Description of the attraction
The Yusukan Museum tells about the military history of Japan. It is located in the Chiyoda area next to the Yasukuni Shrine, founded by Emperor Meiji in 1869. Yasukuni is a place that is perceived differently even by the Japanese themselves and their closest neighbors. On the one hand, this is a memorial erected in memory of the fallen soldiers. "Yasukuni" in Japanese means "peaceful country", a place where the souls of the dead found peace. On the other hand, it is believed that the names of war criminals are also included in the memorial lists. Because of this, at one time, Emperor Hirohito for almost twenty years, as well as some Japanese prime ministers, refused to visit Yasukuni. The sanctuary even caused a diplomatic crisis between Japan and China.
The Yusukan Museum was founded in 1882 to preserve evidence of the strength and might of the Imperial Japanese Army, created during the Meiji Restoration. Like many buildings in Tokyo, Yusukan was destroyed during the Kanto earthquake on September 1, 1923. Rebuilt, it received visitors in 1932.
Initially, the main expositions of the museum were devoted to the Japanese-Chinese war of 1894-1895 and the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905. The First World War also replenished the funds of Yusukan, and during the Second World War, samples of Japanese weapons were exhibited there. From 1945 to 1980, the museum was completely closed.
The museum is often criticized for the fact that its expositions glorify the heroes of military operations, but do not tell anything about the tragic fate of civilians.
Now documents and exhibits are presented on two floors. On the first one there is a hall of fame with photographs and letters of the fallen soldiers. The second floor is reserved for a story about all the wars in which Japan took part. Two halls are dedicated to the Russo-Japanese War. The museum displays Japanese military equipment, including aircraft, tanks and artillery pieces.
The museum regularly hosts exhibitions, a souvenir shop and a cafe. At the end of June and December, Yusukan closes for a few days.
