Nissan Heritage Collection

maartenrutgers (Atlas Obscura User)

The Zama car factory, once Nissan’s most advanced assembly plant, now houses mostly assembly technology development operations and a collection of 400 Nissan vehicles.

Visits are arranged around timed tours which occur several times per day. The tour begins with a video detailing the history of the factory complex. (Narration is in Japanese with English subtitles.) After the video, a metal door is rolled up to reveal a huge hall filled with hundreds of cars.

Visitors can choose to follow a guided tour in Japanese or explore the collection independently. The guides may open a few hoods or demonstrate some of the car’s features. They may even start the engine as some 70 percent of the vehicles on display are kept in working condition. A small workshop area at the back of the hall shows mechanics in action. Each car is accompanied by a detailed plaque in Japanese and English.

Know Before You Go

The museum is easily reached by train from Tokyo. If you take the afternoon tour, plan to eat something near the train station as the museum is in an industrial zone with little or no dining options.

The factory complex is quite large and has multiple entrances. You will need to go to the main entrance at the southern end of the complex and you will be taken by shuttle bus to the museum lobby.

The website allows you to book a time and date for a visit, or you can call the number on the website to book your reservation.

Atlas Obscura Trips