Just a short walk from Yokohama Chinatown! This retro Important Cultural Property can be seen for just 300 yen! A must-see!

#JapanTravelGuide

Today, we're introducing the Hikawa Maru, a Japanese freight ship located just a five-minute walk from Chinatown. 😇 It's a retro space perfect for a date break. 🥺 Admission is only 300 yen, which is a great price! When I visited, I walked along the waterfront from Kannai Station via the Red Brick Warehouse. 🚶♀️ Afterward, I went to Chinatown. 🥺 The Hikawa Maru is a cargo-passenger ship originally built by Nippon Yusen (NYK Line) in 1930. It's now a museum ship moored in front of Yamashita Park in Yokohama.
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🖼 Japan Freight Ship Hikawa Maru🚖Location: Kanagawa Prefecture🇯🇵 Yokohama💰 Admission Fee: ¥300 ⏳ Viewing Time: 30 minutes
📝 Honest Review Points ✔︎・An Important Cultural Property Located Just a Step Away from Chinatown・The Valuable Ship of Its Time and Luxury Cruise Ship🛳️・The Retro Interior is Captivating

🛳 Historical Highlights: Construction and Launch (1928–1930) Built at Yokohama Dock (now Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Yokohama Works), the ship was launched in September 1929 and made its maiden voyage from Kobe to Seattle in May 1930.

👑The Queen of the Pacific: Before the war, she lived up to her name as the "Queen of the Pacific," renowned for her elegant rooms and meals, including first-class accommodations. Between 1930 and 1941, she made 73 voyages, carrying approximately 10,000 people.

👦Charlie Chaplin and members of the Imperial Family also boarded her. In 1932, the film star Chaplin was said to have been deeply impressed by her, and in 1937, Prince and Princess Chichibu also boarded her.

🔫Wartime Role (1941–1945): In December 1941, the Navy converted her into a hospital ship, transporting wounded soldiers to Kiska-Midway and other battlefields. She survived three mine strikes, demonstrating her incredible durability.

💣Postwar Reinstatement and Decommissioning (1945–1960): After the war, she was used to transport repatriated soldiers from all over Japan and as a mixed cargo and passenger ship. In 1953, she returned to the Seattle route, carrying over 25,000 people across the Pacific Ocean on 254 separate trips. She was retired in 1960.

🏛️Relaunch as a Museum Ship: In April 1961, she was moored in front of Yamashita Park and also served as a maritime education facility and a youth hostel. In 2008, she underwent a complete renovation and reopened as the "NYK Hikawa Maru." In 2016, she was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

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🎯 Highlights of the Museum Ship
The Art Deco lounge, dining room, and first-class cabins have been restored to retain their original ambiance, making for many photo opportunities! This is apparently the first floating ship in Japan to be designated an Important Cultural Property! ️So, even though the Hikawa Maru isn't moving, it remains a "working" cultural asset, serving as a tourist and educational venue. 👍🏻

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I'm a freelance graphic designer and travel to art museums around the world. ♪ I'm currently studying abroad at a university in Malaysia. 🇲🇾 From niche museums to mainstream museums! I focus on beautiful places and architecture! This is the only place to find information about art museums around the world. 🙆♀️ The world is filled with beautiful things. And it's not just museums. I hope you enjoy my posts about the beauty of the world from a designer's perspective. I hope they spark your interest in design and art, even just a little, and enrich your life. 😆
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