Far-East Military Museum

[US-Subs]

Just finishing up another trip to the East, had a little time to kill today on the way out of country, so thought I'd stop by and see what is new at the Yushukan Peace Museum located at Yasukuni Jinja in Tokyo. Its a big museum with lots to see, if you ever get the chance its well worth the trip.

Unfortunately once you get past the Zero and 15cm guns at the entrance its strictly no cameras throughout the museum. If you get caught they escort you to the door. So apologies for the poor quality images, my normal camera stayed in the hotel room and I used a baby Nikon with no flash.

 

[Madbomber31]

Nice Photo's there also with the small cam. :tinysmile_grin_t:
Is that Sub in the photo like the one they used at Pearl??

 

[butterfly]

Hi,

Great photos, US-Subs looks a fantastic place to visit!!

The Submarine looks like a human torpedo Mad, I think the Japanese used a different kind at Pearl? though I'm no expert. Have seen a postcard of a mini-sub washed ashore at Pearl and it was different to the one in the photo posted.

regards
Kev

 

[US-Subs]

Yes, they are different. The subs at Pearl were mini-subs, fitted normally for two men. This is one of several variations of the Kaiten, which started out as a torpedo, modified to take a person for guidance. They went on to make several versions, the largest was over two meters in diameter, but only six were made before the end of the war. The Japanese had the best torpedos of the war, guidance, distance, fuzing - it was one area that they excelled in.

One or two of the mini-subs were found in Guadalcanal as well, run aground after the main sea battle.

 

[Madbomber31]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[waffenamt]

Well done Subs,there are indeed crackin' pics!
I can just imagine you sneaking the camera out!

best
waff

 

[Jolly Green]

Well done Subs,there are indeed crackin' pics!
I can just imagine you sneaking the camera out!

best
waff

He's not called Secret Squirrel fer nuttin'.

 

[Gspragge]

Is it a ww2 Museum only ?

Or do they deal with the 1904 war with Russia as well.

 

[waffenamt]

He's not called Secret Squirrel fer nuttin'.

Lol!!:bigsmile:

Good one JG!

best

waff

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Baka;

That is a well preserved 'Baka' bomb in the third frame.
Regards,
John

 

[US-Subs]

Or do they deal with the 1904 war with Russia as well.

They touch lightly on the full military history of the country, but the greatest emphasis is on WWII. Nearly everything is in Japanese, but students of history can pick up quite a bit.

The location has a pretty charged history, the museum is located in the middle of the Yasukuni Shrine, which is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting for the Emperor - all of them, to include many considered by some as war criminals. This makes it a very political site, popular with Right-Wingers, but very unpopular with the Chinese, the Koreans, etc. This is the main reason that cameras are prohibited.

The Museum has a strong Right-Wing reputation and is described by some as somewhat "revisionist", with a slightly narrow and one sided view of events of, and leading up to the war. The museum bookstore is one of the few places where you can still find English copies of Japanese books claiming that the Nanjing Massacre was a hoax. All in all its a good day out, and, taken with an open mind, a very interesting and different view of a major world event. Regardless of any political or historical views, its one of the few places in Japan that you can go to see military ordnance and equipment on display. I can walk past a lot of fluff for that.

 

[Gspragge]

Sounds good -

Maybe I will try to contact them ~ :tinysmile_classes_t

 

[Snufkin]

Or do they deal with the 1904 war with Russia as well.

The musuem deals mainly with Japanese military history from 1868, the Meiji Restoration, although there was a small collection of 16th and 17th century Samurai armours and weapons.

There is a small gallery devoted to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, and to the Japanese part on the side of the allies in WWI. There is a significant section on the Manchurian conflict and then the rest of the collection is devoted to the Great South East Asia War (WWII). There is an impressive gallery devoted to the Special Attack (Kamikaze units), from the aircraft and manned torpedoes to the final mission of the Battleship Yamato.

Some photos attached from 2004 - a different layout to the current one shown by US-Subs.


Tom.

 

[peteblight]

Managed to head to this museum today. As US Subs said "NO CAMERAS!!!". We decided to have a good look round and then go back to photograph everything as fast as possible and leg it! ;-)

Only got told to stop taking photos once............Got some good shots though!!

Pete

 

[peteblight]

The following photographs are a model 4 15cm projectile, a 200mm rocket launcher and the 200mm rocket itself.

 

[peteblight]

Some more Japanese museum pics

Pete

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

To All,
Attached is the same type two man sub used in the attack at Pearl harbor. Many were recovered at Okinawa.
Regards,
John

 

[beihan62]

US Subs and peterblight,Many thanks for taking the time (and risks) to bring us these very interesting pics,
Regards,
Don,

 

[peteblight]

Here's the sucide boat too!

Pete