Sail Training Ship Nippon Maru & Yokohama Port Museum
A 97-meter training sailing ship, listed as an Important Cultural Property, and a port museum.
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Sail Training Ship Nippon Maru & Yokohama Port Museum
SaveA 97-meter training sailing ship, listed as an Important Cultural Property, and a port museum.
The ship's twenty-nine sails stay furled except about twelve times a year, when every one is opened.
MoreWhat kind of place
The Nippon Maru is a four-masted bark built as a training ship, now berthed in Yokohama and listed by Japan as an Important Cultural Property.
She is 97 meters (about 320 feet) long from bowsprit to stern and 2,278 gross tons, rigged with 29 sails that together cover the area of 1,245 tatami floor mats. The sails stay furled most days.
About twelve times a year the crew opens every one of them, and on those days the site opens half an hour early, at 9:30.
Sources and evidence (24)
- You can go inside the Nippon Maru, a sailing ship designated a national Important Cultural Property.source
- Displays on the deck, among the masts and rigging, and inside the ship use photos, ship's gear, and audio commentary to explain how cadets trained at sea and how the Nippon Maru's career unfolded.source
- The sails are normally left furled, but about twelve times a year the crew opens every one of them in a full sail-setting event.source
- She is a four-masted bark built as a training ship, with a capacity of 138 people today and 196 in her training years.source
- She is 97 meters (about 320 feet) long including the bowsprit and 13 meters (43 feet) wide, with an average draft of 5.3 meters (17 feet) and a gross tonnage of 2,278.source
- Her 29 sails add up to the area of 1,245 tatami floor mats; in her training years she carried 35.source
- The tallest mast rises 46 meters (about 150 feet) above the water.source
- In her training days the ship's bell rang once thirty minutes into a watch, then added a ring every half hour after that, until eight bells marked the change of watch.source
- All the ropes that work the sails are tied off on rods called belaying pins.source
- The cadets' room slept eight in a tight space, on bunks 185 cm long and 65 cm wide (about 6 feet by 2 feet).source
- In the officers' salon, where officers ate and held meetings, the table and chairs are bolted to the floor because the ship heeled so often at sea.source
- The ship's wheel sits at the very stern, so the helmsman could watch the sails while steering.source
- The captain's cabin is where he received guests and took reports from his navigating officers.source
- Changing tables are in the port museum's first-floor accessible restroom, outside the first-floor women's restroom, and inside the women's restroom on the basement exhibition floor.source
- For nursing, speak to the staff at the general information desk and you can use the space next to it.source
- For safety, wheelchair users tour only the topmost deck (the long poop deck) of the Nippon Maru, and need someone along to assist.source
- Loaner wheelchairs are available on the first floor of the Yokohama Port Museum.source
- Service dogs (guide, mobility, and hearing dogs) are welcome throughout the Yokohama Port Museum, and on the Nippon Maru they are limited to the topmost deck because of how the ship is built.source
- AEDs are kept at four points: the Nippon Maru's disaster-prevention center (security room), the port museum entrance at the general information desk, the museum's basement elevator landing, and the training center entrance.source
- Each volunteer guide in the port museum takes a group of about ten people.source
- Lockers for your bags at the library take a 100-yen coin, which comes back when you take your things out.source
- Groups eat on the lawn on the port museum's roof facing the mouth of the Ooka River in fine weather, and on the top floor of the Tower CD building in rain, where the limit has been 150 people since April 1, 2025.source
- The Yanagihara Ryohei Art Museum is showing a special exhibition of his drawings of the cruise ship Nippon Maru, marking her retirement, from May 8 to September 23, 2026 (that cruise ship is a different vessel from the sailing ship).source
- A statue of Yanagihara Ryohei's character Uncle is to be put up in Nippon Maru Memorial Park, announced on August 7, 2026.source
With kidsThe part that matters
You go aboard a real ship here, not a model of one, and that means real stairs: young children have to be held by the hand throughout, and running on board is not allowed.
Sandals, wooden clogs and heels make a fall more likely on those stairs, so shoes that grip take the worry out of the stairs.
Out on the open deck, kids can look straight up at the tallest mast, 46 meters (about 150 feet) above the water. Strollers are checked at the ship's entrance, so go aboard while legs are still fresh.
The museum next door is the easier half: ramps and an elevator take a stroller the whole way through, there are changing tables in the restrooms, and the staff at the general information desk will let you use the nursing space beside it.
Sources and evidence (3)
- At the wheel they lend you a cap for photographs. Cadets' bunks have drawers; cabins get plusher as the rank rises.source
- No nursing room or changing table on the ship, and no strollers aboard. The stairs beat a two-and-a-half-year-old.source
- No visitor parking, so 1,000-2,000 yen nearby; two hours for both, so pick one with a daily cap (Collette Mare 2,200).source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1The Yokohama Port Museum has ramps and a lift, so you can see the displays with the stroller, and three loaner strollers wait at the information desk. For Nippon Maru itself, strollers are left at the entrance, so you board with the baby in your arms, and on deck you look up at a mast standing 46 meters above the water.Diaper changing tables are in the barrier-free restroom and in front of the women's restroom on the museum's first floor, and inside the women's restroom on the basement exhibition floor. For nursing there is a space next to the general information desk, so speak to the staff there. Eating and drinking are not allowed on board. There is no visitor parking, only one accessible space arranged in advance on 045-221-0280, so come by public transport or use a nearby paid car park.
