Winners of the High School Model Rail Contest 2023

The 15th Annual Model Rail Contest 2023 which involve many high schools in Japan (and for the first time allowing other countries to participate) took place in Tokyo on August 4-6 and Fukuoka, August 12-13.

The following winners have been announced:

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award  - Nada Junior and Senior High School




Voters' Best One Award - Yongjing National Vocational Industrial High School


Outstanding Performance Award - Okayama University of Science Senior High School & Shiraume Gakuen Seishu Junior and Senior High School


Kato Yuji Award - Osaka Prefecturalk Sano Technical High School


JR Freight Award - Kyoritsu Girls High School


JR East Train Simulator Award - Matsumoto Shuho School


Seibu Railways Award - Kaijo Junior and Senior High School


Odakyu Railways Award - Hosho Gakuen


Architect Award - Kanto Gakuin Mutsuura High School


Special Award (Real Scene) - Asano Junior and Senior High School


These are just a few of the awards handed out, you can see the rest of the winners here.

[Super]

Wow...those are some talented modelers and these are just the winners. I wonder how many of these youngsters grew up in a household where at least one of the parents are a modeler too?

I think with schools now having engineering or science departments and introducing 3D Printers, many schools are getting more of their students involved in the competition.

Tokyo competition alone had over 150 schools competing, but it's great to see larger participation.

Interesting...like anywhere else, you can see the difference between school budgets. Some with 3D printing, while others had to rely on the old way of Styrofoam, paper and painting.

But one thing that's cool to see is more females students now getting interested in diorama/trains and really going all out. Including all-girls schools now competing and winning.

This year was also the first time to allow for international schools to join the competition and a Taiwan technical school won the Viewer's Choice Vote, which is huge.