Main Cities (Kure)

Meaning of the city symbol
	Kure is surrounded by 9 mountain peaks. These peaks gave the city its name, which derives from the word "Kyuryou", an alternative, literary term for nine mountain peaks. The city symbol is a 9-pointed star formed with the letter "Re" of the Japanese Katakana alphabet. Within this symbol is the character for City written. This symbol has been decided upon on March 26, 1903.

The Kure harbor

Kure has always had a close relationship to the sea. The gentle and beautiful Inland Sea of Japan has bestowed many blessings on this region and the city flourished as an important point of marine traffic.
In 1889 the naval station was established and when Kure received city status in 1903, it had a population of approximately 60,000. This swell to more than 400.000 by 1943, by which time it had also developed into the greatest Asian military port. The city then developed rapidly as Japans biggest naval arsenal and was the birth place of the fame war ship "Yamato".
After the war the city was reborn as port town pursuing peaceful industrial activities like shipbuilding, steel making, metal parts for machines and pulp processing. It thus developed into a central industrial city within the region of the Inland Sea of Japan.
Currently, throughout the city you can still see many historical remains like "Officers buildings of the former Kure naval station", the "hill from which you can see history", "former navy graveyard" and similar places.

A Town Area

Red bricks coloring the city

Walking through the city you will notice in many places red bricks. Red bricks have been extensively used in the main street of Kure, the so-called "Brick Avenue" and other streets like Kuramoto road for the sidewalk and many buildings. This bright city picture blends beautifully with the green of trees and sometimes even gives the impression of a foreign place. The "port town" air is thus enhanced.

Kurmoto road

"Irifuneyama" Memorial <Former Kure Commander-in-Chief residence>

"Irifuneyama" Memorial

In 1889 this 2-storied western style wooden building was erected as a site for military conferences and simultaneously supervision of marine traffic. Three years later in 1892 the Commander-in-Chief started to use it as residence.
Because the building was destroyed during the Geiyo earthquake in 1905, its assets were used to rebuild it in the currently existing form. Later, until 1945 it was the Kure Commander-in-Chief residence. After the war, until 1956, it served the stationed foreign Commander-in-Chief as residence.
Since 1967 it is open to the public and in 1968 has been designated important cultural treasure of Hiroshima Prefecture.
Inspections and repair works were performed from 1991 until 1995 and the building renovated to the appearance it had in 1963. It now houses and exhibits many materials related to the region in its regional and ethnic sections.
This building comprises Western and Japanese style parts. The western part adopts the English half-timber style and the roof covering in fish scale style is made of natural slate.
The surrounding of the building has been converted into a park. In spite of being a city area the deep green of this region gives the impression of a natural forest. The western style building of the Meiji area and the Kure museum and of the ??? park create a composed atmosphere. Particularly, the park with the brick-like tiles covered museum within contains many modern sculptures and has been selected as one of the "Japan Best 100 Roads".

Ondo-no-Seto (Inland Sea of Japan) Park

Seto (Inland Sea of Japan) Park of Ondo

Ondo of the Inland Sea of Japan is a 70-meter wide strait located between the coast off Kure and the Kurabashi island. Tradition has it that Taira-no-Kiyomori here called for the tranquil sunset with a golden fan and opened it within one day. The sea viewed from red loop bridge reflected in the waters of Ondo-no-Seto of the Inland Sea of Japan appears very quiet and peaceful. While the peaceful sound of ships is Sometimes heard this places allows the visitors to rest.
On the Kure side this area has been turned into a park scattered with remnants of the former naval canons, Takagarasu observation platform, a literary memorial of Eiji Yoshikawa, a poetic epitaph for Seishi Yamaguchi and a bust of the inviting Taira-no-Kiyomori and similar items are found throughout the park of famous trees from all over the country. Approximately 8600 camellia and 2300 cherry trees are planted in this park and decorate this famous spot with flowers.

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