Kure City - Home of the JMSDF Museum

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Wednesday, 22nd May 2013

Ohayou gozaimasu, Hiroshima.

Using the city as my base, I took a 45-minute train ride along the eastern seaboard which would bring me straight to Kure City. Home to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (海上自衛隊, JMSDF), there were two museums worth exploring on the ground.

The JMSDF Kure Museum and the Yamato Museum (separate admission charges applies) were located next to one another. Given the time constraints, I opted for the free JMSDF Museum which offered me great insights on the submarine operations in safeguarding the sovereignty of Japan's waters.

Housed together with a de-commissioned submarine vessel, I was able to relate to the maritime jargons given the nature of industry I was working in. There were also exhibits depicting life-sized sleeping quarters and the various kinds of provisions that were consumed on board.

As part of the tour, I was able to step into the interior of "Akishio" submarine vessel which was a refreshing experience. Such grounds were normally off-limits to visitors given the sensitivity of the equipment on board. This was one interesting visit that I would certainly cherish. Using the binoculars available on the vessel, I was able to command great vistas of the surrounding waters. Also, worth noting were the staffs' great hospitality that extended to non-Japanese speakers like me which made my visit a truly pleasant one.

My next stop would bring me to the city of Fukuyama which is part of the Hiroshima Prefecture. Before saying goodbye to Kure City, I popped over to the nearby Yamato Museum for a quick glance and some souvenirs shopping.

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