Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
seum is built in the shape of the early visiting ship, a Chinese junk, and there are several
historical plaques and commemorative markers celebrating Portuguese-Japanese friendship
around the island.
Cosmo Line's Princess Wakasa provides a comfortable sail to Tanegashima from Kagoshima.
The Tanegashima Gun Museum.
The Gun Museum, which is formally known as the Tanegashima Center for Research and
Development (
種子島開発総合センター
; Tanégashima kaihatsu sōgō sentā) but usually re-
ferred to as Teppō Hall (
鉄砲館
; Teppō-kan; lit. “iron-tube” (gun) hall), is for most visitors
the highlight of Nishinoomote. There are over 100 priceless original early firearms. On dis-
play are weapons from all phases of their early development. In addition, the museum dis-
plays examples of Japanese metalworking skills used in the 16th century to produce scissors,
samurai swords and metal armor.
