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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kure
Spend a half‑day in Kure for the naval museums and curry, then head back to Hiroshima; one night only if you want a relaxed pace.
Kure is a compact port city with two maritime museums within a 10‑minute walk of Kure Station and a naval‑curry specialty. It is best visited as a day‑trip from Hiroshima, or for an overnight stay if you prefer a slower schedule.
- Country
- Japan
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, humid)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–12,000 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Kure Kaiji curry plate | ¥800–1,200 |
| Yamato Museum entry | ¥500 adult, ¥300 high‑school |
| City bus ride | ¥720 |
| JR Kure Line ticket | ¥500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HIJ · Hiroshima Airport
- ≈45 min by car via Higashihiroshima‑Kure Expressway
Typical fares
- Hiroshima Airport → Kure bus
- ¥1,340 one‑way, ≈45 min
- Kure Line Kure‑Hiroshima
- ¥500, 35 min rapid
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk between museums; city bus (Hiroden Bus) runs every 10–15 min, ¥720 one‑way. Trams connect Hiroshima Station to Kure (change at Minami‑kuyakusho‑mae).
See and do
Known for
- JMSDF Kure Museum
- Yamato Museum (Kure Maritime Museum)
- Kure Kaiji curry
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hiroshima | JR Sanyo Line, 30 min from Kure Station | ≈45 min |
| Miyajima | JR to Miyajimaguchi (≈45 min), then ferry 10 min | ≈1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Kure Station area
- Convenient for museums and bus connections; good for one night.
- Central Kure
- Near restaurants and the ferry terminal; 5‑min walk to museums.
Language
Japanese everywhere; English on rail signs, ticket machines and in large hotels, thin elsewhere. Menus with photos and translation apps close most gaps.
- Write addresses in Japanese for taxi drivers; the hotel card works.
- A camera translation app reads menus and machine labels.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Last city bus from Hiroshima to Kure departs around 22:00; plan return accordingly.
- Museum entry fees are modest but verify seasonal closures.
Kure is safe for tourists; standard caution with traffic and keep an eye on train/bus timetables.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kure yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- JMSDF Kure Museum
- Yamato Museum (Kure Maritime Museum)
- Kure Kaiji curry
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kure local tourist association (Japanese): www.kure-kankou.jp/
- Kure city government (Japanese): www.city.kure.lg.jp/life/3/
- Yamato Museum: yamato-museum.com/
- Wikivoyage: Kure, revision 5143814 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5143814
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/kure). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.