Tetsudokan, which primarily serves lunch and coffee, displays a large N gauge scale railway diorama, which is set in a regional city during the period of Japan’s postwar rapid economic growth.

A diorama featuring a historic steam train was unveiled in Okayama Prefecture. It recreates a famous scene on the train’s final day of operation, when fans crowded on a slope to see it one last time.

The Diorama Restaurants are proving to be such popular spots that even sightseers from outside of Japan show up there. “I never imagined that,” said Teraoka. “Our cafe was possible because ...