Trains!

Not a great night. I woke up fresh and bright at 1.30. Got back to sleep, then Tom had a nose bleed at 4.00. He got back to sleep, but then he woke me up playing with his Lego at 5.00, so I ended up getting in bed with him. He was good and finally submitted to sleep at 6am when I crawled out of his bed and back to my own. I didn't get back to sleep, but Tom didn't wake up again until 8.30 - lucky thing. I wonder when the jet lag will leave us all?

What is the date?

It dawned grey and overcast. We were going to head over to the Sky Tower but instead thought a museum would be better as it was so overcast. We gave Tom a choice of things to do: Fire Fighting Museum, Natural History Museum or Train Museum. Guess what he choose? I'm not that sure why we gave him options, yep, it was the train museum.

We quickly got ready and headed to Hamamatsu-cho and got the Keihin-Tohoku line to Omiya, which took about an hour and then one stop down a little local line to the museum. The museum is quite new and of course, this being Japan, has been done very well indeed.

200 Series

First you enter a hall stuffed with old trains. There were at least 4 steam engines, plenty of old local engines and carriages, some very posh ceremonial carriages which we could view but not sit in. There was a Zero Series nose to look at and a whole 200 series (looks the same as the blue zero but has green livery instead). There was also a special room with a whole zero series in it. This year is the 50th anniversary for the shinkansen so there was a dedicated exhibition about it.

Nose!

At 12.00 we were summoned to the main hall where a steam train on a turntable was being turned around.  This was rather forced and gimmicky with two 'drivers' dressed up with while gloves etc waving, two 'trolley dollies' kneeling on platforms operating the turntable and waving and a man dressed up as a modern driver talking away.  They also hooted the horn a number of times which Tom didn't like - his new-found ears hurt when there is any big sound.

Hayabusa Bento

Steam Train Bento

Our tummies were beginning to rumble so we headed outside to where there was a bento stand to buy some lunch.  Once again, they had thought about what they were doing and had provided a number of train themed bentos.  Tom chose the Hayabusa bento - served in a plastic toy resembling a Hayabusa which was filled with all his favourites: sausage, sausage on a stick, burger, ebi fry, tomato rice and an omelette (which he didn't eat).  I chose one which was in a special steam train bag and had nori cut out to the shape of a steam engine on the rice, whilst Matt just chose a boring one!



 

Spring loaded Shinkansen

Hayabusa Slide

We all devoured our lunch in the heat (the skies by now had cleared and it was hitting on 30 degrees and humid - yuck) and then Tom ran over to the play area.  This was full of train themed equipment.  Lots of shinkansens on springs to bounce on, and a Hayabusa slide.  How cool were they?

Just hanging around

Happy Boy

We then headed back in to the museum for air conditioning if nothing else and headed to the next floor.  We had been putting this off as we had read that there was a large model railway up there, we know that as soon as he saw it we would have trouble getting him to leave and we were right.  It was up to standard, a huge display with many trains running around: all local to the area, so there was the Hayabusa, the Komachi, the Narita Express, Yamamote Line etc etc.  Once an hour they do a show to depict 24 hours in the life of the fictional town they had made.  We stayed for that, meaning we were in there for a good 45 minutes.  We had to use blackmail to get him out, but better things awaited him...

Model Railway

First of all there was a ride on a mini E2 shinkansen which was fun.  But next was the chance to drive your own train.  This cost an extra £1 and was amazing.  There were mini trains all painted up in livery of famous trains - although I'm not sure what ours was on a track layout with points and stations etc .  Tom was let loose on the controls - carrying me and Matt around the track.  He had a leaver - up for forward and down for brake.  He had to keep an eye on the signals and stop anytime there was a red signal (very confusing as quite a few times there were 2 signals together, one green and one red - apparently we could ignore the red one as that was for the points - but to be honest, I didn't understand it and for sure Tom didn't either: Matt was having to tell him to go forward when he was sure he was to stop - it didn't make sense and caused a little bit of confusion).  Anyhow, we made it back to the start in one piece, Tom having driven us all around.  He was very pleased with himself - he said that was the best part of the day and I can see why.  I was a little jealous that I didn't get to do it myself!

Video - Tom driving a train: http://youtu.be/duKy8t7wCKY

We then made our way to a viewing platform on the third floor and sat down with a drink watching shinkansens whizz past.  Then up to a roof garden.  It was intensely hot, Matt and I were both wilting, but Tom didn't seem to notice and spent the whole time running round and round it?!!

Why won't this box move?

We then went back inside (once again to recover in the air conditioning), we found an interactive area - exploring trains and the need for them.  Tom tried one exhibit where you had to move a heavy box 1) by itself, 2) with wheels, 3) with wheels on wooden rails and 4) with metal wheels and rails.  He soon worked out which was easier!  We then found a second museum shop so had a look round (we were once again very restrained) and then a small boy tugged us back into the model railway so in we went for another half hour or so.

Very nice stained glass window

We then made our way downstairs to do some purchasing in the main shop, then another look around the main floor (we had missed quite a few trains first time around!).  By now it was 5pm (time goes fast when you are having fun) and although we hadn't done all the museum we decided to call it a day, so we headed back to Omiya when we headed into to Daiei next door to the station looking for dinner (not a great choice of restaurants - we ended up in a 'bit of everything' type establishment) and then downstairs to Daiei to buy some bits and pieces for breakfast at the flat.  We then got the train back to Hamamatsu-cho.  This was eventful with Tom and Matt playing spot the double decker carriages all the way back (not sure what the end score was).  I then trumped them both as I saw a luxurious sleeper train on its way out of Tokyo and was quite smug about it until Matt trumped me - pointing out Dr Yellow passing us.  Doh!  We only saw him for about 5 seconds, and he wasn't exactly yellow as it was dark, but it was definitely Dr Yellow and Dr Yellow out-trumps everything!

Oh hum, we got home, had a shower & bath and Tom went to bed (it was 8.45 by then).  A long day, but a good day.

PS - we could have done the Sky Tree as it did clear, but we had a good day so it didn't matter.