A museum all about shipbuilding and the largest warship ever launched
Launched in 1940, the battleship Yamato was a staggering 263 meters long. It was not only the largest warship in the world but also the most heavily armed, with nine 18.1-inch main guns, which were the biggest ever mounted on a ship.
The Yamato Museum in Kure , a port town near Hiroshima, tells you all about this stupendous warcraft and the future of shipbuilding.
How to Get There
You can reach the museum by train and then a short walk.
The museum is five minutes from Kure Station on the JR Kure Line, approximately 50 minutes from Hiroshima Station.
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The sinking of the ship
Despite its size and fearsome weaponry, the Yamato was sunk on April 7, 1945. Working from blueprints, photographs, and drawings, however, the museum has constructed a painstakingly accurate 1:10 scale model of this historic ship, which acts as the centerpiece of the museum.
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The large-objects exhibition room
The museum also features some authentic relics from World War II, including a Zero Fighter Type 62 airplane and a Kaiten human torpedo. It is harrowing to see such barbaric weapons. To the museum's credit, it gives us the chance to look at our collective bloody history and secure a more peaceful future.
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Looking to the future
With the future in mind, the museum also has sections that explore shipbuilding technology and future prospects, including a CGI version of the Yamato.
* The information on this page may be subject to change due to COVID-19.