SCMaglev and Railway Park

Really loved visiting as most of the information boards have English translations and an audio guide around too. Many unique trains here great to see the history of trains in Japan. Very accessible facility for wheelchair users and families with push chairs. Only downside was most of the cafe was sold out of the bento boxes so couldn’t get anything to eat there apart from ice cream.

Hands-down the perfect destination for train enthusiasts 🚄 The SCMaglev and Railway Park serves as a comprehensive facility for learning about the history and engineering of high-speed rail in Japan. Visitors have the opportunity to directly view and enter various preserved Shinkansen models on display within the exhibits. The collection features vehicles that trace the development of Japanese rail transport. A notable addition to the display collection is the iconic Doctor Yellow inspection train, which retired after 24 years of service and has been available for public viewing at the park since June 2025. Through immersive exhibits, driving simulators, and a large-scale railway diorama, the park provides a detailed educational experience regarding the engineering milestones and cultural role of rail transport across Japan. Facility Information: - The park is a spacious facility and includes food options available on the second floor. - It is easily accessible, located within walking distance from the nearest train station (Aonami Line).

The SCMAGLEV and Railway Park in Nagoya is an impressive and extensive museum dedicated to Japan’s rich railway history and its cutting-edge train technology. The exhibits cover everything from historic locomotives and classic commuter trains to the latest Shinkansen (bullet train) models and even maglev technology. It’s a fascinating destination for both train enthusiasts and families alike. When I visited, it happened to be the opening day of the recently retired “Yellow Doctor” Shinkansen, a special maintenance train that has become quite iconic in Japan. Because of this special event, the museum was especially crowded, with long lines and plenty of excited visitors eager to see the new exhibit. Despite the crowds, the atmosphere was lively and full of energy. The museum’s layout is well-designed, allowing visitors to walk through real train cars, explore interactive exhibits, and even experience simulator rides that let you feel what it’s like to drive a Shinkansen. There are also educational displays explaining the engineering and safety systems behind Japan’s rail network, making it both fun and informative for all ages. Overall, the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park is a must-visit attraction in Nagoya for anyone interested in trains or Japanese technology.

I’ve visited a lot of museums, and this one easily ranks in my top five. It’s a great mix of history, engineering, and hands-on fun, whether you’re a lifelong train nerd or visiting with kids. I went on a Friday around noon. There was no line to enter, but the museum was filled with hundreds of school kids, so the energy level was high, but no lines. One of the big advantages here is that you can walk through many of the real train cars, which makes the exhibits feel alive rather than static. The audio descriptions throughout the museum are genuinely worthwhile too. If you plan to use the mobile audio guide (and you should), bring a headset. And for iPhone users: it didn’t work for me in Safari, but switching to the Google browser on iOS fixed it immediately. Each exhibit has a number and you type that into a web interface (available in English) to hear about what you’re looking at. Two highlights were the huge working model train layout and the VR maglev experience. The model set alone is worth the visit, and the VR exhibit is just plain fun. Kids would love it, but even as an adult I thought it was great. I also watched two short films in the theater. Both had English captions and were surprisingly engaging, educational without feeling dry. There’s a restaurant on-site with cute maglev-themed packaging that kids will enjoy. The food itself was underwhelming, but it’s convenient and the theming is charming. Overall, huge kudos to JR for creating such an interactive, well-designed museum. If you have even a passing interest in trains or Japanese technology, this place is absolutely worth your time.

A paradise for train lovers. This place is a must-visit in Japan. The museum is highly interactive and fun for all ages. The collection of trains on display is amazing, with so many iconic models and rolling stock to see up close. The admission fee is very affordable too, which makes it even better. The museum even has an ekiben shop and you can enjoy it while on a Shinkansen! I had a great time and would absolutely recommend it to anyone, especially rail fans!

