Kure, Naval port in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.
Kure is a port city on the Seto Inland Sea coast in Hiroshima Prefecture, nestled between forested mountains and several offshore islands. The city follows the coastline for several kilometers, with shipyards and residential neighborhoods pressed into the narrow strip between sea and slopes.
The navy established its main base here in 1889, transforming a small fishing harbor into a major center for shipbuilding and arms industry. After World War II, the city shifted to civilian industry, with many shipyards continuing to build commercial vessels.
The name derives from an ancient mining system where tunnels were dug deep into the hillsides. Today, residents use the harbor for fishing boats and daily ferry connections to nearby islands, while along the waterfront small shops and restaurants reflect the work at sea.
Visitors arriving from Hiroshima Station can take trains on the Kure Line, which arrive in about half an hour and run regularly throughout the day. The city can be explored on foot in the central areas, though buses run along the coast for museums and more distant sites.
A museum displays the first permanently land-exhibited submarine in Japan, allowing visitors to enter the interior of the actual military vessel and see crew quarters. A few meters away stands a model of the former flagship, sparking interest in naval architecture and engineering.
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