- Ages 2-3Out on deck there are masts and a great many ropes, and every rope that works the sails is made fast to a rod called a belaying pin. The ship's wheel sits right at the stern, so the helmsman could watch the sails while steering. In the officers' saloon the table and chairs are fixed to the floor, because the ship often heeled at sea.You are asked to hold small children by the hand at all times. On board, do not run except in an emergency, watch your head and your feet, and use the handrail on the stairs. Sandals, geta and high heels are singled out as a slipping risk. Climbing the masts is not allowed.
- Ages 4-6About twelve times a year, on soken-tempan days, all 29 sails that normally stay furled are opened, an area equal to 1,245 tatami mats, and the ship opens at 9:30 on those days. The cadets' room housed eight to a room, with beds 185 cm long and 65 cm wide. The ship's bell was struck once in the first half hour of a watch and one more time every half hour after that, until eight bells marked the change of watch. Guide tours run daily on both the ship and in the museum; you just speak to a volunteer near the gangway or in the galleries.The combined ticket for ship and museum is 800 yen for adults and 300 yen for school students, and on Saturdays school students pay a flat 100 yen. Last entry is 16:30, and it closes on Mondays (open if that is a public holiday, closed the next weekday instead). Nippon Maru alone has extra closures: 28-29 November 2026 for taking the sails down, and 28 January to 1 March 2027 for hull maintenance, when you cannot board. Guide tours take no group bookings; you ask a volunteer on the day.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayOn the Nippon Maru you go around the deck, among the masts and rigging, and inside the ship. The Yokohama Port Museum has ramps and an elevator, so you can see it with a stroller.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed2 h
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
Family checks✓ easy for your family
- ElevatorElevator：with conditionsconditions
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：with conditionsconditions
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：none
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
Tap a mark for details
* Other not checked (8)
Diaper disposal bin, Kids' toilet seat & step stool, Child switch (rider swap), Official family-friendly certification, Best-fit ages (guide), Crowding (guide), Quietness (guide), Lost-child support
Green = we confirmed it. Gray = not checked yet. Gray with a line through = the place does not have it.
Worth a look before you go
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
At the wheel they lend you a cap for photographs. Cadets' bunks have drawers; cabins get plusher as the rank rises.
Inside the Nippon Maru in Yokohama: a family's walk-through of the ship
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
No nursing room or changing table on the ship, and no strollers aboard. The stairs beat a two-and-a-half-year-old.
How to enjoy the Nippon Maru with small children
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
No visitor parking, so 1,000-2,000 yen nearby; two hours for both, so pick one with a daily cap (Collette Mare 2,200).
The Yokohama Port Museum and the Nippon Maru turned out to be well worth the time
Sail Training Ship Nippon Maru & Yokohama Port Museum · Links & reads ▾
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Where to go next
Where it is
2-1-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 220-0012source
Before you go
- Running on board is not allowed except in an emergency, and sandals, geta (wooden clogs), and high heels make a fall more likely.source
- On board, watch your head and your footing, and use the handrails on the stairs.source
- Young children must be held by the hand at all times.source
- On board, smoking, eating and drinking, open flames, dangerous items, animals, climbing the masts, and entering closed-off areas are all off limits.source
- Volunteer guides lead tours of both the Nippon Maru and the Yokohama Port Museum every day; just speak to one near the ship at the museum-side entrance or inside the galleries, and note that group reservations are not accepted.source
More notes (1)
- A lunch space is set aside only for booked groups touring the site, and it is not offered for lunch on its own.source
Basics
- Fee：A combined ticket for the ship and the museum (which includes the Ryohei Yanagihara Art Museum) is ¥800 for adults, ¥600 from age 65 and ¥300 for school students. Either one alone costs ¥400 for the ship and ¥500 for the museum. On Saturdays, elementary, junior-high and high-school students pay a flat ¥100 on any of these tickets. Visitors with a disability certificate, and one carer each, are admitted free. The site takes part in the Grutto Pass.source2
- Hours：10:00-17:00, last admission 16:30; on days the sails are set the doors open at 9:30. Closed Mondays (open if it is a public holiday, closing the next weekday), 28 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, and 28 January to 4 February 2027 for maintenance. The ship alone closes for longer stretches that the museum does not: 28-29 November 2026 to take the sails off (spare dates 5-6 December) and 28 January to 1 March 2027 for hull work (spare dates 6-7 March).source
- Time to allow：2 hsource
- Booking：Walk-in; tickets are sold at the window and discounted advance tickets exist. Guided tours run daily on the ship and in the museum - you simply speak to a volunteer, and they cannot be booked, not even by groups. Groups of 20 school-age visitors or more get a discount but must book, and any bus, however small, has to be booked in advance.source
Basics in detail (19)
Hours and closures
- On full sail-setting days the site opens at 9:30 instead of the usual 10:00.source
- Opening hours are 10:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:30.source
- Closed Mondays, except when Monday is a public holiday, in which case it closes the next weekday; Monday, August 10, 2026 is a special opening day.source
- Closed over the New Year period, from December 28, 2026 through January 4, 2027.source
- Closed for maintenance from January 28 to February 4, 2027, though those dates can shift depending on the work.source