I visited on Thursday and it was a truly magnificent experience for anyone who loves trains or modern technology. The museum offers a wide range of displays that showcase the history, development, and future of railways in Japan. Although most of the exhibits were in Japanese, there was a very helpful English audio guide available, which made it easy to understand and enjoy the visit without missing any important details. One of the highlights for me was learning how the Maglev works. The explanations were very clear and easy to follow, even for someone without a technical background. Watching the demonstration and seeing the models in action made me feel like I was witnessing the future of transportation right in front of me. It was both educational and fascinating, and I found myself getting more and more curious as I walked through the sections. What impressed me the most was not only the technology itself but also how well the exhibits connected past, present, and future. From the history of steam and bullet trains all the way to cutting-edge Maglev, it gave me a real sense of how far Japan has come in railway innovation. I also enjoyed the atmosphere — it felt inspiring, almost like stepping into a vision of tomorrow. Overall, the visit was well organized, informative, and engaging. I left feeling amazed and inspired, and I would gladly recommend this museum to anyone — whether you are a train enthusiast, a student, or just curious about how technology can transform the way we travel. It’s a place that combines learning with excitement, and I am very glad I went.

Very enjoyable if you like trains. We reached early before it opened and waited for a few minutes and the staff let us in to purchase the tickets. After purchasing the tickets, we waited at the gantry till the it was 10am (there was a chime which signalled that you can tap scan your ticket to enter). The staff led the group to the Information Counter to buy the ticket for Shinkansen simulation and we managed to get the 10.15am slot. Then, we went to buy the ticket for regular train simulation (100Yen) and proceeded right in. Staff were all very helpful & polite. Lunch was at the bento shop with plenty of seating around 11+am. I guessed it was a weekday hence, there wasn't much of a crowd. There were plenty of seats around to rest in between and the various table activities kept us occupied till 4.30pm. Lockers are also available and easily accessible (it is past the exit so, you can just exit, pick up what you need from the locker, and re-enter by scanning your admission tickets again). Truly enjoyable experience.

I visited the museum on a Friday - no waiting time. The exhibition is fantastic! Apart of the trains, also the adjacent systems like tracks, brakes and electrical wirings are well explained. With these visualisations it is very good for explaining to children how everything works. Despite the remote location from the center this is, as expected, an absolute highlight of Nagoya. For the upcoming Halloween a train was decorated nicely! Some trains can be visited, some are closed (intentionally). When I was there the mid train in the entrance hall was unfortunately closed due to renovations I assume. There is sufficient space and possibilities to spend at least 2 hours there. Hope to visit the museum again with my son.

SCMAGLEV and Railway Park / Kinjofuto (Nagoya) -- It would take maybe a nanosecond in Japan for you to recognize trains are part of the Japanese DNA. Unlike the US car culture, Japan is definitely a train-centered culture because train travel feeds so easily to the Japanese need for efficiency and time management. And unlike American commuters, the Japanese know how to keep quiet and behave on a train. All of that made a visit here high on the list of to-dos for Jamie W and me in Nagoya. Owned by JR Central, this warehouse-size museum has only been around since 2011, but it houses 39 full-size railway vehicles, including several bullet trains of various vintage, plus simulator rides and a huge model train diorama. If you think all of this seems targeted to kids, you'd be right as legions of schoolchildren swarmed the trains. Honestly, their enthusiasm was part of the appeal of the exhibits because they represent the next generation of train riders and operators. They even sat in the bullet train cars and ate their bento boxes while I walked through like a conductor. The diorama was a bit of the snooze. No surprise that there are key educational exhibits about MAGLEV, the magnetic levitation train line that represents Japan's transportation future. Plans for Japan's first MAGLEV line between Tokyo and Osaka have been postponed until 2034, but it was still cool to ride the MAGLEV simulator which produced a sense of the smooth, super-fast travel to come. It took a solid half-hour from Nagoya Station to the southern end of the Aonami Line at Kinjofuto, but it's worth it, especially for parents who want to take their kids to Legoland nearby. Admission is ¥1,200 per person. RELATED - Exploring Central Japan? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/YgeqyjZ4-5

