Nagoya Port, is one of Japan's largest ports. One part of the port, the Garden Pier, has been redeveloped in recent years as a leisure district and offers an aquarium, shopping mall, amusement park, museums and green space.

The Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium is one of Japan's larger and better aquaria. In two buildings, it exhibits and educates about marine mammals including dolphins, orca and beluga whales and other marine creatures from five aquatic regions between Japan and the Antarctic Ocean - fish and creatures we have not heard of before.

Moored in the harbor is the Fuji icebreaker, which is now accessible to the public as a floating Antarctic Museum. Large, bright orange and white ship with a large Sikorsky Sea King helicopter riding piggy back. This is the Japanese Antarctic survey ship, Fuji, a retired ice breaker that plied the South Pole for 18 years starting its first journey in 1965.

100 meters long, 11 meters wide and 22 meters high with a displacement of 5,250 tons, the diesel electric powered Fuji boasted a speed of 17 knots, (about 35 kilometers an hour) and carried a 245 capacity full crew and research team. The Fuji could break through ice as thick as 80 Centimeters. After many successful missions, Fuji was finally retired 1985.

Aboard the ship, we could walk around and throughout the three levels of the ship, including the Bridge and research areas. See the helicopter that helped researchers get far into the Arctic interior and safely back on board. Wander through the galley and kitchens and accommodation areas where deckhands, crew and researchers lived and worked side by side in close proximity during the long and arduous missions, and down into the ship's bowls to view the engines and equipment. Well produced displays and sets help you imagine the difficult conditions experienced by all who served on her, as well as the important research work undertaken on the lengthy voyages.

On the dock in front of the ship is the Fuji Hiroba, a small park featuring a tribute statue to the hero sled dogs Taro and Jiro who were left behind on a mid 50's mission, only to be found alive a year later having survived alone in the bleak and freezing conditions. There is the Fuji's propeller and drive shaft, an anchor and even one of the futuristic looking track driven snow vehicles used by the researchers. This particular unit saw service over a 20 year span in the South Polar region.

The displays are excellent and gives one a good idea of the difficult conditions under which the vessel operated. Our Port Nagoya Albumn, Minatomachi holds many more great pics :)