The Yamato Museum, formally the Kure Maritime Museum, sits on the Takaramachi waterfront beside Kure Port, the shipyard city where the battleship Yamato was built in secret. It traces Kure’s shipbuilding and naval history and reopened on April 23, 2026 after a renovation of more than a year (Kure Japan).
The centerpiece is a 26.3-meter, 1:10 scale model of Yamato, detailed down to its triple-gun turrets and anti-aircraft batteries. The upper-floor balconies give the best view of the deck layout. In the Large Materials Exhibition Room, visitors find a real Zero fighter, a Kaiten manned torpedo, and other wartime weaponry (KSS). Galleries on postwar shipbuilding and science show how Kure’s engineering expertise shaped Japan’s modern industry (GLTJP). Outside the entrance, Museum Shop Yamato sells models, books, and local sweets, and also houses the ticket counter (Yamato Museum).
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The museum opens from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with last entry at 5:30 PM. Adult admission is ¥1,000 (Kure Japan). Interest has run high since the reopening, so arrive at opening on a weekday and avoid Japanese holiday periods such as Golden Week and Obon. Check closure days before you go. Plan on two to three hours.
The JR Kure Line reaches Kure in about 35 minutes from Hiroshima Station, and the museum is a five-minute walk from JR Kure Station. Across the road, the JMSDF Kure Museum displays the decommissioned submarine Akishio, which makes it a natural second stop.
