JCG Sōya

JCG Sōya is a preserved icebreaker moored permanently at Aomi Kita Port Park on Tokyo Bay. The vessel, 83.3 meters long, displays original equipment and cabins from decades of service at sea.

The ship was built in 1938 under the name Volochaevets for the Soviet Union before passing to Japan. It carried ammunition during World War II and continued postwar service as an icebreaker.

The vessel, named after Soya Subprefecture, represents Japanese maritime advancement and serves as an educational center for naval technology and operations.

Many ship compartments can be entered, including the bridge and engine rooms with original instruments. Panels in the cabins explain the duties and living conditions of former crew members.

In 1943, the crew pulled an unexploded torpedo from USS Greenling out of the water. They mounted it on deck as a reminder of the attack they survived.

Location: Aomi

Inception: 1938

Official opening: May 1, 1979

Length: 83.3 m

Website: https://funenokagakukan.or.jp/soya

GPS coordinates: 35.61980,139.77300

Latest update: December 13, 2025 15:36