Nippon Maru (1930) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nippon Maru |
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Nippon Maru in Yokohama
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| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 日本丸 | ||||
| Hiragana | にっぽんまる | ||||
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The Nippon Maru (which means "Japan" and "ship" in Japanese) is a famous Japanese museum ship. She used to be a training vessel for sailors. Today, she is permanently docked in Yokohama harbor, Japan. You can find her in the Nippon Maru Memorial Park.
Contents
Building a Grand Ship
The Nippon Maru was built by the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation. This company is located in Kobe, Japan. She was launched on January 27, 1930. A "launch" is when a ship is put into the water for the first time. Her sister ship, the Kaiwo Maru, was launched at the same time.
Training Future Sailors
The Nippon Maru was operated by the Tokyo Institute for Maritime Training. Her main job was to train officers for Japan's merchant marine. These officers would work on ships that carried goods around the world. She helped many young people learn how to sail and navigate.
A Ship of Many Roles
When World War II began, the Nippon Maru's sailing parts were removed. She then served as a training ship for motor vessels. She also helped transport people after the war. In 1952, her sails and rigging were put back. She went back to her important job of training sailors. She continued these voyages until September 1984. At that time, a new ship, also named Nippon Maru, took her place.
How Big is She?
The Nippon Maru is a very impressive ship. She measures about 97 metres (318 ft) long. Her width, called the beam, is about 12.95 metres (42.5 ft). The part of the ship that goes under the water, called the draft, is about 6.90 metres (22.6 ft) deep.
Sails and Engines
This ship is rigged as a four-masted barque. This means she has four tall masts with many sails. She has 32 sails in total. These sails cover a huge area of about 2,397 square metres (25,800 sq ft). Even though she is a sailing ship, she also has two diesel engines. Each engine has 600 horsepower. These engines are used for extra power when needed.
Crew and Trainees
When the Nippon Maru was a training ship, she had a large crew. There were 27 officers and 48 seamen. Plus, she could carry 120 trainees. These trainees were students learning to become sailors.
Visiting the Nippon Maru
Today, the Nippon Maru is a popular museum ship. She is a wonderful example of a historic sailing vessel. Visitors can explore the ship and learn about life at sea. She helps people understand the history of maritime training in Japan.
Images for kids
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The Nippon Maru in 2008.
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The Nippon Maru in 2004.
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The Nippon Maru in 2009.
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The Nippon Maru docked in Yokohama Harbour in 2023.
External links
- Nippon Maru guidebook (in English)
