Kyushu Railway History Museum

The Kyushu Railway History Museum is an impressive, massive red brick building. This building is the former headquarters of the old Kyushu Railway Company, which was established in 1891 as Kyushu's first railroad company. Many materials are on display on the premises, allowing visitors to enjoy learning about the history of Kyushu's railroads.
The first thing that catches the eye upon entering the main building is the passenger coaches that were used from the Meiji period to the early Showa period. The design of the carriages, with their tatami-mat seats and sliding windows that remind us of the era, has been preserved in its original state, allowing visitors to imagine the realistic scenes of travel in those days. There is also a simulator that makes you feel like a train driver, and model trains featuring popular Kyushu trains.
On the second floor, in addition to elaborate models and documents of steam locomotives, the uniforms of railroad workers from past generations are on display. Visitors can also get a close-up look at valuable items such as the number plates of historically famous trains and long-distance tickets from the Showa period.
In the outdoor exhibition area, visitors can see a variety of actual rolling stocks that once traveled throughout Kyushu! Among them, the only prewar mechanical diesel train in Japan that still retains its original form is designated as a National Important Cultural Property and is well worth a visit. In the miniature railroad park equipped with realistic double tracks and signals, visitors can experience driving a train just like a real one. Children and adults who are train fans will surely be fascinated by the experience.