Usu Pass Railway Culture Village

About

The Usui Pass Railway Culture Village opened on April 18, 1999, near Yokokawa Station in Annaka, Gunma Prefecture, on the site of the former Yokokawa locomotive depot. It was established after the Yokokawa–Karuizawa section of the Shin'etsu Main Line was abandoned in October 1997 following the opening of the Nagano Shinkansen. The park runs a trolley train along the former abandoned rail line and offers a driving experience with EF63 electric locomotives, while displaying numerous preserved electric locomotives including the EF15, EF58, EF62, and EF63 series. Nearby stand the Usui Third Bridge (known as Meganebashi) and the Maruyama Substation, both designated National Important Cultural Properties, allowing visitors to also explore the railway heritage of the former Usui Pass line.