Whale Museum

Kiramesse Muroto is a Roadside Station on the western side of the Muroto Peninsula facing the great bay of Kōchi. One of the buildings houses a Whale Museum which presents the ecology of whales and the history of the whaling that took place in the bay.

Exhibits include a full-sized model of the colourful whaling boats that were used from the Edo period, an impressively-sized model of a sperm whale, and two whale skeletons. There are real tools used for whaling and paintings showing how traditional whaling was conducted. The history of whaling is presented and there’s a corner about John Manjirō, a Kōchi native whose adventures at sea and in America led to the opening of Japan. On the second floor are exhibits about the natural history of whales. All exhibits are accompanied by full explanations in correct English.

You can sit in the whaling boat and watch a short virtual reality show of whales swimming underwater. A video explains how whale hunts were conducted in the Edo period. There’s a shop with a range of whale-related souvenirs.

Information

Name in Japanese: 鯨館
Pronunciation: koojira kan
Address: 890-11 Kiragawa-chō, Muroto, Kōchi 781-6833