Step Aboard a Japanese Naval Ship
Climb aboard the 150-meter Shimakaze as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force opens one of its working training ships to the public at Sakai-Semboku Port. Once a guided-missile destroyer, the ship now takes its next generation of sailors and officers to sea.
Most ships this size are something you watch from the shore. For one day in Sakai, you can walk aboard.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force opens training ship Shimakaze (TV-3521) to the public at Sakai-Semboku Port on October 4, 2026, giving visitors a rare chance to board a working 150-meter naval vessel. Admission is free, no advance application is required, and visitors can tour the ship while it is alongside Ōhama Pier No. 5.
Shimakaze has spent considerably more time at sea than its current title might suggest. Commissioned in March 1988 as the second Hatakaze-class guided-missile destroyer, it served for more than three decades with fleet air defense as its primary mission. In March 2021, the ship traded its destroyer designation for a new role as a training vessel.
The hardware didn’t disappear with the name change. At 150 meters long, Shimakaze is powered by four gas turbines producing 72,000 horsepower and can reach 30 knots. Its equipment includes 5-inch guns, 20mm close-in weapon systems, missile launchers and torpedo tubes — remnants of the warship around which today’s training mission is built.
These days, the ship’s job is education. Shimakaze belongs to the JMSDF Training Squadron, where ships are used to turn classroom instruction into experience at sea. Since its conversion, it has participated in both ocean and long-distance training voyages, including extended overseas deployments used to develop seamanship, leadership and practical shipboard skills.
That makes the Sakai visit more than a chance to see a large ship tied to a pier. Visitors are stepping onto a vessel that spent decades as a frontline destroyer and now serves as a floating classroom.
There are a few realities to boarding one. Bags will be inspected at the entrance, and the ship has steps, projections and uneven surfaces, so sandals and high heels are discouraged. There is no visitor parking at the pier, but a free shuttle connects the venue with the west side of Nankai Sakai Station throughout the event.
For anyone who has watched the ships moving through Osaka Bay and wondered what one looks like from the other side of the gangway, this is the opportunity.
For a few hours in Sakai, Shimakaze isn’t something to admire from shore. You can step aboard.
Step Aboard Shimakaze — Walk onto a working 150-meter JMSDF training ship during its one-day Sakai visit.
From Destroyer to Classroom — Explore a vessel that spent more than three decades as a guided-missile destroyer
Warship Hardware — See the exterior equipment of a ship still fitted with guns, missile systems and torpedo tubes.
A Rare Look Up Close — Experience the scale and structure of a naval vessel from aboard rather than from the shore.
Free Ship Tour — Board without an admission fee or advance reservation during the public opening.
Photos: JSDF Osaka Provincial Cooperation Office Website, Japan Scenes
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Contact
Opening Hours
THE SCENE: FAQ’s
ACCESS
Venue: Sakai-Semboku Port — Ōhama Pier No. 5
Address: 12-1 Chikkōminamimachi, Sakai-ku, Sakai, Osaka
Trains:
Nankai Main Line → Sakai Station → West Exit → free event shuttle to Ōhama Pier No. 5
Free Shuttle Bus:
Sakai Station West Exit → Venue — 9:00–13:30
Venue → Sakai Station West Exit — 9:30–14:45
The pier is approximately 2.2 km / 30 minutes on foot from Sakai Station, so the free shuttle is the recommended connection. There is no visitor parking at the venue.
Subways:
Metro Midosuji Line → Namba Station → walk to Nankai Namba Station → Nankai Main Line → Sakai Station → free event shuttle
◷ FROM CENTRAL OSAKA
From Namba — about 30–40 minutes
Direct Nankai train to Sakai — around 10–15 minutes, then the free event shuttle.
From Osaka/Umeda — about 50–60 minutes
Metro to Namba — around 10 minutes, Nankai to Sakai — around 10–15 minutes, then the free event shuttle.
SCHEDULE
Sunday, October 4, 2026
Public Boarding: 9:30–14:30
Final Admission: 14:00
Visitors can board JMSDF training ship Shimakaze during the public-opening period and tour the vessel while it is alongside Ōhama Pier No. 5 at Sakai-Semboku Port.
No separate tour times have been announced. Entry is available during the public-opening hours, subject to conditions and crowd levels on the day.
The event may be changed or cancelled due to weather, operational requirements or other circumstances. Check the Osaka Provincial Cooperation Office’s official channels before traveling to Sakai.
TICKETS
Admission: Free
Advance Reservation: Not required
Visitors can arrive during the public-opening hours and join the boarding line without purchasing a ticket or applying in advance.
Entry may be restricted if the venue becomes crowded or if operational conditions require it. Final admission is at 14:00, so arriving well before the cutoff is recommended rather than treating 14:00 as an arrival time.
Children may attend, but younger visitors should be accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian while aboard.
THE EXPERIENCE
Shimakaze is a working JMSDF training ship rather than a museum vessel, giving visitors an unusual opportunity to experience the scale of a 150-meter naval ship from aboard.
- Cross the gangway and step onto a vessel commissioned in 1988.
- See the scale and structure of a former guided-missile destroyer up close.
- View exterior equipment including naval guns and other systems still fitted to the ship.
- Experience a vessel now used to train future JMSDF officers and ship personnel.
- Meet JMSDF personnel during a one-day public opening at the port.
The organizers have confirmed a shipboard tour but have not specified which individual compartments or areas will be open. Don’t assume access to the bridge, engine room or other restricted spaces unless announced on the day.
INFO & TIPS
Wear practical shoes. The ship has steep steps, projections and uneven surfaces. High heels and sandals are discouraged, and clothing that allows comfortable movement is the better choice for boarding.
Bags will be inspected before entry. Allow additional time for the security check, particularly if crowds build during the middle of the day.
Photography may be restricted in particular areas or at the direction of JMSDF personnel. Follow all instructions given aboard the ship.
There is no visitor parking at the pier. Drivers should not plan on arriving directly at the event venue.
The event takes place aboard an operational JMSDF vessel, so schedules, access and even the event itself can change because of weather or operational requirements.
Official Event Information:
https://www.mod.go.jp/pco/osaka/experience/event
Official Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/osaka_pco/