Kaiyomaru Museum: A Site Fit for a Powerful Edo-Era Warship

Ordered from the Netherlands by the Tokugawa shogunate to strengthen the Edo era naval forces, the mighty Kaiyomaru was a beauty on the high seas and a formidable foe. In 1868, the ship was run aground by a blizzard off the coast of Esashi en-route to provide support for the Battle of Hakodate. Its remains, much of which continue to rest on the seabed, were the first underwater ruins in Japan to be nationally designated as a cultural icon. At the Kaiyomaru Frigate Museum, you can learn about the famed vessel as you cast your eyes on a replica constructed to meet the original dimensions. The museum has over 3,000 items on display salvaged from the underwater ruins, including cannons, artillery shells, medical supplies, and food. Give the cannon firing workshop a ‘shot’ and see if you’ve got the ‘metal!’