Gunma · Permanent cultural facility
Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park
Beside Yokokawa Station, a former railway depot explains how trains conquered the steep Usui Pass. Compare preserved electric locomotives and Asama rolling stock with the railway-history displays and model layout. Small train rides cost extra and depend on the operating day.
What to see
- Full-size locomotives such as the ED42 and EF63 used on the pass
- Usui Line history, a model railway and outdoor rolling stock
JR Shinetsu Line Yokokawa Station → your visit
- About 35 minutes by local train from Takasaki; the park adjoins Yokokawa Station.
- By car, about 10 minutes from Matsuida-Myogi IC via Route 18. Parking is free for park visitors.
Outdoor display at the time of capture
Preserved EF63 locomotives 12 and 25 at Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, photographed 22 September 2024. This is not evidence of current operation, driving experiences or interior access.
Closures & important conditions
Closed Tuesdays except in August. A holiday Tuesday opens, with the next weekday closed. New Year closure is 29 December–4 January. The official monthly calendar also confirms continuous closure from 29 December 2026 through 5 January 2027.
- For 23 February 2027, a holiday Tuesday, the regular holiday-opening rule conflicts with the current monthly calendar’s closure marking. Confirm opening on 23–24 February directly with the park.
- The trolley normally runs on weekends/public holidays in March–November and during August’s Obon period. Its regular December–February suspension does not mean the whole park closes for winter.
- Much of the collection is outdoors. Bring winter layers and suitable shoes, and check official notices for weather or maintenance changes to rides.
Plan your visit
Checked: 2026-11-06 · a facility guide, not a dated festival listing
Hours & admission arrangements
March–October 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:30; November–February 09:00–16:30, last entry 16:00.
No mandatory reservation is stated for ordinary entry. Rides cost extra; check the day’s service. Driving a real EF63 is a separate reserved activity requiring training and a passed assessment, not an ordinary admission benefit.
- Admission: junior-high ages and older ¥900; elementary-school children ¥500; preschoolers free with a guardian.
- Apt-kun ride: ¥500 for junior-high ages and older, ¥300 for ages 4 through elementary school. Mini SL: ¥300/¥200 for the same groups. Check operating days and maintenance suspensions.
- The transport foundation’s museum directory lists two multipurpose toilets.
What still needs checking
- Wheelchair boarding/access to individual vehicles and rides, foreign-language interpretation and extra New Year operating changes.
- For 23 February 2027, a holiday Tuesday, the regular holiday-opening rule conflicts with the current monthly calendar’s closure marking. Confirm opening on 23–24 February directly with the park.
Official sources & photographs
- Official source 1 ↗
- Official source 2 ↗
- Official source 3 ↗
- Official source 4 ↗
- Official source 5 ↗
- Official source 6 ↗
Access to individual areas, exhibits and activities can vary by day.