Kyoto Indoors

What?
Kyoto (京都) doesn’t need much introduction, but maybe two of its important indoor attractions do. The Kyoto Aquarium (京都水族館) is a relatively new (built in 2012) and it is of rather modest size despite hosting a dolphin and penguin area. The next door Kyoto Railway Museum (京都鉄道博物館) on the other hand is huge and an absolute top location both within the city as in its genre.
Where?
Both the aquarium as the Railway Museum are located in Umekoji Park (梅小路公園), a mere 20 minute walk from JR Kyoto Station. Or if you’re not in the mood for a short walk, they are only a few minutes walk from JR Umekoji Kyotonishi Station (JR梅小路京都西駅).
URL
Japan Guide (Aquarium) Railway Museum

Kyoto is rightfully one of the first places tourists go for their first encounter with Japan. I remember that I was enchanted by almost every temple in the city, and the accompanying nature and quaint streets seemed like everything had come from a fairytale.
After 10 years though, I’ve had my fair share of temples. Don’t get me wrong: my latest visit to the Silver Pavilion confirmed all the good I had associated it with, Arashiyama and especially the Otagi Nenbutsuji are still among my favorite spots in Japan, and my recent outing from Takao to the Kyoto outskirts made me see that there’s still so much I don’t know.
But still… even though I’m living really close to Kyoto, I regularly skip it for another destination because “I am not in the mood for templed-Kyoto”.
When my wife said she wanted to go to Kyoto I was very happy that she proposed the aquarium. When I realized it would be raining I added the Railway Museum to the program. A very unlikely Kyoto itinerary for first time visitors, but very much the effort.

When in Belgium I had never visited a aquarium. My very first visit to Osaka’s Kaiyukan was an eye-opener to how interesting they could be. In the meanwhile I have visited multiple spots like the Chiraumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Nagoya’s Sea Life, that other aquarium/zoo/entertainment hall in Osaka called Nifrel and a bunch of smaller aquaria all over Japan.
Looking at most of these places, the aquarium in Kyoto is not that special. But, and I think it’s a big but, this size is perfect for Kyoto. And I have to say we were lucky. While we usually miss all shows and happenings, this time we were just in time for the dolphin show, we saw a diver in the big fish tank feeding the manta’s and sharks and also at the penguin habitat it was feeding time.
The aquarium is also an absolute Walhalla for jellyfish lovers, with what must be around 100 tanks for a huge variety of jellyfish. Most interesting were the tanks that showed the growing process of the transparent alien-like creatures.

Jump!

Not so much jumping going around here.

Feeding time.

Alien.

As for the Railway Museum, I just put it on our itinerary because of the forecasted rain (which by the way didn’t fall – it was snow). I’m not a train fanatic, although – like many foreigners with me – I was and still am in awe with the Japanese train system.
But that doesn’t really matter with this museum: I was so incredibly impressed by both its size as the quality of the displays. We thought it would be just a few trains on display where you could walk through, but it’s everything you can imagine that has to do with trains: track maintenance, traffic signals, schedule planning are as much part of the museum as the history of the Japanese railway system and multiple retired train cars.
But the absolute highlight is of course the old roundhouse (dating from 1914) with a huge collection of steam locomotives. For those who want there is the possibility to board such a steam locomotive for a short 20 minute ride.

The Kyoto Railway Museum went above and beyond my expectations and I don’t hesitate to recommend a visit in between all those world famous temples on your first visit to Kyoto.
Ans as a local of Osaka I just adored the area especially focused on the Osaka Loop Line. Maybe I am a train nerd after all.