During my trip to Japan in the winter of 2023, I happened to do a lot of work related to trains and train accessories. This is Part 1 of my experience, focusing on the Railway Museum in Omiya, Saitama.
Railway Museum
Owned and operated by Japan Railways, the museum displays exhibits about the country’s trains, as well as actual decommissioned train cars. Seeing and sometimes even walking through trains throughout Japan’s railway history is a fun experience that soothes two itches: an interest in exploring cultural developments and a love of for large machines. Whether it was going inside the first high-speed train, seeing a train fit for the emperor, or learning about hand-powered cars that use rails, I learned a lot from simply It’s simply there.
It’s also a restaurant that serves authentic train canteen dishes from the past, but unfortunately, I had lunch plans that prevented me from eating there. However, I did buy some microwaveable Chinese curry to try at a later date (more on that in the future).
A highlight was seeing the kids love being there. While some museums often have adults dragging bored children into them, this is not the case at all. These young train fans were captivated by everything they saw, and some even dressed up as conductors. It made me realize that train otaku in Japan start at a young age—a recurring theme I saw throughout my trip.
Shinkalion Short
Speaking of children’s items, I was happy to learn that the Railway Museum is showing two short films from Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion: The Animation, a mecha anime about bullet train transformations. Specifically, they are Shinkalion: The Animation—360° The Movie and Shinkalion: The Animation—360° The Movie: The New Driver. Both cost a little more—about 700 yen each—with each taking about 5 to 8 minutes. The seating capacity is quite small (about 20 seats), but I also saw some children and parents watching. They also have screenings throughout the day so anyone curious can attend at their convenience.
Both shorts take place in the world of the anime, with the second film taking place later in the story than the other and including the audience as the “new driver.” The key to these short films is that they were shot in 3D and (as implied) in 360 degrees. As the laser beam flies away, you can look over your shoulder to see it disappear into the distance. Those are the little fun things that I’m happy to experience.
Coincidentally, the series’ producers announced a new anime for Christmas called Shinkalion: Change the World. The characters look a bit more mature than the previous series and I wonder if they are aimed at a slightly older audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8EquaK2dXSA[nội dung được nhúng]
That’s all for now. Please look forward to Part 2!