Nippon Maru
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太平洋の白鳥「日本丸」
Although I usually prefer to photograph Nippon Maru at night, when she’s beautifully illuminated, I decided this time to make an attempt to compose a few shots in the harsh afternoon light.
Nippon Maru is now a permanently docked museum ship at the former Yokohama Dock No. 1, just a four-minute walk from Sakuragicho Station in Yokohama’s Naka Ward, within the Minatomirai waterfront district.
Built in Kobe and launched in January 1930, Nippon Maru was designed to train officers for Japan’s merchant marine. During World War II, her masts and rigging were removed so she could serve as a transport vessel, which was possible thanks to her two 600-horsepower diesel engines.
Her training mission resumed in 1952 after her rigging was reinstalled, and she continued sailing until 1984. Over her 54-year career, Nippon Maru trained 11,500 cadets and covered 1.83 million kilometers; an equivalent to circling the globe 45.5 times.
The reason for building such a large training ship dates back to a tragedy in March 1927, when all 53 crew and cadets aboard the smaller training vessel Kirishima Maru were lost at sea. Authorities recognized the need for larger, safer ships, resulting in the construction of two vessels: Nippon Maru and Kaiwo Maru (the latter now also preserved as a museum ship in Toyama Prefecture).
Nippon Maru is a four-masted barque (also known as a jackass bark), with her tallest mast rising 46 meters (161 feet) above the waterline.
Twelve times a year, volunteers help unfurl her 32 sails, which span a total area of 2,397 square meters (25,800 square feet). I hope to return on one of those days to witness the ship in full sail -- a sight I assume that likely inspired her nickname, the Swan of the Pacific.
Location: Minatomirai, Yokohama, Japan
Timestamp: 2025/05/28・15:12
Fujifilm with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 1000 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/10
Pro Negative High film simulation
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