Takashima Kōzaki Site, Underwater archaeological site off Takashima Island, Japan
The Takashima Kōzaki Site is an underwater archaeological site off the coast of Takashima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture. Diving excavations have brought up ship remains, weapons, and pieces of armor from the seabed.
In 1281 a powerful typhoon struck the fleet of Kublai Khan during the second Mongol attempt to invade Japan, sinking many vessels. The storm ended the campaign and forced the invading forces to withdraw.
The recovered objects show how Japanese and Mongol naval forces built and equipped their ships differently. Walking through the museum displays reveals the contrasts between these two maritime traditions that met here.
The recovered artifacts are on display at the Matsuura City Takashima History and Folk Museum, which is open year-round. Visiting the museum before heading to the island itself helps make sense of what was found and where.
In 2012 this site became the first underwater location in Japan to receive National Historic Site designation. This recognition showed that important archaeological sites do not have to be on dry land to be protected and officially acknowledged.
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