Located on the inland plains of Niigata City and nestled between the mighty Shinano and Agano rivers lies the town of Niitsu.

From the late 19th century, Niitsu began its strong period of industrialization, which resulted in the town becoming the cornerstone to the Sea of Japans coastal railway network. Being home to many railway facilities, it is often said that during the height of this industrialized period, one in every four people employed locally, worked for the railways. It was also at this time that Niitsu was compared to Maibara, famously known throughout Japan as the major railway convergence juncture located on the Tokaido Main Line.

In 1983 (Showa Era 58), the characteristic sprit of Nittsu and its inhabitants led to the opening of the Niitsu Railway Museum much to the delight of railway enthusiasts both locally and abroad. Since our doors have opened, the collection pieces on display have increased to include a vast number of items from the JNR era. A quality refurbishment was completed in 2014 including a Shinkansen 200 Series (Bullet Train) along with a C57 Steam Locomotive amongst others being displayed permanently in an outdoor exhibition.