Yokohama Tram Museum

[Aleks]

I tried to search the forum but did not find any hits. Apparently there is a Tram Museum in Yokohama, or Tram Preservation Museum to be exact.

 

https://www.shiden.yokohama/

 

Location: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yokohama+Tram+Museum/@35.4201833,139.6216608,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x60185cbbd699572d:0x51e7985f8d04219e!8m2!3d35.4201326!4d139.6238636, about 15 minutes walk (or a bus ride) from the Negishi Station on the Keihin Tohoku Line.

 

Seven legacy trams inside, and a model railroad that looks like a combination of Unitram with local trams, subway and some railroad lines. Apparently you can operate parts of the layout as well. There may also be a Plarail layout for rental. Some interactive CG display where you can drive a tram. Also some shelf models from a private collection.

 

Naturally, it is located inside a former depot, the rest of the premises naturally being occupied by a bus facility.

 

I wonder if anyone may have stumbled into there.

 

 

[bill937ca]

 

[bill937ca]

 

[bikkuri bahn]

I went there several (~10 years?) ago.  Very good collection of trams, perhaps the largest under a single roof in Japan?  I think the fact that it's a Yokohama City-run museum is what kept the collection from being scattered/scrapped.  I went there before the simulator/interactive boom, so it was pretty basic in terms of exhibits, but the important part (for me), the collection of trams, was there. Good to visit if you have time to go over to Negishi, on the Keihin Tohoku Line.  You may see some petrol trains on the sidings at that JR Station, if the timing is right.

[miyakoji]

Added to my ever growing itinerary 🙂

[Sean]

I wasn't aware of this place, it looks nice!  My 8 year old son is really interested in trams now since we took a ride on the Randen in Kyoto last month.  I've got to get him up to Yokohama before his interest inevitably moves on to other things 🙂 

[ED75-775]

8 hours ago, Aleks said:

I tried to search the forum but did not find any hits. Apparently there is a Tram Museum in Yokohama, or Tram Preservation Museum to be exact.

 

https://www.shiden.yokohama/

 

Location: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yokohama+Tram+Museum/@35.4201833,139.6216608,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x60185cbbd699572d:0x51e7985f8d04219e!8m2!3d35.4201326!4d139.6238636, about 15 minutes walk (or a bus ride) from the Negishi Station on the Keihin Tohoku Line.

 

Seven legacy trams inside, and a model railroad that looks like a combination of Unitram with local trams, subway and some railroad lines. Apparently you can operate parts of the layout as well. There may also be a Plarail layout for rental. Some interactive CG display where you can drive a tram. Also some shelf models from a private collection.

 

Naturally, it is located inside a former depot, the rest of the premises naturally being occupied by a bus facility.

 

I wonder if anyone may have stumbled into there.

I've been mildly aware of it for a little bit, just from Google Maps hunting.

 

From pointing my Papago app at a Yokohama tramway album, I've learned that the museum actually dates back to 25 August 1973 when the first iteration opened in the former Takitou depot with seven trams (all of which are obviously still on site). It remained open on Saturday afternoons only until March 1981, then closed for a little over two years for renovations before reopening on 13 August 1983, this time open six days a week excluding year-end and New Years holidays.

 

According to the same book, its author Hasegawa Hirokazu was responsible for influencing the museum to repaint tram 523 in its original color scheme from 1928, which took place in 1975. Hirokazu also mentions slightly earlier in his book that Takitou depot was also responsible for demolition of the remaining Yokohama tram fleet that wasn't either sold or preserved.

 

Needless to say, this museum is on my list of potential 'things to do' this year when I go back to Japan this May alongside a return visit to the Hara Model Railway Museum and of course, the train shops Paolo recommended in his videos. One can never visit enough model train shops in their lifetime!

 

3 hours ago, bikkuri bahn said:

Good to visit if you have time to go over to Negishi, on the Keihin Tohoku Line.  You may see some petrol trains on the sidings at that JR Station, if the timing is right.

Saw the sidings full of TaKis on Google Maps. Looks interesting... but that's the last thing I need, more suggestive rabbit holes to go down! My collection's already eating me out of house and home as is!

 

Alastair