What other travelers are saying about Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Kure Museum
This Museum is open. 11-13-2025.
There’s a maritime Museum next to us that is currently closed. The museum is very focused on underwater mines.
And submarine focused. Admission is free. You can actually go through the submarine . The museum is a short walk from the Kure JR station.
When coming through the pay gates take a right and take the elevated walkway.
Great free museum to visit in Kure! Lots of information and you get to visit inside the big submarine. Easy to access from the Kure train station via the Kure Line from Hiroshima. There is a mall next to the museum. There is wifi, bathrooms, and a small cafe next to the museum shop. Highly recommend to visit when you are in Kure!
I got to see Japan’s shipbuilding craftsmanship and the submarine’s tightly packed living space, and even tried the navy curry along the way. It’s such a peaceful little town.
We visited early November on a Friday morning. Free entry, which was fantastic. If we had to pay to enter I probably would've given it 4 stars, as the sub is only setup for tourists to see the top most level and none of the torpedo or engine areas. We had no idea, but apparently they were doing a special event where they lit the sub's interior up red?
The surrounding museum is good, we enjoyed all of the mine sweeping stuff, but we definitely didn't allow enough time and had to leave early.
For a place this size, I would definitely recommend you spend 60-90 minutes so you don't have to rush like we did.
This was an amazing museum and as you walk up there is a full size submarine displayed outside the building. The museum is free and is well maintained and the route inside is really organised. The museum is full of submarine related information and other artefacts like mines, mine sweepers, etc. the best part is the fact that you get to walk inside the submarine that is located outside the building. You don’t get to go through the entire submarine just a small portion but it is very interesting and well worth the visit. You have to visit if you’re in the Hiroshima area. It’s an hour and a half train ride from Iwakuni. A must visit.
The JMSDF Kure Museum is a short walk from JR Kure Station, which is about 45 minutes from Hiroshima Station. Take the JR Kure Line from Hiroshima to Kure Station, then walk approximately 570 meters to reach the museum. The museum is located next to the Yamato Museum, and visiting both facilities together is highly recommended.
The museum displays various materials related to minesweeping and submarine operations, including a number of torpedoes. The exhibits focus on the two primary missions of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force: submarine warfare and minesweeping operations. You can also view materials about coastal defense activities and learn about the history of Japan's naval operations through informative displays and artifacts.
The museum welcomes international visitors and provides information about Japan's maritime defense history. This popular facility is ranked highly on TripAdvisor, indicating positive experiences from international tourists. While most exhibits are in Japanese, the unique experience of exploring an actual military submarine transcends language barriers. The museum is located at 5-32, Takaramachi, Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, and staff can be contacted at 0823-21-6111 for specific inquiries about language support or accessibility.
Yes, visitors can explore the interior of the Akishio submarine, which is the museum's main attraction. This is the only museum in Japan where you can explore the inside of a submarine that was actually used in military service. You can walk through the submarine's compartments and experience the cramped conditions that the 75-member crew lived and worked in during its service from 1986 to 2004.
