KYOTO, Nov 27 — In Kuala Lumpur, I drive everywhere. Even though there is an LRT station right across from my home, I always find an excuse not to take public transport.
When I’m travelling, however, I like nothing more than to commute by train and Japan’s ultra efficient railway system makes it not only easy to get around, but is also a great way to immerse in some of the country’s culture and essence.
To begin with, there are the massive train stations; on my first trip to Japan nearly 10 years ago, my hotel insisted that I called them before boarding the Narita Express to Tokyo Station, and provide them with my carriage number.
Upon arrival, a porter was waiting to usher me all the way to the hotel, which was just next door but took a good 15 minutes of navigation through what felt like a maze. I was certain I would have gotten hopelessly lost within the station itself had the hotel not sent help!
But to be right smack in the midst of rapid human traffic, rush hour congestion, myriad audio and visual stimuli to take in all around — there is a sense of authenticity to the madness, the bustle that helps define the busy metropolis that is Tokyo and Japan’s other large cities.
Then there’s the ekiben, portable bento meals that are eaten on long distance shinkansen rides that you can buy from kiosks at the stations or sometimes, push carts on board the trains. Choosing one is an exercise in itself, led by sight (they’re all colourful and pretty) and mainly guesswork — I never know half of what’s in my chosen ekiben but I always enjoy the discovery.
Tucking into these beautifully presented platters, with each component separated into neat compartments, while whizzing past urban centres and into the countryside remains one of my favourite “meals with views” encounters.
Japan’s trains thus represent more than just a mode of transportation for me, but are woven into the travel experience. They lie quietly under the radar, ubiquitous across the country and every traveller is bound to experience it at some point, yet are not an attraction in itself.
Not until the Kyoto Railway Museum came to be, that is. It’s not the only train museum in Japan nor the first, but it is the biggest to date. Opened this April, the sprawling gallery (30,000 square metres) feeds the curiosity of every locomotive enthusiast with displays of actual trains — there are more than 50, including antique models — and an in-depth look into the workings, mechanics, historical and cultural significance of the city’s train networks from its early days to present time.
There are replicas of early train stations, showcases of traditional station masters’ uniforms and accessories, interactive units that show you exactly how various parts of the trains work — including the manual changing of timetable displays from back in the day.
The documentations and details of each display are astounding, although most information is in Japanese but you can rent an audio guide to navigate through the exhibits.
You can easily spend a day at the museum but if you have limited time, here are the highlights worth making time for:
Learn to drive a train
So you think it’s easy to operate a train? Try your hand at it, at the Driving Simulator, which has scheduled sessions each day. Admission is by luck, however — you submit your entry ticket ahead of time, then wait for the lucky draw to see if you’re one of the chosen ones.
If you are, you first attend a briefing on how the simulator works and then off you go to your individual station and attempt to safely “drive” a train to the correct station.
Watch a diorama of Kyoto’s train network
Presented within a small auditorium setting, this is the biggest diorama in Japan and it showcases multiple trains from different regions, companies and through various eras. An operator helms the control while providing a “live” commentary on what’s what. Sessions are timed and you’d want to make your way there early to book a good seat.
Dine inside a train, or watch them go by
As part of the train models displayed outside the Main Building, one carriage is reserved as a dining room where you can tuck into ekiben or light snacks. There’s no moving vista through the window though, but if that’s what you want, head to the restaurant inside the building. Wraparound windows look out to actual train tracks that lead to Kyoto Station, so find your spot and enjoy a proper meal while watching different locomotives trundle past.
Ride a steam train
The appeal of steam trains is easy to understand: They’re old school, rustic, and recall the romance and elegance of a bygone era. Buy your ticket (JPY300 [RM12] per person) from the machine on the platform, then find your seat on board the small train, which has open carriages that you can look out from all sides and ends.
The steam billows away as anticipation builds and as it chugs along the tracks, the whistling that signals its movement cuts through the air to set the mood. It’s a short distance but takes time, as steam engines do. As it passes Umekoji Park on its left, don’t be surprised to see people walking past and overtaking the train. It was the longest shortest train ride I have ever taken.
See Japan’s oldest roundhouse turntable
You don’t see train depots like this anymore: A roundhouse platform, with 20 tracks connected to a turntable. Built in 1914, it has been designated an Important Cultural Property. Parked inside the roundhouse are 15 steam locomotives from the 19th and 20th centuries, and you can actually climb inside some of them to take a look at the drivers’ consoles.
Get a sweeping view of Kyoto
Head to the third floor of the Main Building, where the Sky Terrace serves as both a lounging garden and a vantage point to take in views of the city centre. Like the restaurant, it looks out over the train tracks and you can also spot some of Kyoto’s attractions in the distance, such as Toji Temple.
The one irony of the Kyoto Railway Museum is that you can’t connect to it via the city’s train network. Access is either on foot (20 minutes from Kyoto Station) or by bus. But you can walk through what used to be the Nijo Station building, a picturesque structure boasting ancient Japanese architecture, as you exit.
It also houses the Museum Shop where you can take home all manners of train-shaped or inspired memento, from baby booties to stationery and if you must, candy shaped like charcoal that’s an ode to the steam trains.
Kyoto Railway Museum is at Kankijicho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
Opens 10am-5.30pm; closed Wednesdays
Admission JPY1,200 [RM48] (adult) Audio guide rental JPY500 (RM20)
Getting there 20 minutes’ walk from Kyoto Station (West Gate); a number of buses stop right in front of the museum and also at the adjacent Umekoji Park — refer to the museum’s website for details http://www.kyotorailwaymuseum.jp/en
Vivian Chong is a freelance writer-editor and an avid traveller. Follow her adventures at http://thisbunnyhops.com
