Japan Railway Enthusiast’s Paradise: Kato Hobby Center Tokyo Model Train Store

Today, I visited the prominent model train store, Kato Hobby Center Tokyo, located in Tokyo. It’s just a 5-minute walk from Exit A1 of Ochiai-Minami-Nagasaki Station on the Toei Oedo Line. As a railway model enthusiast, you may already be familiar with this place, but it’s worth noting that admission is free, and you can also enjoy viewing the large dioramas for free as well. At this shop, if you make a purchase of 500 yen or more, you can test-run your own trains on the second-floor diorama. There are two dioramas available, one for N gauge (ground-level and elevated tracks) and another for HO gauge, and you can operate your trains for up to 25 minutes. They graciously allow you to run trains from both KATO and TOMIX brands. For lunch, I tried the award-winning RAMEN GOTTSU (recognized in the 2019 Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand). Later, I enjoyed a view of Mount Fuji from the observation deck of Nerima Ward Office. The Toei Marugoto Ticket is still valid, allowing you to explore other area