Golden Week - Kure Trip III

 This is the inside look from Yamato Battleship Museum. Since I didn't bring my discount card, I have to pay Y 500 to get in there T^T If you have the discount card, you don't have to pay :)

At first I was worried that I could not understand the explanation about Yamato Battleship and its history. But then the guide said that for the foreigner they have audio-set that will "explain" to you in English. They also provide that audio set in Chinese and Korean. So do not worry that you will get 'lost' in that museum :3 I walked around with that audio-set :D

Actually, in first floor, first room, there were history about the war, Japanese-life during the war, and many more, even a film, but I did not know what was the film about. Also, I went there on holiday, so much people in one room and I decided to skip the history part and went straight to the replica of Yamato Battleship.

Replica of Yamato Battleship

Then I walked in to the missiles part. That amazed me. The battleship, of course, brought a lot of missiles, but the pictures below weren't just any missile, it was suicide missiles!

2 person suicide missile

1 person suicide missile

There were also letter from the privates who took a part in suicide mission to their family. I couldn't read the letter, but it's just breaking my heart. But as people who love their country, I guess the family knew that was a must thing to do. 

Some missiles

***

That was the last part of Yamato Battleship Museum. Because I was separated from Sasa and Motoki, I decided to sit in front of  the replica of the battleship. While listening again to the audio-set, I looked through the replica. The war must be a hard time for Japanese. They had to sacrifice so many things, even their life in order to save the country. I myself can not imagine if I were i that situation. Almost everyday living in fear, hearing the sound of gun, and do not forget the Hiroshima-Nagasaki that was bombed.

"Heal the world, make it better place,

for you and for me and the entire human race..."

-Heal the World, Michael Jackson

Golden Week - Kure Trip II

From Submarine Museum, we went to Military Base (Japan Maritime Self Defence) in Ondo, Kure. This is a rare opportunity, since just the family of the marine could go there. Thanks to Motoki and his marine friend, Sasa and I could go there as a "family". Ahahahha.

But before reach the military base, we got the wrong information. We went to Kure District Headquarters, the office. And the Military Base is faaa~~r away from the headquarters. It's a mistake to go there by foot! It took maybe 45-60 minutes to go there, and also tiring! The road goes up and down and up and down again T^T And when we arrived there, the gate was still closed. So we decided to eat lunch first.

This is the view from a bench where I ate my lunch

We waited, like, 30 minutes and then entered the base. We had to register first. Since the family was Motoki, he did all the registration thing for us. Near from the registration place, there was abandoned submarine. It was so big that my camera couldn't get all the body of submarine in one screen.

Then we went in to a amphibian ship. The name is Ohsumi (おおすみ). At first I thought that the ship is like a ferry ship, because the middle of the ship was so wide.

Wiidee~~

This explain how the amphibian ship works

Salute!

There were so many ships in the military base :3

This ship is so big that I couldn't take the picture

By the way, do you see the flags at the ship? Those are called "International Maritime Signals" and each flag spells an alphabetic letters. 

Next destination was Yamato Battleship Museum.

This was the view. Kure was like, dead city, because it was the beginning of golden week. Shops were closed, and just a few cars in there. Just make a little louder voice, your voice would be heard from the other side of sidewalk.

candid!

Golden Week - Kure Trip I

Actually on the beginning of May, I got flu. I did not attend a class for almost one week full. I got fever and sore throat, and I was afraid I could not enjoy my golden week. T^T But thanks God I got better on Friday 3rd, so I could go to museums with Motoki and Sasa :D

It was a long journey. We went to three places, Submarine Museum, Military Base and Yamato Battleship Museum. Ah, actually four places, because the last one we went to eat at the mall :D

First, Submarine Museum. In this place we can see mines, missiles that used in the battlefield, especially in sea and also minesweeper equipment. It also shows the history how Japanese "cleaned" the sea after the war. They used some advanced equipment (at that time). To clean the sea, of course, it need some brave man, because you could die anytime if you failed to defuse the mines.

Submarine Museum

The History of Submarine in Japanese

An Example of Equipment Used in Defuse the Mines

Rifle!

One of Sea Mine

This one of many types of mines in the sea. This picture above is a type of mines that place in continental slope or basin and targeting the submarines. The picture below one of mine ballast. The mine was placed in continental shelf and targeting the ships that approached the land or port.

The Ballast

Before entering the submarine, we went to the replica of submarine in the same building.

The Multi-function Seat

Because the submarine is not spacy, everything in the submarine must be multifunction. Like the seat, the toilet, and also the layout of the submarine.

These are the example of everyday meal in submarine life

The Room in Submarine

The space is too narrow T^T or was it me that just too fat to be in submarine?

Something like control room

The Badge and Level of Marine

Marine Badges from Indonesia :D

to be continued...