# Visit Kure

> English travel guide to Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture — battleship Yamato history, the JMSDF submarine museum, naval curry, and day trips from Hiroshima.

Visit Kure is an independent English-language travel guide to Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, written by Masayuki Ogasahara. It covers battleship Yamato history, the JMSDF Kure Museum (Tetsu no Kujira), Kure naval curry, the "In This Corner of the World" film locations, harbour warship cruises, JMSDF open-ship days, and day trips from Hiroshima. Admission, pricing, transit, and operating facts are verified against official primary sources and dated; where a primary and an aggregator source disagree, the primary source is used. Illustrations are AI-generated with Gemini; photographs are original or used with permission.

## Articles

- [JMSDF Kure Open-Ship Days: How to Apply for the Lottery and Board a Warship (2026)](https://kure-japan.com/jmsdf-kure-open-ship-days): Board an active JMSDF warship in Kure for free — entry requires a lottery as of 2026. Step-by-step application guide for foreign visitors.
- [Kure Harbor Warship Cruise: How to See Active JMSDF Submarines Up Close (2026 Guide)](https://kure-japan.com/kure-harbor-warship-cruise): Book the Kure harbor cruise (¥2,200 adults, ~40 min) to see active JMSDF submarines and destroyers from the water, one minute from the Yamato Museum.
- [In This Corner of the World: Kure Filming Locations Guide (2026)](https://kure-japan.com/in-this-corner-of-the-world-locations): How to visit the real Kure settings of the anime film In This Corner of the World — Suzu's house, the Aoyama Club, the free hand-drawn location map, and how to do the pilgrimage respectfully.
- [Hiroshima to Kure Day Trip: Complete 2026 Visitor's Guide](https://kure-japan.com/hiroshima-to-kure-day-trip): How to get from Hiroshima to Kure: the JR Kure Line takes about 45 minutes for ¥510, plus bus, ferry and car options, what to see, and sample half-day and full-day itineraries.
- [Kure Naval Curry Guide: How to Eat the JMSDF's Friday Curry in 2026](https://kure-japan.com/kure-naval-curry-guide): Kure's certified Kure Kaiji Curry network serves ~22 JMSDF ship recipes at local restaurants. Complete 2026 guide: which shops to visit, what to order, and how to combine with the Yamato Museum day trip.
- [JMSDF Kure Museum (Tetsu no Kujira): Complete 2026 Visitor's Guide](https://kure-japan.com/jmsdf-tetsu-no-kujira): Visit Tetsu no Kujira (Iron Whale Museum) in Kure — free admission, inside a real 76-meter submarine, and 5 minutes from JR Kure Station. Complete 2026 guide.
- [Yamato Museum (Kure): Complete 2026 Visitor's Guide After the Grand Reopening](https://kure-japan.com/yamato-museum-guide-2026): Visit the Yamato Museum in Kure, reopened April 23, 2026. Hours, ¥1,000 admission, English Sunday tours, the 26.3m scale model, and a half-day plan from Hiroshima.

## Verified facts about Kure

A machine-readable version of these facts, with per-fact sources and verification dates, is available at https://kure-japan.com/facts.json.

