People stood at the bow of the battleship Mikasa with the Japanese flag fluttering

Bow of battleship — Battleship Mikasa preserved in Mikasa Park

The battleship Mikasa is preserved as a museum ship in Mikasa Park on the Yokosuka seaside. The Mikasa was once the flagship of Japan's Allied Fleet, and of course participated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904, and it was on this ship that Heihachiro Togo and Masayuki Akiyama took command of the Battle of the Sea of Japan.

As one enters the park, the battleship Mikasa immediately catches one's eye. It is much smaller than I had expected, perhaps understandable since it was built more than 100 years ago, but it is true that I was a bit disappointed. While it's importance in Japanese history remains unchanged, as a battleship, the Mikasa is a product of a time not one but two centuries ago. In 1906, soon after the end of the Russo-Japanese War, the British built the battleship Dreadnought, which made the Mikasa obsolete.

When I went around the bow from the land, I saw people on the deck. Everyone was turning around and taking pictures. They were probably taking pictures of the view of the bridge from there. It was a peaceful day. The Hinomaru (Japanese flag) on the bow was waving in the wind. It is natural, but there is nothing in Mikasa Park that reminds me of a battlefield except the battleship itself.

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