- The Nippon Maru alone closes on November 28 and 29, 2026 to take the sails down, with December 5 and 6 held as backup dates.source
- The Nippon Maru alone also closes from January 28 to March 1, 2027 for hull maintenance, with March 6 and 7 held as backup dates for putting the sails back on.source
Fees
- A combined ticket for the ship and the museum costs 800 yen for adults, 600 yen for ages 65 and over, and 300 yen for elementary through high school students.source
- A ticket for the Nippon Maru alone costs 400 yen for adults, 250 yen for ages 65 and over, and 200 yen for elementary through high school students.source
- A ticket for the Yokohama Port Museum alone costs 500 yen for adults, 400 yen for ages 65 and over, and 200 yen for elementary through high school students.source
- On Saturdays, elementary through high school students pay a flat 100 yen for either the combined or the single ticket, and that money goes toward preserving the ship ahead of the 100th anniversary of her launch.source
- The combined ticket covers both the Nippon Maru and the Yokohama Port Museum, including the Yanagihara Ryohei Art Museum inside it.source
- Group discounts apply to parties of 20 or more, counting visitors of elementary school age and up.source
- The site takes part in the Grutto Pass museum pass.source
- Visitors holding a Japanese disability certificate (physical, intellectual, or mental health) are admitted free, along with one caregiver per person.source
- The library (reading room) is open 10:00 to 17:00 and closed Mondays; it is free if you are visiting the museum, or 100 yen per person per day on its own.source
Getting there
- There is no visitor parking apart from spaces for tour buses and for drivers with disabilities, so come by public transit or use a nearby paid parking lot.source
- The single accessible parking space is free during visiting hours and has to be arranged in advance by calling 045-221-0280 with the lead visitor's name, the car's model and color, the license plate, the date and time, and the number of people.source
- The address is 2-1-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-0012, and the phone number is 045-221-0280.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (9)
- Official: Stroller friendly, Diaper changing table, Nursing space
- Official: Elevator, Indoor / outdoor, Outside food allowed
- Official: Outside food allowed, Stroller access notes
- Official: main site
Ropes for working the sails run across the deck, every one of them tied to a wooden belaying pin. Below, eight cadets shared a cabin, and their bunks measure 185 by 65 centimeters. In the officers' saloon the table and chairs are bolted to the floor, because the ship leaned under sail. The wheel sits right at the stern, so the helmsman could watch the sails while steering. Volunteer guides are on hand every day, and you only have to ask.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | The museum has ramps and an elevator and can be visited with a stroller; three strollers are lent at the information desk. The ship is different - strollers are left at the entrance, and wheelchair visits on board are limited to the top deck with someone accompanying. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diaper changing table | Yes (3) | Three changing tables in the museum: in the 1F accessible toilet, outside the 1F women's toilet, and inside the women's toilet on the exhibition floor one level down. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jp |
| Nursing space | Yes (1) | A space next to the main information desk - tell the staff there and they will open it up. Whether hot water is available is not stated. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jp |
| Family restroom | Yes (2) | Two wheelchair-accessible toilets in the museum, on the 1st floor and one level down. The 1F one has ostomate fittings and a changing table. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jp |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Yes | The museum has ramps and an elevator. The ship has neither - it is stairs and deck hatches throughout. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jpnippon-maru.or.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | The museum is indoors. On the ship you move between the open deck, with its masts and rigging, and the rooms below. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jp |
| Outside food allowed | No | Eating and drinking on board the ship is asked against, along with smoking, naked flames, dangerous items and animals. The lunch spaces on site - the lawn on the museum roof and the tower room used in rain - are set aside for booked groups, not individual visitors. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jpnippon-maru.or.jp |
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Steps & slope caution | Many steps | On board you are asked to watch your head and your feet, use the handrail on the stairs, hold small children by the hand at all times, and not run except in an emergency - sandals, geta and heels are singled out as slip risks. Wheelchair visits on the ship reach only the top deck, and then with someone accompanying. The museum side has ramps and an elevator. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jpnippon-maru.or.jp |
| Child switch (rider swap) | Not checked yet | ||||
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | Yes | There is no visitor parking lot - only buses that have booked, and one accessible space. That space is free during your visit and needs a call ahead (045-221-0280) with the driver's name, car model and color, plate, date, time and number of people. Everyone else uses public transport or a nearby paid parking lot. AEDs are at four points: the ship's security room, the museum entrance information desk, the museum elevator lobby one level down, and the training center entrance. Guide dogs, assistance dogs and hearing dogs are welcome in the museum; on the ship they are limited to the top deck. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nippon-maru.or.jpnippon-maru.or.jp |
| Official family-friendly certificationExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Crowding (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Quietness (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet |
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