Welcome back to the train lover’s paradise, Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park! In this video, I challenge Japan’s most difficult railway simulator—the EF63 Electric Locomotive Simulator. Originally designed as a simulator for "uphill" driving, it was later modified for "downhill" operation to increase its difficulty, causing many participants to fail within seconds! According to the staff, this simulator is extremely tough, with some people finishing in mere seconds. Hearing this made me incredibly nervous since the simulator costs ¥1,000 per session (and an additional ¥1,000 for the card on the first try). I didn’t want to lose that money in an instant! But I was determined to take on the challenge. How did it go? Watch to find out!

This video is the second half of my adventure at Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, but you can enjoy it even if you haven’t seen the first part. Alongside the thrilling simulator, I also experienced a range of train-related activities, including riding the retired EL, exploring the famous "Azusa" Limited Express, checking out the steam locomotives (SL), admiring train dioramas and layouts, and even riding the mini steam train (SL), Aputo-kun, and the trolley. For lunch, I enjoyed a mouthwatering beef and tofu (niku-dofu) meal, and later witnessed the powerful departure of a steam locomotive!

Japan Railway Enthusiast’s Paradise: Mini SL & Simulator in Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park
   • Japan Railway Enthusiast’s Paradise: ...  

A special highlight of this trip was experiencing the EF63 locomotive simulator, which the shop staff warned was one of the hardest simulators in Japan. They advised me to watch the instructional video carefully before attempting, as many people fail within minutes! In this video, you’ll see nearly the entire simulator experience uncut, as I attempt to conquer this infamous challenge.

I had an unforgettable time enjoying activities you won’t find anywhere else. You can even take a course to drive a real EF63 locomotive, which is now on my bucket list! This park offers so much to do that I had to split my footage into two parts. In this video (Part 2), I focus on the simulator, layouts, and trolley rides, while Part 1 covers the retired EL, Azusa, and much more.

I’ve put a lot of time into making this video to share these fun experiences with you all. If you notice anything that needs correcting, feel free to let me know in the comments! I also made sure to respect filming etiquette by prioritizing children and avoiding unnecessary intrusions during the shoot. For those of you visiting Japan from overseas, I highly recommend visiting this amazing spot! This channel features various train-related content, including luxury train journeys, sightseeing trains, and visits to railway museums.

If you enjoyed this video, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment! Many of you watching aren’t subscribed yet—please consider joining the community, as your support means the world to me! Thank you so much for watching till the end.

🚃 Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park - Admission & Prices 🚃
Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park Set Ticket (admission, mini SL ride, Aputo-kun, trolley ride): ¥2,400
EF63 Driving Experience Card: ¥1,000 + 1 driving session: ¥1,000
Gacha Capsule Toy: ¥500
Daruma Bento: ¥1,300
Hello Kitty Daruma Bento: ¥1,380
Draft Beer: ¥420

🚆 Trains Featured 🚆
EF63 Electric Locomotive
EL and SL Gunma Yokokawa
Mini SL
Aputo-kun Rack Railway
"Thomas & Friends" Trains

🚉 Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park - Access Information 🚉
Address: 407-16 Matsuida, Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture
Closest station: JR Yokokawa Station (3-minute walk)
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Closed on Tuesdays

🕒 Video Timeline 🕒
0:00 Opening
0:14 Start
0:21 Part 1 Digest
0:36 EF63 Real Locomotive
1:09 Re-entering the Park
1:25 Layouts and Dioramas
8:43 Trolley Ride on "Sherpa-kun"
11:09 Maruyama Substation Visit
13:01 Arriving at Toge-no-Yu Station
16:33 Gacha Toy Capsule Experience
17:04 Simulator Details
19:08 Buying the Simulator Ticket
20:47 Simulator Challenge Begins
37:04 Viewing the "Azusa" Train
40:16 Yokokawa Service Area "Oginoya" Kamameshi Bento
43:20 Takasaki Station "Daruma Bento & Hello Kitty Daruma Bento"
43:38 Self-Service Draft Beer Machine
44:29 Hello Kitty Daruma Bento

Thank you for watching till the end!

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