Kure's History

Artifacts found in the area suggest the Kure area has been continuously inhabited since the Jomon period (13,000 BC to 300 BC).

Japan's Meiji government created in 1886 a naval base in Kure because of its large natural harbor. It quickly became a major naval base in Japan. The Kure Military Hospital (Kurekaigunbyoin) and other services were created in 1889 for the military. Electric lights were first introduced ten years later in 1899.

December 27th, 1903 was the official opening of the Kuresen (Kure Line) railroad from Hiroshima to Kure. Large scale metalwork industries was firmly established by this time to build vessels for the Japanese navy and railroads. Highway 32 between Kure and Hiroshima was opened in 1938. The largest battleship ever built, Yamato, was launched from Kure in 1941.

In 1941, on December 7th, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. America, Britain and Canada declared war the next day but it wasn't until March 3rd, 1945 that American bombs hit targets in Kure. After the atomic bomb attack, Kure provided much needed medical help to countless survivors. Adding to the tragedy of that year, a deadly typhoon hit in September 17 and 1,154 people died in Kure. October 6th, the first American occupation forces disembarked in Hiro.

By 1952, Kure's shipyards were hard at work using the wartime infrastructure that built the Yamato to build the world largest tankers at over 38,000 tons. Kure's shipyards built the first tanker over 100,000 tons in 1958 and over 13 years later was making tankers four times that size at 480,000 tons.

Kure and Bremerton, Washington, USA became sister cities in 1970 to help foster better ties between Japan and its former adversary. As well, Chinhae, Korea (1999) and Marabella, Spain (1990) have become sister cities of Kure. Kure's only Japanese sister city is Nawa, Tottori-ken.

Niku-Jyaga

Today, Niku-Jyaga (literally meat and potatoes) is a popular dish served in Japanese homes and school lunches. During the Meiji period there was an epidemic of vitamin deficiency in the navy. To combat this, the navy searched for a highly nutritious and simple meal for its soldiers.

This miso and onion flavored dish was found in Kure (and a town in Kyoto) and was introduced to the rest of Japan through the navy.

See Also: Yamato Museum