Hiroshima Tele coverage, March 31st

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Yamato Museum Exclusive Sneak Peek! Reopening April 23, Kure City, Hiroshima

The Yamato Museum in Kure City is poised for its grand reopening. Having been closed since February 2025 for renovation work, the museum is finally set to welcome visitors once again on April 23. We were granted an exclusive sneak peek inside the newly renovated Yamato Museum ahead of its public debut!

Work is proceeding at a rapid pace as the opening date approaches. The exhibits on the first floor have been significantly enhanced. In addition to authentic historical artifacts, the space now features a wealth of digital content, making the displays more engaging and easier to view than ever before.

Photo posted on Twitter by Daisonnya

Starting at 55 seconds:

Announcer Mizuho Nishina

“There are a lot of monitors here, too, aren’t there?”

Yamato Museum Curator Shohei Hamana

“This section is dedicated to introducing the crew members of the battleship Yamato. Unlike the printed panels we used previously, we’ve converted the content into digital data. This allows visitors to view the crew members’ photographs with greater brightness and clarity, right down to the finest details.”

Announcer

The third floor has undergone a complete renovation. It now features a display of aircraft propellers and engines manufactured right here in Kure, highlighting not only the city’s shipbuilding heritage but also its lesser-known contributions to aviation technology. Additionally, we have installed an interactive exhibit where visitors, including children, can enjoy the experience of piloting a ship.

Photo posted on Twitter by Alsace_Class

Announcer Mizuho Nishina

“Engine power: full throttle! Since there’s a glass window right in front of me offering a view of the sea, I really feel like I’m out there on the water.”

Yamato Museum Curator Shohei Hamana

“This area used to be a solid wall, but we’ve replaced it with a large glass window. Now, visitors can experience this ship-piloting simulator while enjoying a panoramic view of Kure Port.”

Photo posted on Twitter by Daisonnya

Announcer

Furthermore, they have updated the museum’s centerpiece: the 1/10th scale model of Yamato.

Specifically, the Yamato Museum’s iconic 1/10th scale battleship model, following a detailed underwater survey conducted in 2016, has been reborn to look even more true to the actual vessel. First, let’s look at the updates made to the bow section: the size of the Imperial Chrysanthemum Emblem on the front has been adjusted from 15 centimeters down to 10 centimeters!

The “Fire Control Director” located at the stern has also undergone a change. The supporting column beneath it, which was originally square in cross-section, has been reshaped into a round column! While this may seem like a very minute detail, it demonstrates the meticulous dedication we applied to ensure the model is as faithful to the real ship as possible. Several other minor details throughout the model have also been updated, so we encourage you to come and see them in person!

There have been significant changes in other areas as well. We’ve introduced a ship-piloting simulator, which is sure to be a hit with children, that allows visitors to experience what it feels like to be a ship’s captain. As you navigate, radio transmissions from nearby vessels sailing in the harbor will occasionally cut in, adding to the realism.

We have also incorporated digital display screens into the exhibit. Because you can clearly see the memoirs written by the crew members to their families at the time, it’s a space where you can reflect on what happened back then.

The Yamato Museum reopens on April 23rd.

Photos posted on Twitter by Alsace_Class and fujimi_koho

Dive! Hiroshima coverage

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Yamato Museum renewal open!

The Yamato Museum in Kure City, which had been undergoing renovations to improve the appeal of its exhibits, reopened on the morning of the 23rd after being closed for approximately one year, and was bustling with many visitors. Many people from all over the country visited the museum at 9:00 AM, the opening time.

In addition to updating the museum’s facilities, the renovations also included updating the exhibits to make it a more attractive museum.

The newly established “Science and Technology Exhibition Room” on the third floor features numerous real artifacts such as cannons and engines, as well as simulation equipment, showcasing the shipbuilding and aircraft technologies cultivated in Kure in an easily accessible way.

Visitor from Shiga

“I’ve always wanted to visit, and I was lucky to come on the day of the grand reopening.”

Visitor from Hyogo

“The Yamato model is beautifully restored, and the exhibition room is better than when I last came. I think it’s great.”

The museum will be distributing commemorative goods to the first 1,000 visitors for four days starting on the 23rd, and events to celebrate the reopening are also planned for the weekend.

Star sighting

Reiko Takashima was a special guest at the Grand Reopening Commemorative Ceremony, participating in the ribbon cutting. What’s the connection? She played the female Dr. Sado in the live-action Space Battleship Yamato movie (2010). In an on-site interview with the media, she mentioned, “I’ve loved Space Battleship Yamato ever since I was a child, and I can still sing the theme song to this day!”

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Yomiuri Shimbun Online coverage, April 23

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Yamato Museum” Reopens After 14-Month Closure
Exhibits Expanded to 2,100 Items, Centerpiece Model Updated to Reflect Survey Findings

On the morning of the 23rd, the Kure Maritime Museum, better known as the Yamato Museum (Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture) celebrated its grand reopening following extensive renovation work, marking its return after a closure of one year and two months. The museum has expanded its collection by approximately 300 items, bringing the total number of exhibits to around 2,100, while also enhancing its digital displays, which include blueprints of the Battleship Yamato.

This marks the first major renovation undertaken since the museum opened its doors in 2005. To better accommodate the growing number of international visitors, the museum has introduced a smartphone-based audio guide system that provides exhibit explanations in over 20 different languages.

