Hikawa Maru tour in Yokohama: 1930s luxury liner museum

Walk through a 1930s luxury liner and trace its journey from the world's shipping routes to a hospital ship at war.

A 1.5-hour guided tour of the Hikawa Maru, a former luxury cruise liner now moored in Yokohama's port as a museum. The ship launched in 1930 as a symbol of elegance on international routes, was converted to a hospital ship during World War II, and later served as a repatriation vessel before retiring to its current berth. A professional guide leads you through its preserved interiors, powerful engines and sophisticated design, uncovering the stories behind each space. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels and service animals are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided tour of Hikawa Maru ship

• Arrive at Hikawa Maru museum
• Explore ship's luxurious interiors
• Learn about pre-war voyages
• Discover hospital ship history
• See ship's engineering features
• Complete 1.5-hour guided tour

The experience

Your afternoon in Yokohama can start at the Hikawa Maru without arranging anything beyond getting to the port: public transportation reaches it directly. The ship sits anchored and ready to board, and a professional guide meets you to walk the 1.5-hour route through its decks and cabins. You move at a steady pace through spaces that still carry the weight of the ship's past: the engine rooms that powered it across oceans, the passenger quarters designed for wealthy travelers, the medical facilities that served during wartime.

The Hikawa Maru's history shapes what you see. Launched in 1930, it was built as a luxury liner for international voyages: the kind of ship that carried diplomats and wealthy passengers between continents. When World War II began, the Japanese Navy converted it into a hospital ship, a role it held through the war's end. After 1945, it became a repatriation vessel, bringing Japanese nationals home from overseas. Each phase left marks on the ship: the original Art Deco details of its passenger era, the medical equipment installed during its hospital years, the wear of decades of service. Your guide points out these layers as you move through the ship, connecting the physical details to the moments that shaped them.

The tour ends where it began, back on the dock. You leave with a sense of how a single ship carried an entire era of Japan's maritime history: the glamour of international shipping, the upheaval of war, the work of rebuilding afterward. The Hikawa Maru itself remains, moored in Yokohama's port, a museum that doesn't require you to imagine the past. It lets you stand inside it.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Japanese.
• access to the Hikawa Maru's preserved interiors, engine rooms and passenger decks.
• the full 1.5-hour walking tour of the ship's spaces and history.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to Sunday11 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by DeepExperience

Is this one for you?The ship sits in Yokohama's port with public transportation nearby, so you can reach it directly from your hotel or arrival point without arranging a car or transfer: ideal if you have a free afternoon and want to spend it on a single, self-contained stop.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

What was the Hikawa Maru built for when it first launched?

The Hikawa Maru launched in 1930 as a luxurious passenger liner designed for international shipping routes, quickly becoming a symbol of elegance and sophistication in global maritime travel.

What happened to the Hikawa Maru during World War II?

The ship was converted into a hospital ship during the war, providing medical services to those in need, and later served as a repatriation vessel bringing Japanese nationals back from overseas after the war ended.

How long is the guided tour?

The tour lasts 1.5 hours and is led by a professional guide who speaks English or Japanese.

Can I reach the Hikawa Maru without a car?

Yes. Public transportation options are available nearby the ship's location in Yokohama's port, making it accessible without a personal vehicle.

What parts of the ship does the tour include?

The guided route takes you through the ship's preserved interiors, engine rooms, passenger quarters, and other spaces that reflect its history as a luxury liner, hospital ship and repatriation vessel.