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Museum Review: Hara Model Railway Museum

2023年3月5日 14:28

I visited the Hara Model Railway Museum for the first time at the request of a relative. I will write down my impressions.

To conclude, even for someone with zero interest in railways, the good points are: 1) there are aspects to learn from Nobutaro Hara's philosophy of life, and 2) the world-class diorama is, to some extent, overwhelming in its scale. After visiting, your perspective on railways might change, even if just by a millimeter.

It is about a 10-minute walk from Yokohama Station (though it took me longer as I am not used to Yokohama Station), and it is located on the second floor of what looks like an ordinary office building.
Note that purchasing a ticket at a convenience store is mandatory (there is a convenience store on the first floor of the same building where you can buy one). This is rare these days.
I think it is more common to buy online and show the issued QR code to enter. It is a hassle to buy at a convenience store when you are not used to it.

The sign in front of the entrance. It is on the second floor of an office building

It seems to be their 10th anniversary. The admission fee has remained 1,000 yen since it opened

The museum features an explanation of Nobutaro Hara, the models he collected, and in the final room, a world-class diorama is on display.

Nobutaro Hara was someone who loved railways so much since he was a child. He not only collected model trains but also built them himself, studied foreign languages, and actively traveled abroad to ride trains. It is said that about 1,000 of his approximately 6,000 various collection items, centered on models, are on display at this museum.

The biggest highlight of this museum is the "world-class diorama." It is on a 30m x 10m scale and has 6 tracks. Due to Nobutaro Hara's attention to detail, real iron is used for the rails and wheels, so it makes a realistic clattering sound. Also, it seems to be as close as possible to the mechanism of a real train, such as electricity flowing from the overhead lines to the pantograph, motor, wheels, and rails (I didn't know that).

The world-class diorama "Ichiban Tetsumo Park"

It is difficult to photograph moving trains. Is the trick to pre-focus the camera?

It is surprising that it is not just the wheels spinning

Nobutaro Hara's love for trains was so immense that he was not only famous in Japan, but was also asked by people overseas to part with his valuable models. Now, various models and photographs have become items of historical value.
Through the exhibits, I felt he showed me a dream that even without special talent (even as an amateur), you can become a professional in your field by condensing your passion into it.

In summary, the good points were: 1) there is learning to be had from Nobutaro Hara's character, 2) the diorama is impressive, and 3) even those with no interest in railways can get a glimpse into the world of trains. I think the 1,000 yen admission fee is appropriate. However, it was a shame that there was no souvenir shop (I wanted to buy postcards).

The first room you enter, "The Essence of Hara Models"

A model of the Orient Express. Even the inside of the passenger cabins is thoroughly reproduced

The second room, "Talking Models" and "Model Making Library"

The quality is so high that you wouldn't think it was a model made by human hands

The third room, "Vintage Collection" and "Photo Library." The equipment used for photography at the time was interesting. You really do have to be particular about cameras, don't you

You can view the vast collection of photos taken by Nobutaro Hara on a PC.

I was surprised by the existence of the 'suspended train' and the fact that a model of it existed.

Apparently, he bought it at an auction using an international phone call back then. I heard that a local museum later asked him to sell it to them.

'First-run tickets.' Proof of being the first passenger at that station. Nobutaro Hara was obsessed with collecting these first-run tickets, sometimes waiting in line for as long as a week.

The trains running on the diorama have a strictly defined schedule, which shows great attention to detail.

Diorama scenery. Day and night alternate every 10 minutes.

The train depot is also quite impressive.

It seems the Hara Model Railway Museum is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

In addition to the large diorama room, there is also a 'Yokohama Diorama' room. I managed to take a steady shot using focus locking.

I didn't know there were various standards for model railways.

Exhibition Name: -
Location: Hara Model Railway Museum
Satisfaction: ★★★☆☆
Conversational Level: ★★★★★
Stroller: Stress-free
Dates: -
Access: About 10 minutes from Yokohama Station
Admission (General): 1,000 yen
Advance Reservation: Advance purchase at a convenience store is mandatory. There is a convenience store right below the museum.
Exhibition Duration: About 1 hour
Crowd Level: Comfortable
Photography: All allowed
URL: https://www.hara-mrm.com/

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