Kyoto Railway Museum

The Kyoto Railway Museum, run by JR West, tells the story of Japan's railways through the real thing. Opened in 2016 on the site of the old Umekoji engine depot, a short walk west of Kyoto Station, it is one of the largest railway museums in the country, with more than fifty full-size trains on display across three floors and an outdoor yard. The main hall lines up icons of Japanese rail history: cars of the original 0 Series Shinkansen, the train that launched high-speed rail in 1964; the 500 Series, with its fighter-jet profile; elegant sleeper-train locomotives and dining cars; and earlier electric and diesel trains, many of which you can step inside. Exhibits explain how signals, tracks and maintenance work, and there are driving simulators, a huge model railway diorama with regular shows, and hands-on displays for children. The highlight for many is the fan-shaped Umekoji roundhouse, a brick engine shed dating from 1914 and an Important Cultural Property, where around twenty steam locomotives are lined up around a working turntable — some of them still in steam. The SL Steam train ride runs a short round trip behind one of them on a dedicated track, a small extra fee, and it is a highlight for train lovers of every age. Upstairs, the Skyterrace looks over the main lines into Kyoto Station, where Shinkansen and limited-express trains pass constantly with the Kyoto Tower behind. The museum is open from 10am to 5pm and closed on Wednesdays.

This is the best family attraction in Kyoto, and much more than a museum for children. Even travelers with no particular interest in trains tend to enjoy the scale of the main hall, the craftsmanship of the old locomotives, and the chance to understand the extraordinary railway system they have been using since landing in Japan. Allow two to three hours, more if you want to try the simulators — which are popular and often need a ticket drawn by lottery or booked on arrival on busy days — and watch the diorama show. The steam train ride is short, a gentle ten minutes or so, but the smell of coal smoke, the whistle and the turntable are unforgettable; check the day's departure times on arrival.

Plan around the closing day. The museum is closed on Wednesdays, except when Wednesday is a public holiday, and over the New Year period, so check before you set off. Weekends and school holidays are busy with Japanese families; weekdays are calmer. Tickets bought through Tiqets as a mobile entry ticket save a queue at the ticket windows in busy periods. There are restaurants and a cafe on site, including one serving dining-car style meals, and a shop full of railway goods. Many trains on display can be boarded, and the outdoor area has space for children to burn off energy.

The museum sits in Umekoji Park, a large green space in the area west of Kyoto Station that is also home to the Kyoto Aquarium, making the two a natural pairing for a family day. Getting there: walk about twenty minutes west from Kyoto Station, take a city bus to the Umekoji Koen stops, or ride one stop on the JR Sagano Line to Umekoji-Kyotonishi Station, which is right by the museum. If you are heading to Arashiyama afterward, that same line continues west.