Yamato Museum

Background

The Yamato Museum stands on the Kure port waterfront at 5-20 Takaramachi, Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Its formal name is the Kure Maritime Museum, and it is called the Yamato Museum because of the battleship Yamato model in the main hall; the museum stands where the Yamato was completed. The large-exhibit hall displays a Zero fighter Model 62, a Kaiten manned torpedo, a Kairyu-class midget submarine, a Type 95 torpedo, and naval gun shells ranging from about 460 to 203 millimetres; outside stand the gun, anchor, rudder and propeller of the battleship Mutsu; behind the museum are a brick park, a lawn plaza and Yamato Wharf, which marks out a full-size outline of the Yamato's bridge; to the west stands the large lathe once used to machine the Yamato's main guns. The museum opened on 23 April 2005, closed for renovation in February 2025 and reopened in April 2026.

Local customs

• Start with the full view of the Yamato model in the main hall, then follow the halls in order through Kure's shipbuilding history and the large exhibits
• go outside to see the Mutsu's gun and anchor, and stroll the brick park and the Yamato bridge outline behind the museum
• visit the JMSDF Kure Museum just north of the museum to see the retired submarine Akishio.

Travel tips

• There are many exhibits, so allow half a day to see them comfortably
• the displays may have changed after the renovation, so please check the officially published opening information before visiting
• the Kure port waterfront is windy, so dress warmly and protect yourself from the sun when viewing the outdoor exhibits. Take the JR Kure Line to Kure Station, then walk or transfer to a city bus
• please check the officially published routes before setting out.
• The indoor museum suits a visit all year round
• spring and autumn are good for combining it with a stroll along the Kure port waterfront
• in summer and winter, focus on the indoor exhibits. The Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima city and Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima are separate sights that can be visited on another day.