Railway Company to Open Metaverse Museum

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:28 JST, February 11, 2023

Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co. (Nishitetsu) is set to open the Nishitetsu-verse, a museum in the metaverse exhibiting train cars and buses, on Feb. 25.

The railway company said it will be the first such museum in Japan, and hopes to gain more Nishitetsu fans and museum visitors.

Visitors of the Nishitetsu-verse will be able to navigate the museum using their avatars and view 3D models of the train cars and buses. The avatars will also be able to sit in the driver’s seat and operate the doors, turn on the lights and use the bus fare monitor.

The museum can be accessed through the Nishitetsu official website or app for free. The company plans to add games and other features to the metaverse museum, as well as use it to hold online events.

“We hope to expand our customer base by providing an opportunity for younger people to become familiar with Nishitetsu trains and buses,” President Koichi Hayashida said.