Japan Railway Enthusiast’s Paradise: Mini SL & Simulator in Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park
In this video, I take you to Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, a railway enthusiast’s paradise located in Gunma Prefecture. This park is packed with amazing railway attractions, including retired electric locomotives (EL), the famous “Azusa” Limited Express, and various steam locomotives (SL). I experienced the park’s train simulators, admired detailed dioramas and layouts, and rode the mini steam train (SL) and the Aputo-kun rack railway. There was even a chance to ride a trolley!
For lunch, I savored a delicious beef and tofu (niku-dofu) meal, and I also witnessed the powerful departure of a steam locomotive! However, one of the highlights was my terrifying experience with the EF65 simulator. The staff warned me that it was extremely challenging, with many people unable to complete it in just a few minutes. But I was determined to give it a try!
This park offers activities you won’t find anywhere else, including the opportunity to take a course and actually drive a real EF63 electric locomotive. That’s now on my bucket list for the future!
Since there are so many activities, this video is a bit long. So, I’ve split it into two parts. This is part one (the first half), and part two will be released soon, so please subscribe to the channel and stay tuned!
I’ve put a lot of time into creating this video to share my fun experience with you all. If you notice anything in the video that needs correcting, please let me know in the comments. I strive to follow good filming etiquette, ensuring children are prioritized and avoiding any unnecessary intrusions.
If you’re from abroad and planning to visit Japan, I highly recommend this incredible experience! On this channel, I cover a variety of train travel experiences, including luxury trains, sightseeing trains, and visits to railway museums. I’m still a small creator, so your likes, subscriptions, and comments are a huge support! Many of you watching aren’t subscribed yet—please subscribe, you won’t regret it! Thank you for watching until the end.
🚃 Admission and Prices: 🚃
Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park Set Ticket (includes admission, mini SL ride, Aputo-kun, trolley ride): ¥2,400
EF63 Driving Experience Card: ¥1,000 + One Driving Session: ¥1,000
Azusa Limited Express Simulator: ¥100
Gacha Capsule Toy: ¥500
Beef Tofu Set Meal: ¥1,000
Grape Fanta: ¥150
Daruma Bento: ¥1,300
Hello Kitty Daruma Bento: ¥1,380
Draft Beer: ¥420
Corn Dog: ¥250
Yakisoba (Fried Noodles): ¥500
Strawberry Shaved Ice: ¥450
Vanilla Ice Cream: ¥340
🚆 Trains: 🚆
EL and SL Gunma Yokokawa
Mini SL
Aputo-kun Rack Railway
“Thomas & Friends” Trains
🚉 Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park – Access & Information 🚉
Address: 407-16 Matsuida, Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture
Closest station: JR Yokokawa Station, a 3-minute walk from the park
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed on Tuesdays
🕒 Video Timeline: 🕒
0:00 Opening
0:15 EL and SL Gunma Yokokawa Arrival
2:18 Departure
4:16 Ice Cream Purchase
5:13 Arrival at Yokokawa Station
6:10 Current Location
6:53 Entering the Park
8:31 Main Train Exhibition Area
13:18 Mini SL Ride
19:42 Railway Museum
21:15 Train Exhibits
23:32 Operating the 189 Series “Limited Express Asama”
26:49 Depot Tour (Signals and Railroad Crossings)
29:00 Viewing the Aputo System Locomotive
31:12 Aputo-kun Ride
37:22 Lunch (Beef Tofu Meal)
39:44 Thomas and Anpanman Trains
40:47 EL and SL Gunma Yokokawa Departure
43:05 Next Episode Preview
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🚂 Thank you for boarding Choo-Choo Travel! 🚂
#railway #train #simulator
4 Comments
I love SL!!! 🚂❤
Thank you for sharing this great video! Greetings from Chile!
I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit to the Heritage Park. Your excitement and interest in the trains makes me enjoy your videos even more. The vintage train with sofa and tatami seating was so beautiful and a pleasant surprise. The mini SL train was so cute. I would like to ride on it one day. Your videos always brighten my day, and I will be glad when you post the second part of your train adventure. Tanoshimidesu! 🚂🇯🇵
Exelente video un museo muy bonito y espectacular, que bueno que se pueda hacer despedida a la SL, es impresionante ver cómo se le tiene gran cariño. Me gusta de su cultura que si le tiene gran cariño a los trenes. Saludos desde México 🖐️🇲🇽🇯🇵