 (Note that museum is at level 2) by foreigners. The ticket needs to be purchased from a machine that looks like a copier within the convenience store. We struggled for a while and got help from the local to buy the tickets as most of the on-screen instructions were in Japanese even if English was selected. Even the two kindhearted guy and lady who help us were struggling. Hope the museum can look at selling the ticket at the entrance. We really appreciate their help , or we would have given up. You need to fill up a contact number when buying the ticket. Just fill out the convenience store number listed on the instruction sheet on the machine. Once the forms are completed, such as time slot for the visit, an order sheet will be printed, then you have to make payment at the cashier. At the museum, we can see a few families and local couples, so we are most likely the only foreigners there. If you plan the visit, I hope the above will help. Before deciding on whether to visit, do have a look at the photos posted.

Ok, it's small. And until you reach the last room with the enormous giant plan model, it feels a bit disappointing. Then you reach that room. With passionate staff telling you the museum founder's story... Magical!

What wonderful and magical model railway. My 13yr old wasn’t into it until we started hunting for the art pieces hidden with in- Mona Lisa, Picasso and even Mary Poppins. The detail was incredible. We easily spent an hour just watching the trains and looking at the displays. Perfect for kids of all ages and to escape the summer heat.

Was inside a vary nice building with some food venders, everyone was vary kind and the staff also told us all the hidden models throughout the display. Vary fun and can drive the trains I’d call ahead.

If you are interested in Railway diorama, I strongly recommend you to visit here. It's so amazing diorama world ! Here is guidance from their homepage in English. In 2012, the Hara Model Railway Museum will open in Yokohama, where Japan's first railway started. The museum opens to the public a massive collection of models trains, said to be the largest in the world, made and possessed by Nobutaro Hara. The collection also includes many railway collectables other than the model trains. you can enjoy gauge one (1:32 scale) model trains incorporating those technologies running on one of the world's largest indoor dioramas.