On the east side of Tokyo, outside the Yamanote loop, the Tokyo Metro system has a decent museum devoted to the history of underground rail travel in the nation's capital.
It's actually located under some Tokyo Metro tracks, because in this part of town the Metro line runs above ground. Many Metro lines continue on as train lines with other companies. For example, the Hanzomon and Hibiya lines become express and local service trains on the Tobu SkyTree line.
The highlights of the museum are the two old train cars.
The yellow car, number 1001, was the first Tokyo Metro car, built in 1927.
The red car is from a somewhat modern age, with nice soft fabric seats but plenty of advertisements, modern lighting, and air conditioning.
The yellow car is outfitted with mannequins in period clothing.
To get onto the old yellow train, though, you need to go through the turnstile. Just put a 100 yen coin in the slot. (You get the coin back.) Handicapped people can bypass the gate. But what's the fun in that?
From there you walk onto a "platform" with old advertisements and benches.
Ahh, on the train. There's a nice family out for a shopping trip, perhaps. And a businessman by the window. The conductor is ready to operate the doors to send the train to the next station.
The buttons on the top open the doors. To close, push the buttons on the bottom. Had enough of the train? Let's see how the Metro system functions.
A mock control center is the next display, and the screens can even be changed by pushing buttons. You can't control the tracks, but I think the displays are actual real-time train status displays.
Continuing on, there's a giant tunnel with some equipment next to it and inside to show how the tunnel is constructed and maintained.
This might be the third or fourth time I've seen a working display of how the train can attach to and be removed from the power supply using compressed air.
And here's a look at the electric motors the train uses.
There are lots of interactive stations in the back end of the museum. I believe there was a TV screen in front of this "train" so you could "operate" a train.
The actual simulators were really popular. Kids were getting back in line to try again and again.
And every train museum must have model trains. I'm not familiar with this part of Tokyo...
But I see Tokyo Dome on the right of this photo!
There's a small shop selling train goods and some Tokyo Metro specifics. A couple lines have their own merchandise too. Nine of the subway lines have their own mouse pads, for 500 yen each.
The Chikahaku (Underground Museum) is open 10:00-17:00 daily except Mondays and around New Year. If I'm translating accurately, the museum is open on the first two Mondays of August for summer vacation. Admission is 210 yen, though in April it will probably increase due to the tax increase.
The website (in Japanese only) notes that the store prices will increase, but I didn't see any details on museum admission.
Access is simple; take the Tozai subway line to Kasai Station. Be sure to take a
local train. Use the east exit and follow the signs. If you're coming from Tokyo, you'll need to walk back under the train tracks as the entrance is on the south side of the tracks.
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