The Museum’s Origins
The museum was established following the closure of the Ikasa Railway’s main line on March 31, 1971. While many small-gauge railways across Japan were disappearing, the Ikasa Railway continued operating until the early 1970s, allowing a number of its vehicles and railway facilities to be preserved.
In 1981, the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Ibara-Kasaoka Light Railway, the former Nii-yama Station building was repurposed as the Ikasa Railway Memorial Museum.
Preservation and Renewal
More than 30 years after the railway closed, its rolling stock and equipment remained in remarkably good condition. Haruo Tanaka, who had been stationmaster at Nii-yama when the line was discontinued, took responsibility for caring for the museum with the help of his family. In 2002, the collection was selected as a Recommended Industrial Heritage Site by the Society of Industrial Archaeology. Tanaka later received an award in 2009 in recognition of his contributions to preservation.
A Community Effort to Save the Museum
The museum faced an uncertain future in November 2012, when the Ikasa Railway withdrew from its bus operations and entered liquidation proceedings. Local residents strongly wished to preserve the museum, and the Nii-yama district association offered to take over its management.
Kasaoka City subsequently purchased the site, building, and exhibits for approximately ¥1.8 million. After repairs were carried out on deteriorated sections, the facility reopened on March 30, 2014, as the Kasaoka City Ikasa Railway Memorial Museum. It is now managed by the Kasaoka City Board of Education in cooperation with the Nii-yama district association.
The History and Role of the Ikasa Railway
The Ikasa Railway began operating in 1913, connecting Kasaoka and Ibara in southwestern Okayama Prefecture. By 1940, the network had expanded eastward to Yakage via a branch line and westward to Kannabe in Hiroshima Prefecture via another branch. The entire network eventually extended for 37 kilometers, making it one of the prefecture’s major private railways.
The railway used small vehicles running on narrow-gauge tracks, a type of transport commonly known in Japan as a light railway. Its compact carriages were affectionately nicknamed “matchboxes” by local residents.
Supporting Everyday Life and Local Industry
The Ikasa Railway served more than just commuters and schoolchildren. It also carried visitors traveling to local shrine festivals and transported regional agricultural products, including peaches and persimmons. In this way, it supported both tourism and the local economy.
During the 1950s and 1960s, annual passenger numbers exceeded two million in some years. However, the spread of automobiles during the 1960s led to a gradual decline in railway use. The main line closed in 1971, bringing approximately 60 years of service to an end.
The Historic Station Building and Exhibits
The Former Nii-yama Station
The museum occupies the original Nii-yama Station building, constructed in 1913. When the former railway route was converted into a prefectural road, the station building was moved several meters to the west. Despite this relocation, much of its original appearance has been preserved.
The exhibition room was once the station’s waiting room, while the former station office now serves as the reception area. The modest wooden building offers visitors a glimpse of what a small local railway station looked like in the early 20th century.
Railway Equipment and Historical Materials
The museum displays components and rails used by the Ikasa Railway, along with historical photographs and equipment used to control train movements safely. One of the most notable exhibits is the token-based block signaling system, including the metal tokens and the machines used to manage them.
Visitors can also compare the weight of rails used by the Ikasa Railway with those used on modern JR Shinkansen and conventional railway lines. These displays offer an accessible introduction to railway engineering and the technologies that kept trains running safely.
Outdoor Railway Exhibits
Several historic railway vehicles and pieces of equipment are preserved outdoors. These include the No. 1 locomotive, which operated when the railway first opened; the Hoha 1 passenger carriage; the Howafu 1 freight wagon, introduced in 1914; and a turntable formerly used at Kujōba Station to turn railway vehicles around.
The No. 1 locomotive is particularly significant. It was manufactured in Germany by Arthur Koppel in 1912 and led the Ikasa Railway’s farewell train when the line was discontinued. Today, three preserved railway vehicles stand north of the former station building, providing a popular attraction for railway enthusiasts and visitors alike.
How the Token Block System Worked
The token and block equipment on display illustrates an important railway safety system. A railway line was divided into sections known as “blocks,” and the system ensured that only one train could enter a given section at a time. A token served as authorization for a train to enter that section, helping prevent collisions between trains traveling along the same track.
These preserved devices reveal the practical technology that enabled the Ikasa Railway to operate safely for decades.
The Museum Grounds and Collection
The museum site covers 528 square meters, while the single-story wooden station building occupies 36 square meters. Approximately 200 historical items are held in the collection, including signaling equipment, photographs, tickets, and route maps that incorporate information about tourist attractions along the railway.
When Okayama Prefectural Route 48, the Kasaoka-Bisei Line, was widened, the station building was shifted slightly westward. Its original architectural character, however, remains largely intact.
Visiting the Museum Today
Since the museum came under Kasaoka City’s management, visitors have been provided with pamphlets explaining the history of the Ikasa Railway and its exhibits. A commemorative stamp is also available as a memento of a visit.
For anyone interested in local history, railway technology, or Japan’s former light railways, the Ikasa Railway Memorial Museum offers an intimate look at a transport system that once played an important role in everyday life across southwestern Okayama.