ShigaTravel

Tour the original old Nagahama Station building. Museum exhibits of locomotives heighten the retro travel atmosphere

About this spot

A railway museum that preserves and exhibits the old Nagahama Station building, constructed in 1882, designated as a railroad historic monument as Japan's oldest surviving station building. The Western-style station building has its original waiting room and station master's office recreated, preserving the very atmosphere of travel during the era of civilization's flowering. The adjacent Hokuriku Line Electrification Museum features the actual D51 steam locomotive and ED70 electric locomotive on display, and you can even climb into the driver's cab for commemorative photos. Tracing the history of Nagahama as a junction where rail and lake transport once flourished connects to the journey you've made today, bringing deep emotion. From the second-floor deck, you can also watch current Hokuriku Main Line trains passing by, allowing you to conclude your trip immersed in retro nostalgia.

Tips

Just a 3-minute walk from JR Nagahama Station, on the way toward the Kurogane Square area. Admission is affordable at ¥300 for adults, and the compact museum can be seen in about an hour. The museum closes at 5 p.m. (last entry 30 minutes before closing), so plan accordingly if visiting late afternoon. Railway dioramas and the locomotive cab viewing will delight adults as well, bringing out the child in everyone.