Kyoto · Kyoto Station
Kyoto Railway Museum
The Kyoto Railway Museum opened on 29 April 2016 at the west end of Umekoji Park, and according to the park's operators it is one of the largest of its kind in Japan. It sits on the Umekoji rail yard, which the railway bought in 1913, and the following year Kyoto's freight station and locomotive depot opened there.
The heart of the museum is the fan-shaped locomotive shed, protected as a national cultural property, with real steam locomotives standing inside. You can watch a locomotive turn on the turntable in the middle, and on the SL Steam ride a steam locomotive pulls passenger cars for a separate fee. Inside there is also one of the largest railway dioramas in Japan and train driving simulators.
Good to know
- You may bring food and eat it in the designated areas, and the museum also has a restaurant and bento for sale. This saves going out for a meal in the middle of the day.
- From Kyoto Station you can walk about 20 minutes west through Umekoji Park. The aquarium is on the way, at the other end of the same park.
- The Kyoto Tower website sells a combined ticket for the tower and the Railway Museum, cheaper than two separate tickets.
What is nearby
Approximate walking minutes from the entrance of Kyoto Railway Museum.
- HereKyoto Railway Museum
- ~4 min
Umekoji Park Chin-Chin Densha More to see
A car of the first model of Kyoto's city streetcar runs on a short track inside the park. A one-way ticket is ¥150, a day ticket ¥310.
- ~4 min
Shiden Hiroba Umekoji Cafe
Old cars of Kyoto's city streetcar turned into a cafe and a streetcar souvenir shop. Soft-serve ice cream made with milk from Miyama and a bun shaped like a streetcar hand strap.
- ~4 min
Umekoji Park Cafe Cafe
A cafe in the middle of the park, on the path between the aquarium and the Railway Museum. Pizza and curry with Kyoto vegetables, udon with Kujo green onion and desserts, and you can take almost everything for a picnic on the lawn.
- ~5 min
Shizuya Shichijo Food
A branch of Kyoto's local bakery chain, with 38 seats and breakfast and lunch. The best sellers are Karune, the chain's signature bun, and a cutlet sandwich.
- ~6 min
Kobushi Ramen Food
A ramen shop that made Tabelog's list of the 100 best ramen shops in western Japan every year from 2017 to 2025. The best-known dish is ramen in a broth of Kyoto duck and nodoguro fish. Cash only.
More in Kyoto Station
Appears in: Kids' day in Kyoto: the Railway Museum, the Aquarium, To-ji and Kyoto Tower