Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Maritime defense museum in Kure, Japan.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Museum is a naval museum in Kure, Japan, dedicated to the history of Japan's maritime defense forces. The decommissioned submarine Akishio sits beside the building and can be entered, while indoor galleries display ships, weapons, and operational gear.
The museum opened in 2007 in a city that had served as a major center of Japan's imperial navy since the late 19th century. Kure was once home to one of the country's largest naval arsenals, and that past shapes what the collection covers.
Kure has long been one of Japan's main naval cities, and this museum reflects that deep connection. Walking through the exhibits, visitors can see how the city built its identity around shipbuilding and maritime defense, a role that still shapes the area today.
The museum is within walking distance of Kure Station and easy to reach on foot from the city center. Those planning to tour the submarine should be comfortable in tight spaces, as the access points are very narrow.
The Akishio is one of very few submarines in the world permanently displayed on land and fully open for visitors to walk through. Climbing through its hatches gives a very direct sense of how little space crews had during long missions at sea.
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