Kaioumaru Park

The Kaiwomaru Park is a marine park featuring the sailing ship Kaiwomaru, which was built as a training ship for the merchant marine school, and has various facilities. The park is registered as a Minato Oasis as “Minato Oasis Kaiwomaru Park.

In the 59 years since its launch, the beautiful sailing ship Kaiwomaru has sailed some 1,060,000 nautical miles (about 50 circumnavigations of the globe) and nurtured 11,190 young men and women of the sea.

At Kaiwomaru Park, the sailing ship Kaiwomaru is open to the public as it was in its original state, allowing visitors to see the ship as it was in those days. In addition, 10 times a year, a full-sail display is held, with 29 sails unfurled, which is a spectacular sight to see.

The power and beauty of the Kaiwomaru towering over the sea is like that of a lady. The sailing ship itself is also one of the highlights of the park, and can be enjoyed as a historical maritime museum.

The park has a large playground, an event plaza, restaurants, the Sea of Japan Exchange Center, a bird park, and the Minato Exchange Center, where visitors can fully enjoy the romance of the sea while feeling the refreshing sea breeze.

It is a fashionable bay area spot and has been selected as a “holy place for lovers,” and at night the illuminated Kaiwomaru makes a fantastic sight.

From the observation plaza, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Toyama Bay, the Tateyama Mountain Range, Shin-Minato Ohashi Bridge, and the sailing ship Kaiwomaru.

Ship History of Kaiwomaru

Birth of Nippon Maru and Kaiwomaru

In March 1927, the training ship Kirishima Maru of the Kagoshima Prefectural Merchant Marine and Fisheries School was caught in a storm off Kinkasan, Miyagi Prefecture, killing all 53 crew members and students on board.

This accident led to the decision to build two large training sailboats in 1928. The total construction cost of the two ships was 1.82 million yen, which was a very large project compared to the national budget of the time.

Ramage & Ferguson of Scotland designed the ships, and Kawasaki Shipbuilding Works in Kobe (now the Kobe Works of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Shipbuilding & Marine Company) was in charge of their construction.

The first ship, launched on January 27, 1930, was named “Nippon Maru,” and the second ship, launched on February 14, 1930, was named “Kaiō Maru. These two ships were placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education’s Nautical Training Center.

From October to December of the same year, the Kaiwomaru made its first ocean voyage to Truk Island in Micronesia. After that, they continued to engage in training voyages mainly in the Pacific Ocean.

Pacific War

When the Pacific War intensified in 1943, Kaiwomaru’s sail gear was removed and her hull was repainted gray. After that, she was engaged in coal transport missions. In April of the same year, the Nautical Training Institute was established, and training ships including the Kaiwomaru were assigned to the Nautical Training Institute.

After the War

After the war, the Kaiwomaru was used as a demobilization ship for 27,000 Japanese living overseas, and in 1955, her sails were reinstalled and her hull was repainted white, giving her the beautiful appearance she once had and earning her the nickname “Lady of the Sea.

In 1956, she made her first postwar ocean voyage to Los Angeles, California. She also participated in the 1960 Centennial of Japan-U.S. Diplomatic Relations, the 1961 International Yacht Race between Los Angeles and Honolulu, and the 1967 Centennial of the Founding of the Canadian Empire.

However, after 1974, the ship became obsolete, and the scale of oceanic voyages had to be scaled back.

On October 29, 1981, the Kaiō Maru arrived at Toyama New Port, and was opened to the public on October 31 and November 1.

Installation of Bow Statues (II and Later)

The original Nippon Maru and Kaiwomaru did not have bow statues, but when Nippon Maru II entered service in 1985, bow statues were installed on the Nippon Maru II and Kaiwomaru. These bow statues were created by Professor Nishi Oyoshi of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

The bow of the Nippon Maru II was named “Ai Ao” (indigo blue), representing a woman praying with her hands clasped in prayer. The bow of the Kaio Maru was named “Kono Ao” (deep blue), representing a woman playing a transverse flute.

Retirement

Kaiwomaru was decommissioned on September 16, 1989. Its role as a training ship was taken over by KAIO MARU II, along with the “KON-OH” bow statue.

After its retirement, the Kaiwomaru was selected for transfer between Toyama Prefecture and Osaka City. Ultimately, the ship was handed over to the Sailing Ship Kaiwomaru Memorial Foundation (now the Fushiki-Toyama Port and Kaiwomaru Foundation), a foundation jointly established by Toyama Prefecture and Osaka City.

The Kaiwomaru was moored in the Fushiki district of Toyama New Port and opened to the public on April 28, 1990. Later, on July 5, 1992, Kaiwomaru Park, a dedicated mooring and exhibition facility, was opened.

Meanwhile, in 1993, the city of Osaka launched the training sailboat Akogare and withdrew from the Kaiwomaru. In 1994, it was decided that the Kaiwomaru would be permanently moored at Toyama New Port.

Even after the Kaiwomaru was moored and preserved, it underwent periodic inspections every year in accordance with the Ship Safety Law, and a Ship Inspection Certificate was issued. In addition, a crew under the captain is in place to manage the vessel’s operations as a ship.

In 1997 (Heisei 9), repairs were made at the dock and tours of the ship’s bottom, etc. In 2012 (Heisei 9), major repairs were made and 450 million yen was spent for the repairs.

On July 20, 2018, the Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers recognized the first Kaiwomaru as “Ship Heritage No. 11.