What other travelers are saying about 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. 🚂✨
Hara Model Railway Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed on Mondays. Adult admission is 310 yen, children (4-15 years) 150 yen, and seniors (65+) 250 yen. The museum offers discounts for groups of 20 or more visitors.
Take the JR Tokaido Line from Tokyo to Kozu Station (about 1 hour), then transfer to the JR Gotemba Line to Shimosoga Station. The Hara Model Railway Museum is a 5-minute walk from Shimosoga Station. The total journey takes approximately 1.5-2 hours from central Tokyo.
Hara Model Railway Museum features the world's largest HO gauge model railway diorama covering 310 square meters, over 1,000 model trains including Japanese and international locomotives, interactive train simulators, and detailed miniature landscapes representing various regions of Japan and Europe.
Yes, Hara Model Railway Museum is very family-friendly with hands-on exhibits, train simulators that children can operate, educational displays about railway history, and spacious viewing areas. The museum offers reduced admission for children and has facilities including restrooms and a gift shop with model trains.
Popular attractions near Hara Model Railway Museum include Mount Fuji and Fuji Five Lakes region (30 minutes by car), Gotemba Premium Outlets for shopping, Hakone hot springs and Lake Ashi, and the scenic Izu Peninsula. Many visitors combine the museum with a Mount Fuji sightseeing trip.
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.
