Start your tour at JR Shin-Osaka Station, Osaka's rail gateway, to see the many Shinkansen and limited express trains. The new Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen trains, "Mizuho" and "Sakura," which began direct service between Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chuo in March 2011, are based on the N700 series and feature a beautiful, soft, indigo-white body color reminiscent of celadon porcelain. Other popular limited express trains worth seeing include the dazzling, pure white "Thunderbird" that runs between Osaka and Toyama, and the dolphin-like blue "Ocean Arrow" that runs along the coastline between Kyoto and Shingu in Wakayama Prefecture. While the schedule may vary, mornings are recommended if you want to see a variety of trains. An admission ticket (130 yen, valid for up to two hours) is required to enter the station.

Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station, with its expansive space reminiscent of a foreign terminal, features a neat line of maroon-colored trains. It's said to be the largest train station in Japan, with three lines and a total of nine tracks. The maroon color familiar to Kansai residents is actually a traditional "maroon" color, a color scheme that has remained consistent since the station's opening. Not only the exterior, but the interior as well, with its wood-grain interior and olive-colored seats, exudes a retro, elegant atmosphere. At Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station, you can see three trains simultaneously depart. The sight of the three trains on the Kobe, Takarazuka, and Kyoto lines departing simultaneously at the same time is breathtaking! Their curves, each at their own speed, disappear into the buildings, exude a timeless beauty. Simultaneous departures on all three lines occur every 10 minutes from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (depending on the timetable). A ticket (160 yen, valid for up to two hours) is required to enter the station.

Osaka's only streetcar. From retro styles to new models, the unique bodies are eye-catching, even when they're covered in flashy advertising. Some of the trains were even designed by famous French designers. The Uemachi Line, with its downtown atmosphere, departs from the bustling Tennoji-ekimae Station, passes through Higashi-Tengachaya Station, home to Abe no Seimei Shrine, and Tezukayama-sanchome Station, home to the Tezukayama Kofun Tomb, and continues on its way to Sumiyoshi-koen Station, home to the famous Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, with its clanging, retro sound echoing through the streets of Osaka. As the "Chin Chin Tram" leisurely sways through the working-class streets of Osaka, you might encounter nostalgic scenery, just as its catchphrase states: "No matter when you ride, it's nostalgic. No matter where you get off, it's fun."

Did you know that there's a line known among railway enthusiasts as the "cecal line"? It's a line with either a dead end at either its starting or end, so named because it resembles an appendix within the network. The Nankai Koya Line's Kishinosato-Tamade Station to Shiomibashi Station is one such line. This line boasts unique characteristics, such as infrequent service, a short operating distance, and no express or rapid trains. Despite its proximity to Namba, Osaka's most famous shopping district, the two-car trains offer a sparsely populated, laid-back atmosphere. The views from the train window, including downtown residential areas and dilapidated industrial areas, exude a truly local atmosphere. Get off at Kizugawa Station along the way and you'll find yourself alone in the deserted station. The silence of the surroundings, the blue sky, the straight tracks, and the small platform with its retro benches, suddenly give the illusion of traveling back in time to an unfamiliar place and time.

There are many ways to enjoy model trains: driving trains, collecting your favorite trains, building trains, and creating layouts and dioramas for them to run on. Nipponbashi, home to many model train shops, is home to a wide selection of specialty shops offering essential items like trains, tracks, power supplies, structures (buildings), accessories (figurines, cars, and other small items), and parts. Popondetta Osaka Nipponbashi, a particular example, offers a crammed collection of new and used models and a vast selection of books on its third floor. It also offers a popular rental layout (fees apply) where you can actually run trains on meticulously crafted layouts and dioramas. The dioramas, dotted with German-made structures and figures, are meticulously crafted and fascinating to look at. Other specialty shops include Hobbyland Pochi Nipponbashi 1, Greenmax The Store, and Rail Kobo Higesin, as well as the Volks Osaka Showroom and Super Kids Land Main Store, large general hobby stores.
・Popondetta Osaka Nipponbashi store
・Hobbyland Pochi Nipponbashi 1st store
・Green Max The Store
・Rail Workshop Higesin
・Volks Osaka SR
・Super Kids Land Main Store

[Closed] Kintetsu Railway, a major private railway company with a network spanning two prefectures and three areas: Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Mie, and Aichi. Boasting the longest network of any private railway company in Japan outside of the JR Group, the company boasts a unique lineup of express trains, including the innovatively designed Urban Liner, which connects Osaka and Nagoya, and the resort-inspired Ise-Shima Liner. It also features a traditional fresh fish train (not open to the public) for peddlers, transporting fresh fish caught in Ise-Shima to the Kintetsu line. Located inside Tsuruhashi Station, where the delicious aroma of yakiniku fills the platform, Gatan Goton, a railway goods store directly operated by Kintetsu, offers approximately 300 items, primarily Kintetsu railway merchandise, ranging from affordable stationery to rare train models. Many customers travel from far and wide to visit, and the dioramas featuring various famous spots along the Kintetsu line are also popular.