JMSDF Kure Museum, Naval museum in Kure, Japan.
The JMSDF Kure Museum is a naval museum in Kure, Japan, showcasing maritime defense equipment and vessel models. Across three floors, visitors see torpedo systems, navigation devices, and the technical processes of a real submarine.
The museum opened in April 2007 and displays the decommissioned submarine Akishio SS-579. This vessel was part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force until 2004.
The name comes from the maritime history of the region, which is now shown through exhibits on submarine construction and sea defense. Visitors can understand life underwater inside the submarine, which gives a particular insight into the working conditions.
The museum sits five minutes on foot from Kure Station and allows free entry. Access is ground level with ramps, and information is available in several languages.
Visitors enter the command deck of the Akishio submarine and see the narrow corridors and sleeping bunks of the crew. This is the only facility in Japan that permits access to a real submarine.
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