More than 25 years after my first visit, I've recently published an article on the long history of the Yushukan military museum at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The article is open access with a large number of illustrations.
apjjf.org/2024/7/benesch
apjjf.org/2024/7/benesch
Yasukuni Shrine, the Yushukan Military Museum, and Japan’s Place in the World - The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
apjjf.org
November 9, 2024 at 9:25 AM
More than 25 years after my first visit, I've recently published an article on the long history of the Yushukan military museum at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The article is open access with a large number of illustrations.
apjjf.org/2024/7/benesch
apjjf.org/2024/7/benesch
"Concerns about human rights drew the US into WW2 unnecessarily" would be how I would phrase that viewpoint for how I think history works...and that's remarkably similar to the ultra-right-wing framing at the Yūshūkan War Museum next to the Yasakunki Shrine in Tokyo...
July 31, 2026 at 1:00 AM
"Concerns about human rights drew the US into WW2 unnecessarily" would be how I would phrase that viewpoint for how I think history works...and that's remarkably similar to the ultra-right-wing framing at the Yūshūkan War Museum next to the Yasakunki Shrine in Tokyo...
Visited the Yushukan Museum just for these 3 aircraft because it is wildly pro-Imperial Japan aggression.
March 8, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Visited the Yushukan Museum just for these 3 aircraft because it is wildly pro-Imperial Japan aggression.
Today's Loot, Yushukan Museum and Akihabara Edition
May 15, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Today's Loot, Yushukan Museum and Akihabara Edition
Trump's gonna build an American Yūshūkan on the national mall isn't he
August 21, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Trump's gonna build an American Yūshūkan on the national mall isn't he
If you are ever agreeing with the Yushukan you should know your views range from wrong to please make it less obvious you are being paid by Japanese nationalists to whitewash the pre-war era.
July 31, 2026 at 1:05 AM
If you are ever agreeing with the Yushukan you should know your views range from wrong to please make it less obvious you are being paid by Japanese nationalists to whitewash the pre-war era.
I've been looking at prewar photos of the Yushukan military museum and National Defense Hall at Yasukuni Shrine, and one of the most prominent displays is giant acoustic devices. They are apparently early sonic aircraft detection equipment, known as "war tubas" or "sound trumpets" 1/2
January 13, 2024 at 2:48 PM
I've been looking at prewar photos of the Yushukan military museum and National Defense Hall at Yasukuni Shrine, and one of the most prominent displays is giant acoustic devices. They are apparently early sonic aircraft detection equipment, known as "war tubas" or "sound trumpets" 1/2
...you know, the sheer amount of ridiculousness from that museum (and the fact I'll never get my $6 back) has convinced me: I'll write a "They started it 😅"-type story, and will explicitly say I got the inspiration from Yushukan. Ridicule is one powerful weapon...
Earlier today, I visited Tokyo's biggest war museum - Yushukan. That was a mistake...
Just the facts:
1. This painting claimed that Mongolia's invasion fleet was defeated by brave Japanese fishermen. 🤡 (It got wiped out by powerful typhoons - twice. If not for that, Japan would've been conquered.)
Just the facts:
1. This painting claimed that Mongolia's invasion fleet was defeated by brave Japanese fishermen. 🤡 (It got wiped out by powerful typhoons - twice. If not for that, Japan would've been conquered.)
December 21, 2025 at 5:36 AM
...you know, the sheer amount of ridiculousness from that museum (and the fact I'll never get my $6 back) has convinced me: I'll write a "They started it 😅"-type story, and will explicitly say I got the inspiration from Yushukan. Ridicule is one powerful weapon...
Yasukuni, especially the Yushukan museum attached to it.
November 26, 2024 at 2:58 PM
Yasukuni, especially the Yushukan museum attached to it.
Yeah, that's Yushukan. I've seen that one too, also in '06
January 30, 2026 at 5:24 AM
Yeah, that's Yushukan. I've seen that one too, also in '06
“I couldn’t find any mention of Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula or Taiwan. This was my second visit to the Yushukan, and I realized that instead of presenting the historical facts, it only presents information favorable to Japan.”
english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...
english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...
