Overview
- This is a short version of the original experience - Visited Hiroshima? There's another side of WWII to be uncovered. Just 30 minutes by Shinkansen from Hiroshima, followed by a ferry ride from Tokuyama, this tour takes you to Ozushima, a peaceful island once home to a training base for the Kaiten, Japan's human torpedoes during World War II. Walk through former military sites, explore the Kaiten Memorial Museum, and read the farewell letters of young Kaiten pilots before their one-way missions. Because the museum's exhibits are almost entirely in Japanese, this English guided experience opens the door to stories and historical context that can be difficult to access independently. Led by a former international journalist, the experience offers another lens on the human stories of World War II, complementing a visit to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Museum.
Why travelers book this
What's Included
- Insurance
- Admission fee to the Kaiten Memorial Museum
- English guide
What's Not Included
- Ferry ticket from Tokuyama to Ozushima (round-trip). We will purchase it on-site.
- Lunch
Meeting & Pickup
Meeting point, pickup options and start time are confirmed on Viator before checkout.
Itinerary
Stop 1
Visit the Kaiten Memorial Museum, which explains how Kaiten human torpedoes were developed and used in the final stage of World War II. The museum features farewell letters from young men to their families, along with military documents, photographs, and other historical materials. With English-language guidance, guests can explore not only the military history, but also the human stories behind it.
Stop 2
Beyond the Kaiten Memorial Museum, this tour explores Ozushima, shown here as Otsu-shima, as a living island where wartime memory and present-day community life stand side by side. Guests visit remaining traces of the former Kaiten training base, including tunnels and coastal facilities, and learn how the island became one of the most important sites connected to Kaiten human torpedoes in the final stage of World War II.
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness