museum
Mazda Museum
Factory museum offering tours of Mazda's assembly line and showcasing the marque's rotary engine heritage.
17 km · about 20 min drive
AsiaJapanHiroshima
Kure
Hiroshima, Japan · Asia
About Kure
Kure works well as a base: 15 minutes from Etajima, 42km from Shimanami Kaido.
Kure is in Hiroshima, Japan, with about 210,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Etajima, about 8 km away.
Kure Naval Arsenal (呉海軍工廠, Kure Kaigun Kōshō) was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Where to Stay in Kure
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Kure?
Within an hour or so of Kure: Mazda Museum (17 km), Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (21 km), Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Atomic Bomb Dome) (21 km), Mount Misen (Miyajima) (23 km).
Are there any good drives near Kure?
The nearest famous roads are Shimanami Kaido and Shikoku Karst.
Where is Kure?
Kure is in Hiroshima, Japan, about 8 km from Etajima.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 214,592
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Hiroshima
- Timezone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Coordinates
- 34.2322, 132.5666
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Japan
Japan Helpline (24h English assistance): 0570-000-911. An International Driving Permit (1949 convention) is required to drive.
Full driving guide for JapanTags
Worth the detour from Kure
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
museum
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
A profoundly moving museum documenting the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
21 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Atomic Bomb Dome)
The skeletal ruins of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, preserved as a haunting symbol of nuclear devastation and a call for peace.
21 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Mount Misen (Miyajima)
The highest peak on Miyajima Island with ancient forests, wild deer, and panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea from its summit.
23 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Miyajima Island
A sacred island home to the floating Itsukushima Shrine and its iconic torii gate rising from the sea.
24 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima)
A Shinto shrine on Miyajima Island famous for its iconic floating torii gate that appears to hover above the water at high tide.
24 km · about 25 min drive
coastal drive
Shimanami Kaido
A 60 km island-hopping expressway across the Seto Inland Sea from Onomichi to Imabari, leaping between six islands on soaring suspension bridges including the world-class Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Dogo Onsen
One of Japan's oldest and most famous hot springs, housed in a striking Victorian-era bathhouse that inspired the bathhouse in Spirited Away.
47 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Kure
- 23 kmMount Misen (Miyajima)The highest peak on Miyajima Island with ancient forests, wild deer, and panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea from its summit.
- 42 kmShimanami KaidoA 60 km island-hopping expressway across the Seto Inland Sea from Onomichi to Imabari, leaping between six islands on soaring suspension bridges including the world-class Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge.
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