The Old Shimbashi Station Railway History Exhibition Hall — Attraction in Tokyo

Very impressive in-situ reconstruction of Japan's first train station. All the original stone foundations were encased under glass with the entire replica station built above them. Even the zero milestone was preserved with similarly aged tracks. The eastern half of the station building contains a free but small museum (no cameras allowed) within which you can view all sorts of Japanese rail history artefacts relevant to the Shiodome...

日本最初の鉄道路線の起点である、初代の新橋駅の駅舎を再現して開設された展示室である。無料で誰でも利用でき、スロープやエレベーターも完備しているため車椅子などの障碍を持つ方でも利用しやすい（但しコインロッカーが無いため、大きな荷物を所持している人は事前に預けた上で利用した方がよい）。 建物自体がそれほど大きくないからか、それに応じて展示室も比較的小さい。展示物を見て回るだけであれば30分程度程度で済む。また、新橋や汐留界隈の鉄道及びその周辺の歴史の紹介に焦点を当てているため、広くあまねく鉄道もしくは交通の歴史を学ぶことを期待すると、期待外れに思うかもしれない。それでも、発掘されたかつての新橋駅の遺構を間近で見ることが出来る、というのは非常に興奮を覚えるだろう。 英語の説明も併記されているが、一部の展示に留まっている。

This exhibition hall was established in the original Shimbashi Station, the starting point of Japan's first railroad line. It's open to all visitors free of charge, and is equipped with slopes and elevators, making it easy for visitors with disabilities such as wheelchairs to use (however, there are no coin lockers, so visitors with large luggage should leave it in advance before using the museum). Perhaps because the building itself is not that large, the exhibition rooms are correspondingly small. It takes only about 30 minutes just to look around the exhibits. The museum focuses on the history of the railroads in and around the Shinbashi and Shiodome areas, so if you expect to learn about the history of railroads or transportation in a broad sense, you may be disappointed. Still, it's exciting to see the excavated remains of the former Shimbashi Station up close. The museum has English explanations, but only some of the exhibits...

I recently visited the Old Shimbashi Station in Tokyo, a fascinating spot for anyone interested in Japan's railway history. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the station's stones were brought from the Izu Peninsula, which I had visited before—it was amazing to feel a connection to another beautiful part of Japan! The staff were exceptionally welcoming and knowledgeable, eager to share details about the station’s background.

The visit also included a look at the traditional green tea manufacturing process, which added an authentic touch to the experience. I tried the matcha latte, and with a bit of sugar, it transformed into a refreshing drink that tasted remarkably like sugarcane. This place is a hidden gem in Tokyo and perfect for visitors looking to enjoy a blend of history, culture, and unique...