Hakkodamaru Memorial Ship

What to know

Before the Seikan Tunnel opened in 1988, ferries were the main way to travel between Honshu and Hokkaido. Aomori was the key transfer point where passengers switched from train to ferry. After the railway tunnel began service, the ferries became less important, though car ferries still run between Aomori and Hakodate today.

One of the old ferries, the Hakkodamaru (八甲田丸, Hakkōdamaru), now serves as a memorial to that era. After its final voyage in 1988, it retired to Aomori Port, where it remains permanently moored as a museum ship. A sister ship, the Mashumaru, is similarly preserved in Hakodate.

Most of the Hakkodamaru is open to the public, and a self-guided tour takes you through the ship. You start on the promenade deck, which has been turned into a museum with photo displays and life-size dioramas about the people and culture of Aomori Port. Other rooms feature model ships and ferry-related items. You can also see preserved cabins, enter the bridge, explore the open top deck, and go down into the lower levels to see the engine room.

Finally, the tour leads through the vehicle deck, a unique feature of the Hakkodamaru that could hold up to 48 rail cars on four separate tracks. Trains entered through a hatch at the rear and were stored there for the 3.5-hour crossing. Several historic trains remain on display, including an express car, a mail car, and a diesel locomotive.

The Hakkodamaru Memorial Ship is about a five-minute walk north of JR Aomori Station.