- General adult admission to Yamato Museum is ¥1,000. Kure City residents pay a discounted ¥500, high school students ¥300, elementary and junior high students ¥200, and children under 6 are free. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- Yamato Museum group rate for parties of 20 or more is ¥800 per adult. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- Yamato Museum is open 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30) and closed on Tuesdays. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- Yamato Museum address: 5-20 Takaramachi, Kure, Hiroshima 737-0029, Japan. The museum is a 5-minute walk from JR Kure Station. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- The 1:10 scale model of battleship Yamato at Yamato Museum is 26.3 metres long, built from original construction plans. The real ship's hull was 263 metres. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- The Yamato Museum audio guide is free via the Yamato Museum Navi smartphone app and is available in Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, and Korean. Rental tablets are available at the ticket counter for visitors without a smartphone. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/info/)
- Free English-language guided tours of Yamato Museum run on Sunday mornings between 09:00 and 12:00; ask at the main entrance for the next departure time. No advance booking is required. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/)
- The paid parking lot shared by Yamato Museum and the JMSDF Kure Museum has about 65 spaces at ¥100 per hour. (source: https://www.navitime.co.jp/parking/around/?spt=60004.NTPK1246)
- Yamato Museum reopened on April 23, 2026 after a 14-month renovation, having closed on February 17, 2025. It is the largest renovation since the building opened in 2005. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/)
- The Kaiten human torpedo on display at Yamato Museum is a Type 10 prototype built on the Type 92 electric torpedo. The combat-deployed Type 1 (Type-93-based) was the variant actually used in attacks. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiten)
- Yamato Museum displays a restored Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter (Type 62) recovered from Lake Biwa in 1978. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- A full-scale 1.46-tonne 46-centimetre naval gun shell stands outdoors at the Yamato Museum entrance plaza and is free to view without entering the museum.
- Free coin lockers are available in the Yamato Museum lobby with a refundable ¥100 deposit.
- Yamato Museum is wheelchair-accessible with elevators between all three floors and offers free wheelchair loans at the ticket counter (first-come, first-served).
- Battleship Yamato was built at the Kure Naval Arsenal between 1937 and 1941, displaced 72,800 tons fully loaded, and carried nine 46-centimeter main guns — the largest naval artillery ever mounted on a warship. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Yamato)
- Battleship Yamato was sunk on April 7, 1945 during Operation Ten-Go. Of her complement of roughly 3,332 (including Vice Admiral Itō's staff), about 3,055 were lost and only 269 survived. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Yamato)
- Admission to the JMSDF Kure Museum (Tetsu no Kujira / Iron Whale) is free. It is run by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as a public-education facility, with no entry fee, no timed tickets, and no booking required. (source: https://www.jmsdf-kure-museum.go.jp/en/)
- The JMSDF Kure Museum is open 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30), closed on Tuesdays (or the following day if Tuesday is a public holiday) and from December 29 to January 3. (source: https://www.jmsdf-kure-museum.go.jp/en/)
- The JMSDF Kure Museum is at 5-32 Takaramachi, Kure, Hiroshima 737-0029 — about a 5-minute walk (roughly 400 metres) south of JR Kure Station, directly across the plaza from Yamato Museum. (source: https://www.jmsdf-kure-museum.go.jp/en/access/)
- The museum's centrepiece is JS Akishio (SS-579), a decommissioned Yushio-class diesel-electric submarine: 76.2 metres long, 9.9-metre beam, about 2,250 tons standard displacement, designed for a crew of 75. Visitors walk a one-way route through the interior, including the command centre and two working periscopes overlooking Kure harbour. (source: https://www.jmsdf-kure-museum.go.jp/en/exhibition/akishio/)
- The JMSDF Kure Museum opened on April 5, 2007 on the Kure waterfront, with the JS Akishio submarine moved to her berth beside the building the same day. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JMSDF_Kure_Museum)
- The JMSDF Kure Museum has three exhibit floors (JMSDF history, mine countermeasures, submarine operations) plus the Akishio submarine. Most visitors spend 60–90 minutes.
- The JMSDF Kure Museum has no dedicated audio-guide device; QR codes beside exhibits link to English and Japanese smartphone guidance, and free multilingual pamphlets are offered in seven languages (English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, French, Spanish, Portuguese). About half the exhibit panels are Japanese-only, and there is no public Wi-Fi. (source: https://www.gltjp.com/en/directory/item/12506/)