Ahead of V-J Day, Japanese young people reflect on whitewashed history at Yasukuni
The Hankyoreh paid a visit to the Yushukan war history museum at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine ahead of Liberation Day for Korea on Aug. 15
english.hani.co.kr
August 14, 2026 at 10:30 AM
“I couldn’t find any mention of Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula or Taiwan. This was my second visit to the Yushukan, and I realized that instead of presenting the historical facts, it only presents information favorable to Japan.”
english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...
english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...
Ouais ... Après Shinzo Abe maintenait les apparences. C'était pas innocemment s'il se déplaçait au Yasukuni, qui est pas seulement un temple mais une officine de l'extrême-droite japonaise avec tout un musée négationniste sur la 2GM.
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%AB...
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%AB...
Yūshūkan — Wikipédia
fr.wikipedia.org
October 4, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Ouais ... Après Shinzo Abe maintenait les apparences. C'était pas innocemment s'il se déplaçait au Yasukuni, qui est pas seulement un temple mais une officine de l'extrême-droite japonaise avec tout un musée négationniste sur la 2GM.
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%AB...
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%AB...
Extraordinary place, isn’t it? We went to the Yushukan Museum which is *controversial*.
October 3, 2024 at 2:20 PM
Extraordinary place, isn’t it? We went to the Yushukan Museum which is *controversial*.
Earlier today, I visited Tokyo's biggest war museum - Yushukan. That was a mistake...
Just the facts:
1. This painting claimed that Mongolia's invasion fleet was defeated by brave Japanese fishermen. 🤡 (It got wiped out by powerful typhoons - twice. If not for that, Japan would've been conquered.)
Just the facts:
1. This painting claimed that Mongolia's invasion fleet was defeated by brave Japanese fishermen. 🤡 (It got wiped out by powerful typhoons - twice. If not for that, Japan would've been conquered.)
December 19, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Earlier today, I visited Tokyo's biggest war museum - Yushukan. That was a mistake...
Just the facts:
1. This painting claimed that Mongolia's invasion fleet was defeated by brave Japanese fishermen. 🤡 (It got wiped out by powerful typhoons - twice. If not for that, Japan would've been conquered.)
Just the facts:
1. This painting claimed that Mongolia's invasion fleet was defeated by brave Japanese fishermen. 🤡 (It got wiped out by powerful typhoons - twice. If not for that, Japan would've been conquered.)
It's not close to Tokyo, but I really want to make it to the Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum one day. Specifically for the Ki-61. The Yushukan has an A6M5 and D4Y1, but obviously isn't dedicated to aviation. I found Yokoamicho Park, which has a small museum, worth visiting as well.
January 7, 2025 at 5:43 PM
It's not close to Tokyo, but I really want to make it to the Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum one day. Specifically for the Ki-61. The Yushukan has an A6M5 and D4Y1, but obviously isn't dedicated to aviation. I found Yokoamicho Park, which has a small museum, worth visiting as well.
Exhibition of war trophy munitions and weapons, Marunouchi, Tokyo, c. 1906. Beginning with spoils from the First Sino-Japanese War, most war booty was displayed at the Yūshūkan (“Museum of Armaments”) at Kudanzaka. Outdoor displays were temporary; note the two fences made of swords and spears.
Exhibition of war trophy munitions and weapons, Marunouchi, Tokyo, c. 1906. | Old Tokyo
See also: Imperial Japanese Navy Cruiser “Soya”, c. 1910. Yūshūkann [“Museum of Armaments”], Kudan, Tokyo, c. 1910. War prize German submarines, Yokosuka, c. 1920. The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 ...
www.oldtokyo.com
February 21, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Exhibition of war trophy munitions and weapons, Marunouchi, Tokyo, c. 1906. Beginning with spoils from the First Sino-Japanese War, most war booty was displayed at the Yūshūkan (“Museum of Armaments”) at Kudanzaka. Outdoor displays were temporary; note the two fences made of swords and spears.
I started to feel that China and South Korea government are extremely rational, because they don't criticize the existence of Yūshūkan itself but criticize cabinet ministers to visit Yasukuni shrine.
