Nestled in the port city of Yokosuka, the pre-dreadnought battleship Mikasa stands as a majestic monument to Japan’s illustrious naval history.

She is the only battleship of her kind left in the world, serving as a proud flagship to Admiral Togo during the Russo-Japanese War and leading the fleet to a momentous victory at the Battle of Tsushima.

Crafted by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness, England, and launched in 1902, Mikasa represents a bygone era of maritime might and British craftsmanship.

Despite Britain’s oversight in preserving a ship from this period, Mikasa survives as the newest British-built battleship anywhere today.

Her armament, much like her British contemporaries, once boasted twin twelve-inch gun turrets and an array of six-inch and smaller guns—upgraded to 45 calibre weapons following the Russo-Japanese conflict.

However, following a 1905 magazine explosion and subsequent repairs, Mikasa’s days at sea were numbered.

By 1922, she was decommissioned and transformed into a stationary museum ship, her hull encased in concrete. Mikasa’s journey from 1945, at the end of World War II, has been fraught with challenges.

She was demilitarized and stripped of her armament, masts, and much of her superstructure.

Neglect led to her deterioration, and at one point, she served as the foundation for a dance hall with an aquarium taking the place of the aft gun turret.

Thankfully, restoration efforts began in the mid-1950s, and by 1961, Mikasa was revitalized as a museum ship.

An intriguing historical tidbit emerged during her restoration—some speculated that guns from the Chilean battleship Almirante Latorre.

However, this claim was corrected by museum attendants, who clarified that the guns on display are replicas, not relics from Almirante Latorre.

Visitors can experience a profound connection to naval history aboard Mikasa. The superstructure, while well-maintained, reveals mid-20th Century reconstructions, including welded joints that replaced the original rivets.

While the twelve-inch gun turrets are inaccessible, likely just empty replicas. However, visitors can view the breeches of certain six-inch guns, and the smaller anti-torpedo boat guns are fully accessible.

Sadly, there is no public access to the engine and boiler rooms—parts of the ship which would intrigue many.

Relevant articles:
– Battleship Mikasa, Bleak Scenes