- The JMSDF Kure Museum's on-site café serves Akishio Curry — a submarine-shaped rice mound in curry sauce approved by the Akishio's 10th commanding officer. The café is cash only and last orders are at 17:00. It is not part of the Kure Kaiji Curry certification network. (source: https://dive-hiroshima.com/en/explore/67/)
- Yamato Museum and the JMSDF Kure Museum (Tetsu no Kujira) face each other across a brick plaza, roughly 100 metres / a 1–2 minute walk apart, with an oversized 46cm naval shell at the plaza centre. Both are about a 5-minute walk from JR Kure Station, and the Kure Chuo Sanbashi cruise/ferry terminal is about 1 minute farther along the waterfront. All three sit within a ~5-minute walking radius. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- Yamato Museum, the JMSDF Kure Museum, and the certified curry restaurant Kure Haikara Shokudou all close on Tuesdays. A museum-and-curry day in central Kure should not be planned for a Tuesday. (source: https://yamato-museum.com/en-lp/)
- The Kure Chuo Sanbashi Terminal (呉中央桟橋ターミナル), 4-44 Takaramachi, is the departure point for both the Kure harbour warship cruise and the Setonaikaikisen ferry. It is a 1-minute walk from the Yamato Museum entrance and about 5–7 minutes from JR Kure Station. (source: https://bunker-supply.com/service/sightseeing_cruise/)
- The JR Kure Line rapid train from Hiroshima Station to Kure Station takes about 35 minutes; local trains take about 50 minutes. The IC-card fare is about ¥510 each way and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Trains run every 20–30 minutes during the daytime. (source: https://www.westjr.co.jp/)
- The Crea Line (クレアライン) highway bus runs from the Hiroshima Bus Center (city centre, not Hiroshima Station) to Kure, every 15–20 minutes, in about 45–50 minutes. The fare is about ¥860 one way to 呉駅前 (Kure Station front); the fare to 阿賀駅前 (Aga Station front, beyond Kure) is ¥970 — do not confuse the two. (source: https://www.hiroden.co.jp/)
- Setonaikaikisen runs boats from Hiroshima Port (Ujina) to Kure. The standard ferry takes about 45 minutes and costs about ¥1,100 one way; the faster jet service is about ¥2,800. Hiroshima Port is south of the city centre (reached by tram), so the ferry is rarely faster door-to-door than the train. (source: https://setonaikaikisen.co.jp/language/en/)
- The Hiroshima–Kure Road (広島呉道路) toll expressway links the two cities along the coast in roughly 30–40 minutes outside rush hour.
- Kure Kaiji Curry (呉海自カレー) is a certification programme in which Kure restaurants serve curry recipes passed directly from specific JMSDF ships; the ship's crew teaches the recipe and the ship's captain must taste-test and certify it. About 22 restaurants participate in the 2025–2026 season, each tied to a different vessel. The JMSDF serves curry every Friday so crews at sea can mark the week's end. (source: https://kure-kaijicurry.com/)
- Kure Haikara Shokudou (呉ハイカラ食堂), 4-21 Takaramachi (Marine Building No. 3, 2F), serves the certified JS Sōryū (Sōryū-class submarine) recipe as Sōryū Teppan Curry (¥1,650; entry-level Submarine Curry ¥980). Hours 11:00–15:30 (last order 15:00), closed Tuesdays. About a 1–2 minute walk from Yamato Museum and 6 minutes from JR Kure Station's Minato Exit. Cash is the safe assumption. (source: https://kurefine.com/menu/curry/)
- Minato Machi Coffee Ten (港町珈琲店), 6-17 Shōwachō (2F, above the 7-Eleven), is a certified Kure Kaiji Curry café serving a soft beef curry from the JS Kuroshio submarine recipe, with JMSDF submarines often visible from the window seats. Hours 11:00–18:00 (last order 17:30), Sundays from 08:00, closed Tuesdays. About 15–20 minutes on foot from Yamato Museum (Shōwachō district; ~5 minutes by bus from Kure Station). (source: https://goodness-gb.co.jp/)
- Izakaya Tone Honten (居酒屋利根本店), Honmachi 2-2, serves the certified recipe of the JMSDF escort ship JS Tone (護衛艦とね) as Escort Ship Tone Curry (¥980). Open evenings 17:00–23:00, closed Wednesdays. Cash is safest. (source: https://tone.pecori.jp/)
- Coffee House Côte d'Azur at the Clayton Bay Hotel (1F) is certified for the recipe of the JMSDF escort ship JS Ise (護衛艦いせ). Confirm hours and any reservation requirement before visiting. (source: https://clayton-bay.jp/english/stay/plan/plan_yamato_curry.html)
- The free JMSDF Kure Curry Guidebook (with the full certified-shop list, map, and sticker sheet for the seal rally) is available at the Kure Tourist Information Plaza, one minute from JR Kure Station, and at kure-kaijicurry.com. Each rally season runs April 1 to March 31; the site updates with the new season every April. (source: https://kure-kaijicurry.com/sealrally/)
- The Kure harbour warship cruise (呉湾艦船めぐり) is operated by Bunker Supply Co., Ltd. Tickets are ¥2,200 for adults and ¥800 for children, for a trip of about 40 minutes past the JMSDF Kure base. Aggregator figures of ¥1,700 and ¥1,500 are both incorrect. (source: https://bunker-supply.com/service/sightseeing_cruise/)
