Irohamaru Museum

The Irohamaru Museum (いろは丸展示館) brings to life the dramatic story of the Irohamaru, a bustling Edo-period merchant vessel that went down off Tomonoura’s rocky shores in 1867 while carrying Sakamoto Ryōma on his mission to modernize Japan. Over a century later, local divers and historians pieced together the ship’s fate, salvaging ornate ceramic trade goods, fragments of its wooden hull, navigational instruments and personal effects thought lost to the sea. Each recovered artifact is carefully arranged in climate-controlled displays, accompanied by detailed diagrams and replica ship models that illustrate the Irohamaru’s construction techniques and the technical challenges of 19th-century maritime travel.

Inside the museum, visitors trace Ryōma’s journey from Tosa Province to Kyoto, guided by vivid panels that recount his pivotal role in ending feudal rule and opening Japan to the world. Multimedia touchscreens allow you to examine 3D scans of recovered items, while scale dioramas recreate the sinking’s final moments against the backdrop of Tomonoura’s serene inlet. Please note that all exhibit text is presented in Japanese only, so non-Japanese speakers may wish to bring a phrasebook or arrange for a guided tour to fully appreciate the museum’s rich historical narratives.