I was really surprised and got almost insane because at Yūshūkan museum (in Yasukuni shrine), the propaganda by Empire of Japan was disseminated in almost directly (e.g, State of Manchuria was the republic with five races under one union).
Now I'm thinking about the value of freedom of speech.
Now I'm thinking about the value of freedom of speech.
March 9, 2025 at 12:42 PM
I started to feel that China and South Korea government are extremely rational, because they don't criticize the existence of Yūshūkan itself but criticize cabinet ministers to visit Yasukuni shrine.
It's certainly an eclectic mix of objects. The other tank, in front of the National Defense Hall in the first photo, seems to be a British Mark IV from 1918. This is an earlier picture of it on the other side of the Yushukan. It's got the same paint scheme as this one: tank-afv.com/ww2/jap/tank...
January 14, 2024 at 9:43 AM
It's certainly an eclectic mix of objects. The other tank, in front of the National Defense Hall in the first photo, seems to be a British Mark IV from 1918. This is an earlier picture of it on the other side of the Yushukan. It's got the same paint scheme as this one: tank-afv.com/ww2/jap/tank...
My presentation discussed public war memory in Japan today, covering the contradictory narratives of museums like the Yushukan and the Kyoto Museum for World Peace. I pressed upon the value of relatively new data sources like Google Maps reviews in revealing the public reception of discourse
3/7
3/7
June 16, 2025 at 8:45 AM
My presentation discussed public war memory in Japan today, covering the contradictory narratives of museums like the Yushukan and the Kyoto Museum for World Peace. I pressed upon the value of relatively new data sources like Google Maps reviews in revealing the public reception of discourse
3/7
3/7
War myths die hard - just look at our memorialisation of WW2 here in Britain. At the same time, the Yushukan competes with numerous 'peace museums' dedicated to the opposing message. Every schoolkid in Japan visits one or more of these places on field trips. 5/6
August 29, 2025 at 8:40 AM
War myths die hard - just look at our memorialisation of WW2 here in Britain. At the same time, the Yushukan competes with numerous 'peace museums' dedicated to the opposing message. Every schoolkid in Japan visits one or more of these places on field trips. 5/6
The Yushukan was opened in 1882 as Japan's first Western-style museum, and was one of the first purpose-built military museums in the world. It was built by an Italian architect to resemble a European castle, in line with wider building trends at the time.
November 9, 2024 at 9:25 AM
The Yushukan was opened in 1882 as Japan's first Western-style museum, and was one of the first purpose-built military museums in the world. It was built by an Italian architect to resemble a European castle, in line with wider building trends at the time.
Use the Japanese display at the Yushukan to explain the origins of the war, then show them why it's insane. Good way to showcase historical narrative in service of some other agenda
November 1, 2023 at 10:58 PM
Use the Japanese display at the Yushukan to explain the origins of the war, then show them why it's insane. Good way to showcase historical narrative in service of some other agenda
I recommend you visit the Yushukan in Tokyo, next to the Yasukuni Jinja shrine. It's a museum dedicated to the Great Lie. It's central thesis is that the Imperial military inspired the peoples of Asia to throw off the white man's yoke, which has the whiff of half-truth about it. 3/6
August 29, 2025 at 8:39 AM
I recommend you visit the Yushukan in Tokyo, next to the Yasukuni Jinja shrine. It's a museum dedicated to the Great Lie. It's central thesis is that the Imperial military inspired the peoples of Asia to throw off the white man's yoke, which has the whiff of half-truth about it. 3/6
I was really surprised and got almost insane because at Yūshūkan museum (in Yasukuni shrine), the propaganda by Empire of Japan was disseminated in almost directly (e.g, State of Manchuria was the republic with five races under one union).
Now I'm thinking about the value of freedom of speech.
Now I'm thinking about the value of freedom of speech.
March 8, 2025 at 4:20 AM
I was really surprised and got almost insane because at Yūshūkan museum (in Yasukuni shrine), the propaganda by Empire of Japan was disseminated in almost directly (e.g, State of Manchuria was the republic with five races under one union).
Now I'm thinking about the value of freedom of speech.
Now I'm thinking about the value of freedom of speech.