Nippon Maru and Yokohama Port Museum

The four masted sailing ship Nippon Maru has sat in her stone dock at the heart of Yokohama since retiring from a long career training merchant navy cadets, and she remains one of the most graceful sights on the harbour. A combined ticket lets you board the ship and explore the Yokohama Port Museum beside her.

Aboard the Pacific Swan

Nicknamed the Swan of the Pacific, Nippon Maru logged distances at sea equivalent to circling the earth dozens of times while training thousands of cadets. On board you walk her decks and peer into cabins, mess rooms and the engine spaces, all kept much as the crew left them. Everything from the brass fittings to the rigging speaks of a working ship rather than a replica, and on certain days each year volunteers unfurl her full set of sails, a sight worth planning around.

The Port Museum

Next door, the museum traces Yokohama’s rise from fishing village to Japan’s great gateway port after the country opened to the world in the 1850s. Ship models, film and interactive displays cover trade, migration and disasters overcome, giving context that makes the modern harbour outside more interesting.

Getting there

The dock sits between Sakuragicho Station and the Minato Mirai waterfront, about five minutes on foot from Sakuragicho on the JR Negishi Line and city subway, or slightly more from Minatomirai Station on the Minatomirai Line. Landmark Tower rises directly behind.

We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Details and inclusions can change, so always check the booking page for the latest.