Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum, Kyoto

Shibuya246 · 3 March 2013 · 1 min read · 3 photos

The C61 2 getting ready for the Steam-go ride. Plenty of steam on a cold morning.

On a cold Sunday morning I went to the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum in Umekoji Park, a short walk west of Kyoto Station.

The best part was seeing a real steam engine in action. The Steam-go ride was getting ready to go, and the whole platform disappeared in clouds of steam.

The fan-shaped engine shed at Umekoji with its big sign on the roof — The engine shed, with the museum's name in big letters along the roof.

Valves, pipes and pressure gauges inside the cab of a steam locomotive — Inside the cab: valves, pipes and gauges everywhere.

The old engines line up in the fan-shaped shed around a turntable, and you can see right into the cab. Afterwards I walked across the park to the Kyoto Aquarium.

I took these photos in March 2013 and only got round to posting them in 2026.

Visiting today · Kyoto, Kansai

Visiting Kyoto Railway Museum, Umekoji, Kyoto today

Checked October 2026 · next check January 2027

Added by Shibuya246, separate from the original post above. Facts are checked every quarter against the sources below. Check opening times and prices before you go.

What it is: The Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum in this post closed in 2015 and became part of the Kyoto Railway Museum, which JR West opened on the same site in 2016. The 1914 roundhouse and its steam engines are still there.
Getting there: JR Sagano Line one stop to Umekoji-Kyotonishi, then 2 minutes' walk; City Bus 205 or 208 (about 10 minutes); or a 20-minute walk.
Hours: 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30). Closed Wednesdays and 30 Dec–1 Jan.
Admission: ¥1,500 adults; ¥1,300 university/high school; ¥500 junior high/elementary; ¥200 age 3+
SL Steam ride: The short steam train ride still runs: ¥300, or ¥100 for ages 3 to junior high. Tickets are sold at the steam locomotive platform from opening time.
Tip: Check the museum calendar before going, as there are extra closed days beyond Wednesdays. The Kyoto Aquarium is a short walk across Umekoji Park.