Yokohama Tram Preservation Museum

The Yokohama Tram Museum, officially known as the Yokohama Municipal Tramway Museum, opened in 1973 to commemorate the city's tramway system. The tram network began operation in 1904 as the Yokohama Electric Railway Company, with the city taking over in 1921. After being destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and rebuilt by 1930, the system was again devastated during World War II bombing in 1945. By 1956, daily ridership had grown to over 364,000 passengers before the tram service was discontinued in 1972 due to increasing automobile traffic. The museum was rebuilt in 1983 on the first floor of a municipal housing complex.

The museum preserves an important chapter of Yokohama's urban transportation history, showcasing how the tram system served as the backbone of public transit for nearly 70 years. The collection includes seven Yokohama tram cars displayed indoors under preserved conditions, representing different eras of the system's operation. Notable vehicles include Type 500, a 1928-built two-axle car with modern two-tone livery, and Type 1500, introduced in 1957 as a high-performance car following P.C.C. technology. The exhibition recreates the atmosphere of an actual tram depot, complete with original stop signs and paving stones.

Visitors can freely enter and explore the preserved tram carriages, sitting in the conductor's chair and experiencing the vehicles firsthand. The museum features what is described as the largest O gauge model railway layout in Japan, along with HO scale and N gauge layouts. A significant collection of model trains, including old steam locomotives, coaches, and electric multiple units, is displayed in showcases—most donated from the family of the late Mr. Yoshimura, a Yokohama railway enthusiast.

The history exhibition section presents photographs, materials, and a large-scale route map documenting the tramway network's development. A highlight is the subway train simulator modeled on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Type 2000 EMU, where visitors can operate a train from Kami-Nagaya station to Kannai station with assistance from museum staff.

The museum is located near JR Negishi Station on the Negishi Line, approximately 10 minutes from Yokohama Station. From Negishi Station, take bus route #21 or #78 to Shiden-Hozonkan, the terminal stop, which takes about 7 minutes. Alternatively, taxis provide convenient direct access. Admission is ¥300 for high school students and adults, and ¥100 for children aged 3 through junior high school. The museum is closed on Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday) and during New Year holidays from December 29 to January 3, though it remains open daily during spring, summer, and winter vacation periods.