Open Days etc in April?

[tsubasa119]

Hi Everyone,
I am going to be travelling to Japan from 29th March to 9th April and i was wondering if there will be any open days or other interesting rail/model railway related events happening during that time, doesn't matter where except for Hokkaido, won't have time to visit up there. or if there is a website in either Japanese or English that may list anything?
Thank you in advance.

[bikkuri bahn]

You're pretty much out of luck during that period, as it's the end/beginning of the fiscal year (as well as school year), and companies are too busy with the books and personnel moves to host big public events during that time.  Most events occur later in the spring and into autumn. FWIW, here's a calendar:
http://www.tetsudo.com/event/calendar/201203/

If you are in Nagoya on a Monday or Friday, free one hour tours are offered twice on those days of the Nagoya Bureau of Transport (subway) Nisshin Rolling Stock Depot.  It requires a reservation by phone, but is one of the few regularly scheduled tours offered by railways, the other being the JR East Tohoku Shinkansen depot at Rifu-cho (Sendai).  Already been to Rifu twice, so the Nagoya tour is on my list of "must-sees".

*It may be worthwhile to check the calendar as you get closer to March, as events are announced/added sometimes only a month or even weeks before they occur. 

[tsubasa119]

Hi Bikkuri,
I sort of figured that would be the case being at the start of their new fiscal year, but the calendar is a great help for future trips!
Thanks,
Allastair

[bill937ca]

You can also find information on the Hobidas news site.

[tsubasa119]

Thanks bill937ca
Regards,
Allastair

[miyakoji]

if there is a website in either Japanese or English that may list anything?

Great question, despite living there for years I never made it to one of these events.  Never knew when they were!  In some youtube videos I've seen lots of souvenirs on sale at these.  Other than magazines, the only goods I have are Tokyo and Ueno station sign keychains.  I'm not even a JR East fan!

[bikkuri bahn]

if there is a website in either Japanese or English that may list anything?

Great question, despite living there for years I never made it to one of these events.  Never knew when they were!  In some youtube videos I've seen lots of souvenirs on sale at these.  Other than magazines, the only goods I have are Tokyo and Ueno station sign keychains.  I'm not even a JR East fan!

I recommend the JR Freight open houses like in Hiroshima (also JR Hokkaido Naebo Depot, as it also maintains freight diesels), these events have lots of freight-only souvenirs/railwayana which you usually don't see elsewhere.