A Lifetime Hobby Born from a Childhood Ride: #1 Trigger for Railway Interest is "Childhood Experience"

Actual Situation Survey on the 'Types and Entry Points' of Railway Fans

The sound of a train sliding into the platform, the scenery passing by the window, the brief moments exchanged at the station.

While the triggers for becoming interested in railways vary from person to person, there seem to be several common entry points.

Furthermore, how do people with an interest in railways usually enjoy them, and what kind of changes have occurred in their lives?

To explore this, we jointly conducted a questionnaire with Tetuhiro targeting 144 men and women nationwide who answered 'interested in railways' in a preliminary survey, asking about the 'types and entry points of railway fans.'

*When citing the contents of this press release, please ensure the following:

- State that the source is a 'Survey by NEXER Inc. and Tetuhiro'

- Place a link to Tetuhiro (https://www.tetuhiro.com/)

Overview of 'Survey on the Types and Entry Points of Railway Fans'

Survey method: Internet questionnaire

Survey period: April 17, 2026 - April 24, 2026

Target audience: Men and women nationwide who answered 'interested in railways' in a preliminary survey

Valid responses: 144 samples

Question contents:

Question 1: What triggered your interest in railways?

Question 2: Please tell us which of the following applies to how you enjoy railways. (Multiple answers allowed)

Question 3: What changes have occurred in your daily life through your railway hobby? (Multiple answers allowed)

Question 4: Please tell us specifically what changes have occurred in your life through your railway hobby.

Question 5: Is there anything you would like to try in the future regarding your railway-related hobby?

Question 6: What kind of thing is that?

*As a general rule, numbers are rounded to the nearest tenth, so the total may not equal exactly 100%.

#1 Trigger for Interest in Railways is 'Childhood Experience of Riding Trains'

First, we asked about the trigger for becoming interested in railways.

The most common answer was 'Childhood experience of riding trains or railcars' at 44.4%.

This was followed by 'Trains and railway lines encountered during travel' at 16.0%, and 'Influence of TV programs' at 14.6%.

Memories of railcars ridden in early childhood or trains encountered on a trip.

It seems that such primary experiences continue to remain as an interest in railways even after growing up.

#1 Way to Enjoy is 'Riding Enthusiast' (Nori-tetsu)

Next, we asked about the applicable ways they enjoy railways themselves.

The highest response was 'Riding Enthusiast' (Nori-tetsu) at 63.2%.

This was followed by 'Station Bento Enthusiast' (Ekiben-tetsu) at 20.8%, and 'Model Train Enthusiast' (Mokei-tetsu) at 16.7%.

While many people might associate railway hobbies with an image of photography, 'Photography Enthusiasts' (Tori-tetsu) accounted for only 13.2%. The survey revealed that the vast majority actually enjoy the act of 'riding' itself.

29.9% Answered 'Travel Destinations Increased' Through Their Railway Hobby

Following this, we asked what changes had occurred in their daily lives through their railway hobby.

The most common answer was 'Travel destinations increased' at 29.9%.

This was followed by 'Became interested in regional areas and tourist spots' at 29.2%, and 'Became knowledgeable about geography and history' at 26.4%.

We also asked specifically about what life changes occurred, and here are some of the responses:

Please tell us specifically what changes have occurred in your life through your railway hobby.

- I don't specifically go out to take pictures, but I developed a stronger interest in TV programs and videos about railway journeys and watch them often. (Female in her 30s)

- Time spent using my brain increased. Time spent doing nothing and spacing out decreased. (Male in his 30s)

- Since there are cases where train cars used in urban areas are transferred to regional railway companies, I try to ride the trains as much as possible when traveling to regional areas. (Male in his 40s)

- I am now able to enjoy the differences in interior design and the fluffiness of the seats on various railway lines. (Female in her 40s)

- I've become able to figure out the cheapest or fastest routes for traveling. (Female in her 50s)

- I no longer view travel merely as transportation but as an object of interest, and I can't stop being excited about it. (Male in his 50s)

The feedback received shows both an expansion in the scope of activities and a change where everyday transportation itself becomes enjoyable. The railway hobby seems to generate both an outward expansion and a change in how daily life is perceived.

43.8% Say They Have 'Something They Want to Try' in the Future Regarding Railway Hobbies

Finally, we asked if there is anything they want to try in the future related to their railway hobby.

As a result, 43.8% answered 'Yes,' and 56.3% answered 'No.'

We asked those who answered 'Yes' specifically what they wanted to do. Here is a selection:

What kind of thing is that?

- Step off at every Shinkansen station. I will definitely go outside and leave proof that I was there. (Male in his 30s)

- I want to tour abandoned railway lines. (Male in his 40s)

- I want to build a large model railway diorama in my room. (Male in his 40s)

- I definitely want to cross the American continent on the Transcontinental Railroad or cross Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway. (Female in her 40s)

- Take a trip to Izumo on a sleeper train. (Male in his 50s)

- I want to travel and ride trams all over the country. (Male in his 50s)

Some want to take on challenges with clear goals like 'conquering all stations' or 'touring abandoned lines,' while others are interested in building dioramas or traveling on overseas railways. The scale of what they want to try varies widely, from inside the home to a global level.

Since railways provide a clear, understandable map of goals in the form of a route map, the ease of setting one's own objectives might be one of its appealing factors.

Summary

In this survey, we learned that for 44.4% of those who answered they are interested in railways, the initial trigger was 'Childhood experience of riding trains or railcars.' Regarding how they enjoy it, 'Riding enthusiasts' were prevalent at 63.2%, and 29.9% of respondents stated that their 'travel destinations increased' through the railway hobby.

Starting from a childhood experience, the fascinating aspect of the railway hobby is how it continues to color travels and daily life even into adulthood. With various ways to enjoy it—such as the train cars, station bentos, models, and timetables—it can be considered a hobby where it is easy to find your own entry point or goal.

Try riding a route you've never taken before, or stepping off at a station you've been curious about.

Why not find your own way to enjoy railways, using sites that publish railway-related information and columns as a reference?

<Regarding usage in articles, etc.>

- State that the source is a 'Survey by NEXER Inc. and Tetuhiro'

- Place a link to Tetuhiro (https://www.tetuhiro.com/)

[About Tetuhiro]

Business name: Yashima Kizai Co., Ltd.

Business manager: Shoichiro Seki

Business address: 6-5 Nihonbashi Kabutocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0026

Phone number: 03-6758-2572

[About NEXER Inc.]

Head office: Rise Arena Building 11F, 4-5-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013

Representative Director: Yuya Miyata

URL: https://www.nexer.co.jp

Business description: Internet research, SEO, WEB brandin