If you love trains, must visit while in Nagoya. Actually it was a bit over 30 minutes train ride from Nagoya station, near Lego land Japan. Yes there were lots of families with kids but plenty of train nerds with SLR were there so I didn't have to feel out of place being there alone. I love traveling by trains. Something about it, always enjoy traveling by trains. They have SC Maglev, Shinkansen, steam locomotive, all kinds of local and express trains. Get to go inside some of them. I was like a little kid walking around. Don't miss the largest diorama train set. I stayed there and watched over a half hour. They were made so well, truly amazingly detailed. Cafeteria available if you want to stay all day, and yes you could.... I was there for about 4 hours until I became so hungry. I didn't eat there but their food looked yummy. Learning technology behind the train made me appreciate more about train travel. Highly recommend

I'm SO glad we came to SCMAGLEV and Railway Park! If you want to learn about train and it's history, you definitely want to come here! There is so much to see! There is some English translation. There is real trains all over and it's so cool! You can go in some. You definitely get to learn a lot. Kids will definitely enjoy it here too. There is also a bento areas where you can buy there bento! But go early if you want! We went around after noon and it was all sold out! We just got the kids bento. If your here for vacation, you gotta check it out! Great for family and kids too!

The SCMAGLEV and Railway Park is the railway museum of Central Japan Railways (JR Central). The museum seeks to educate visitors on the advances in high speed rail in Japan and displays a number of actual trains including historic steam locomotives, world record setting experimental shinkansen (bullet train) and the latest magnetic levitating trains (maglev). A collection of 39 retired train cars are displayed in the museum. Many of these can be entered or viewed from underneath, and are accompanied by a host of exhibits explaining the different parts of the trains and all aspects of their operation and maintenance. Another section of the museum is dedicated to maglev trains and JR Central's plans to construct a maglev high speed link between Tokyo and Osaka. The second floor of the museum also has lots of learning experiences, which are specifically geared toward young children. Some of the most popular attractions are the train simulators, which include driving simulators for conventional and shinkansen trains, and a train crew simulator where you can experience the duties of a train conductor in charge of opening and closing the doors. The museum also houses one of Japan's largest train dioramas, with miniature trains running through incredibly detailed recreations of Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.

Looks like I'm the first to review this museum in English, so here we go. If you decide to visit, there are plenty of lockers in the train station for luggage, but it will take you at least 30 minutes (one way) from the Nagoya train station to the museum which is the last stop of the subway line. This is an incredible museum for ANY train lover, and as Japan is one of the most innovative and advanced in train technology, this is a no-brainer if you're stopping by Nagoya. I grew up in love with trains so this was an incredible experience for me. From outside, the museum looks like a warehouse. You'd be right to think that - it's FILLED with tons and tons and tons of trains. A good majority of the trains are actually restored and visitors can walk through them (though you can't sit) and experience what it's like to ride in different cars. The highlight for me was seeing all of the Shinkansen trains, literally 4 generations lined up next to each other. Of course, any museum wouldn't be complete without some demos of the latest technology as well as history. There's a simulator and room dedicated to showing off the SCMaglev, which is a new magnetic levitation railway system that is in the works. It's a really sleek train and shows off Japan's advanced technology. For kids, I think the trains speak for themselves. But the museum also contains the country's largest miniature train display, where it shows a busy day in Japan. Japan is powered by trains and seeing dozens of trains moving around the giant room at the same time was really entertaining. The museum was one of the biggest highlights of my trip to Japan. We travelled by train literally every single day, so being able to fully experience the museum made me appreciate them even more. I highly recommend this museum, even if it's out of the way, for anyone with even a remote interest in trains.

We were going to the Sumo tournament and the Toyota Plant Tour and I found out about this railway park. I remember enjoying the train and subway museum in Tokyo and enjoying the simulators and the toy trains there. It was fun but it seemed like the smaller kids were having more of a good time. Overall, an older man and an 18-year-old young man were bored by most. The simulators were fun if you went at the highest level. We couldn't do the Shinkansen one because it was by lottery and it had already filled up and closed. I am sure that would be fun. The kid shop was chaos at the end with screaming little kids running all over the place.