Japan-U.S. Friendship Memorial Museum

The Japan-U.S. Friendship Memorial Museum documents the first meeting between American and Japanese vessels through artifacts, ship models, and photographs. The collection presents the details of this historical encounter through carefully arranged exhibition pieces.

The site marks where American merchant ships first reached Japanese waters and made contact with Japanese residents. This encounter happened decades before the more well-known arrival of foreign vessels later changed Japan.

The museum shows how American sailors and local Japanese residents first met and interacted during that encounter. The exhibitions highlight what that initial meeting meant to the people living in Kushimoto at the time.

The museum sits along the coast and is easy to reach on foot when exploring Kushimoto. Access is straightforward, and there are displays on hand to help visitors understand the exhibits without difficulty.

The museum features detailed dioramas that recreate the exact scene of the first meeting between the ships. These handcrafted reconstructions help visitors step into that historical moment and see it as it unfolded.

Location: Kushimoto

Inception: 1975

Website: https://town.kushimoto.wakayama.jp/kanko/oshima/nitibei.html

GPS coordinates: 33.46181,135.85228

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:41