- Kure warship cruise daytime departures: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday — four departures at 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00. Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays — six departures at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00. No Tuesday departures are listed. A separate sunset cruise (夕呉クルーズ) departs about 20 minutes before sunset; the time changes daily, so confirm with the operator. (source: https://bunker-supply.com/service/sightseeing_cruise/)
- The Kure warship cruise must be booked online via the かんたんWeb予約 (Easy Web Booking) form at bunker-supply.com at least two days before departure. The form is in Japanese; same-day and next-day phone reservations are not accepted. Onboard commentary is most likely Japanese only. (source: https://bunker-supply.com/service/sightseeing_cruise/)
- JMSDF Kure open-ship days run on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. Viewing is 13:30–15:00, admission is free, and a photo ID is required. Events may be cancelled for weather, training, or vessel absence. A separate Kure District Command headquarters-building tour runs roughly 10:00–11:00 on the same days. (source: https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/kure/announcement/tour/index.html)
- For the JMSDF Kure ship viewing, the admission desk opens at 13:00 and closes at 13:20 — a twenty-minute window. Late arrivals after 13:20 cannot board even with a winning lottery confirmation. Viewing runs 13:30–15:00. (source: https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/kure/announcement/tour/index.html)
- As of 2026, boarding a JMSDF warship at Kure requires entering a free advance lottery by email via the viewing-guide page at mod.go.jp/msdf/kure/announcement/tour/; walk-up entry is no longer possible. Applications close about 10 days before the date and results are emailed the Monday before; there is no waitlist and no rejection notice (no email by Monday means not selected). (source: https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/kure/announcement/tour/index.html)
- There is no published nationality restriction on the JMSDF Kure open-ship lottery, so foreign visitors can apply, but the application form requires a Japanese postal code and address (visitors are advised to use their hotel's). The application form, the lottery notification, and all on-site guidance are in Japanese only — there is no English support. (source: https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/kure/announcement/tour/index.html)
- Every visitor in junior high school and above must show an original public photo ID (driver's license, My Number Card, passport, or student ID — photocopies are not accepted). Children in middle school and younger are exempt. Participants must be elementary-school age or older, and visitors must be able to walk the deck and ladders unaided (canes, crutches, and wheelchairs cannot be accommodated on deck). (source: https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/kure/announcement/tour/index.html)
- The JMSDF Kure open-ship venue is the base mooring district (係船堀地区), 5-2 Showa-cho, Kure (737-0035) — about 2 km from the Kure Station museums, NOT at the museums. From JR Kure Station take the Kure Kurahashijima Line bus (呉倉橋島線) about 15 minutes to Showa Futo-mae (昭和埠頭前), then walk 2 minutes; allow about 20 minutes total. There is no visitor parking. Public-affairs contact: 0823-22-5511. (source: https://kure-trip.jp/spots/57)
- Mt. Haigamine in Kure is one of the 'Three Great Night Views of Chugoku and Shikoku' and is on Japan's 'Top 100 Night Views' list. The three nationally famous night views of Japan are Hakodate, Mt. Maya, and Mt. Inasa — not Mt. Haigamine. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Haigamine)
- 'In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World' (2019) is an extended cut of the 2016 film, adding about 33 minutes of footage that expands the Rin/Shusaku/Suzu storyline. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_This_Corner_of_the_World)
- In This Corner of the World (この世界の片隅に) is a 2016 animated film directed by Sunao Katabuchi, based on Fumiyo Kōno's manga. It follows Suzu, who in 1943 marries Shusaku — a civilian clerk at the naval court in Kure — and moves to his family home. It won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_This_Corner_of_the_World)
- The Hōjō family home where Suzu lives is recreated as a marked layout in the Uneharachō hillside area of Kure, with a guide board designed by manga author Fumiyo Kōno. It is reached only on foot or by bus, has no parking, and sits in a residential neighbourhood — visitors must not enter private property or the terraced fields nearby. (source: https://en.kure-trip.jp/features/12)
- A free illustrated film-location map of Kure, drawn by the film's staff, is available at Kure Station tourist information, the Yamato Museum, and major hotels, in print and digital form. Listed spots include the Aoyama Club (former navy NCO hall), the Mitsukura storehouses, the steps near the former naval hospital, and Koharu Bridge. For current access details, contact the Kure City Tourist Information Center at 0823-23-7845. (source: https://en.kure-trip.jp/features/12)