Established 1981 | Founder Nobuo Harada | |
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Location Narusawa-Mura, Fujizakura Kogen Nai, Minatmitsuru-Gun, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan 401-0320 | ||
Kawaguchiko motor museum zero fighter museum
Kawaguchiko Motor Museum (河口湖自動車博物館, kawaguchikojidoushahakubutsukan) is a museum located in Yamanashi prefecture, Japan. Founded in 1981 by former race driver and businessman Nobuo Harada, it has a collection of antique motor vehicles. In 2001 it opened a new area to display a collection of 20th century military aircraft used by Japan, from Japanese Imperial Forces during World War II and the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the postwar period.
Contents
Aircraft restorations
Nobuo Harada and his team made a number of trips to former Pacific battlefields and recovered a number of wrecks of Japanese aircraft from World War II. Subsequently they restored three complete Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters, and the skeleton of another. One of the complete aircraft is now displayed in the lobby of the Yūshūkan museum adjoining Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
Harada and his team also recovered and the rear fuselage of a Mitsubishi G4M Betty bomber. The forward fuselage was later built by them from scratch. As of 2016 the aviation project underway is the restoration of a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa/Oscar fighter.
Photography
The museum does not allow photography other than that done by mobile phones.