Photo posted on Twitter by Alsace_Class

The museum’s centerpiece, a highly popular, precision-crafted 1/10th-scale model of Yamato (measuring 26.3 meters in length), has been updated to reflect the findings of a submersible survey conducted by Kure City in 2016. The survey revealed that the chrysanthemum emblem affixed to the ship’s bow was smaller than previously believed. Consequently, the emblem on the model was replaced with a smaller version, now 10 centimeters in diameter, a reduction of 5 centimeters.

Additionally, new exhibits featuring aircraft and ship engines have been introduced to showcase the manufacturing expertise cultivated at the former Imperial Japanese Navy Arsenal.

During the reopening ceremony held on the 23rd, Museum Director Kazushige Todaka, Kure City Mayor Yoshiaki Niihara, and other dignitaries celebrated the occasion with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Director Todaka remarked, “Even visitors who have been here many times before should find new perspectives, thinking, ‘I never thought to look at it this way,’ or ‘I didn’t know about this aspect’, and discover fresh interests and curiosities.”

Hiroshima Tele coverage, March 31st

See the video report here (5:52)

Visit the web page here

“A New Voyage”: Yamato Museum Reopens Following Renovation, Kure City, Hiroshima

After a closure lasting one year and two months, the Yamato Museum in Kure City has been reborn. Crowds of visitors flocked to the museum from the very first day.

It is now past the 6:00 PM closing time, and a sense of quiet has returned to the museum. Located immediately inside the entrance stands the 1/10th scale model of the battleship Yamato. Visitors can not only feel its imposing presence but also marvel at the meticulous attention to detail with which it was constructed.

A museum shop has been established just outside the museum, and it, too, drew such large crowds that lines formed to get in. Items available exclusively here, such as models and themed confectionery, are proving to be extremely popular. On April 23rd, the museum welcomed 3,700 visitors. Let’s take a look back at the scene.

Photo posted on Twitter by fujimi_koho

Despite the rain, approximately 700 people had already formed a line before the museum even opened its doors.

Visitor

Q: Since what time have you been lining up?

“Since around midnight last night. I’m absolutely thrilled!”

Visitor

“I came all the way from Shiga Prefecture. I’ve been waiting for this for over a year, so I’m incredibly happy. I’ve been looking forward to this so much!”

After a closure of more than a year, the Yamato Museum has now reopened following its renovation. The number of exhibits has increased by 300, bringing the total to approximately 2,100 items. On the first floor, digital content has been significantly enhanced with the aim of creating a more accessible and engaging exhibition experience.

Photo posted on Twitter by Daisonnya

Yoshiaki Niihara, Mayor of Kure City

“We faced a difficult dilemma regarding the necessity of a long-term closure, which also entailed significant financial costs, but we made the decision to move forward. As a result, we have successfully renewed the museum as an institution that continues to evolve toward the future.”

The Battleship Yamato was originally built right here in Kure. At the time of its construction, it was one of the largest battleships in the world. However, during the Pacific War, it came under attack by U.S. forces and sank off the coast of Kagoshima, taking many of its crew members with it.

Submersible surveys of Yamato have revealed new facts. To convey these findings to the public, the museum has undergone a major renovation.

One of the key highlights of this renewal is the 1:10 scale model of the battleship Yamato. Based on the findings from the submersible surveys, the Imperial Chrysanthemum emblem on the bow has been reduced in size by five centimeters.

Photo posted on Twitter by Alsace_Class

Visitors

“Looking at it now, it actually seems smaller than I expected. It strikes me as having a much sleeker, more streamlined appearance.”

The third floor features a completely revamped exhibition area. It showcases aircraft propellers and engines manufactured in Kure, highlighting not only the city’s shipbuilding heritage but also its lesser-known contributions to aviation technology.

Furthermore, the museum has expanded its interactive zones, including hands-on exhibits where visitors can simulate steering a ship, making it a facility that offers enjoyment for both adults and children alike.

Photo posted on Twitter by Alsace_Class

Kazushige Todaka, Director of the Yamato Museum

“We aspire to be a facility where visitors can simultaneously contemplate both the magnificent aspects of history and those tragic aspects that must never be repeated, encouraging them to engage in deep, personal reflection.”

Announcer

Mr. Miyawaki, you spent the entire day covering the museum. What were your impressions, particularly regarding the visitors?

Correspondent Miyawaki

“I was delighted to find that almost everyone I spoke with had traveled from outside the prefecture. It truly underscored the fact that this is a destination that attracts significant interest and high expectations from people far and wide.

Many visitors told me that, by touring the exhibition halls, they were able to gain a deeper understanding of Kure’s history and perceive the historical continuity that linked the Pacific War to the subsequent atomic bombings. This is, in essence, the very message the Yamato Museum strives to convey, and here, we see that message truly bearing fruit.

Regarding the 1/10 scale model of the Yamato, visitors can go beyond merely viewing the display; they can also cross-reference it with the original blueprints from that era.

As Yamato Museum Director Kazushige Todaka noted, while the battleship Yamato represented the pinnacle of the technology of its time, its misuse ultimately gave rise to a tragic chapter in history.

It is our hope that this model of the Yamato will serve as a catalyst for visitors to reflect upon how we can build a better future. I believe that anyone who visits this museum will leave having made new and meaningful discoveries.”

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