City - 5 train museums (metro area)

Train simulators, room-size train layouts, vintage uniforms and full-size locomotives - where are the best places in town for train buffs to indulge? These train-related museums are spread all over the map, but at least none of them are far from a train station.

5. "Steam Locomotive Show" at Tobu Museum (Sumida-ku)

Held four times a day, it's just three minutes of spinning wheels and loud whistle noises from a vintage steam locomotive, but it's the most popular attraction at Tobu's transportation museum.

There's also a 13-minute show representing a day in the life of Tobu Railways, starting with the first trains at dawn.

4. Six vintage train cars and a miniature train ride at Keio Rail Land (Hino City)

Younger visitors can try on conductor uniforms and caps and pose for pictures at this very kid-friendly museum across the road from Tama Zoo.

Train simulators, model-train control booths and a cute outdoor mini-train line are other popular attractions.

3. Tunneling equipment and subway maps at the Metro Museum (Edogawa-ku)

In addition to hands-on driving simulators there are exhibits of old subway cars, subway maps and tunneling equipment, and a cut-away city diorama with several daily shows.

Subway-themed playing cards, chopsticks and umbrellas make nice souvenirs from the gift shop.

2. A warehouse-size layout at Hara Model Railway Museum (Yokohama)

Marvel at one of the world's biggest indoor dioramas, complete with European-style town squares, outdoor restaurants, and mountain resorts connected by cable cars. A live MC announces the day's schedule of individual model train runs.

1. A train lover's paradise at the Railway Museum (Omiya)

This expensively produced museum has pretty much everything train fans could want to see. The centerpiece is a collection of 35 real train cars and life-size reproductions from various eras, including early steam locomotives.

Upstairs on the second floor is a 200-square-meter HO-gauge layout, and out behind the main building there's a pretty nice miniature railway line. There are also five different train simulators, including the world's only steam-locomotive simulator.

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Where In Tokyo, your guide to fun things to do in the big city.

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Where In Tokyo, your guide to fun things to do in the big city.

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