On April 29, 2026, the Kyoto Railway Museum in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City, held a commemorative ceremony to mark its 10th anniversary. Officials cut the ribbon in front of exhibited vehicles, including the 500 Series Shinkansen, to celebrate the museum's ten-year journey.
The Kyoto Railway Museum opened on April 29, 2016. It occupies a site of approximately 30,000 square meters and houses 54 exhibited vehicles. JR West owns the land and buildings, and the Transportation Culture Promotion Foundation (Osaka City) operates the museum. According to the Kyoto Railway Museum, approximately 7.5 million people have visited the museum over the past 10 years.
At the 10th-anniversary ceremony, the music unit "Ooseto Chishima" performed "Kijou no Kanata" (Beyond the Tracks), a song inspired by the Kyoto Railway Museum. In his address, JR West President Shoji Kurazaka outlined the museum's future vision, stating, "We plan to open a VR (virtual reality) exhibit using the latest technology by the end of the year. We are also proceeding with renovations to utilize the former Nijo Station building, a Kyoto City-designated tangible cultural property."
After the ceremony, Director Toshihiro Matsuoka expressed his aspirations for the future, saying, "We want to ensure that the value of the exhibits reaches not only domestic visitors but also international visitors." The museum is currently decorated with special commemorative decorations, and admission is free for children born in 2016 until June 30th. The museum is closed on Wednesdays (except May 6th).
