Shiden-Kai Fighter Aircraft Exhibition Hall
About This Museum
Tucked away in the sleepy, mountainous folds of Ainan, Ehime, a town better known for citrus groves than combat history, sits a small hall dedicated to a giant of Japanese aviation. This isn't your typical sprawling museum; it feels more like a quiet shrine built around a single, breathtaking centerpiece. The star of the show is the world's only surviving Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden Kai fighter, its deep green fuselage and formidable wingspan dominating the space. You can walk right up to it, close enough to see the rivets and imagine the roar of its engine.
Collection Highlights
The impeccably restored Shiden Kai is the undeniable main event, but don't miss the personal artifacts and photographs that tell the human stories of the pilots who flew them. A display case holds a flight jacket and a meticulously written logbook, offering a poignant, tangible connection to the past.
Visitor Information
It's a bit off the beaten path, so having your own transport is best. The hall is compact, meaning an hour is plenty to soak it all in without feeling rushed.
Architecture & Building
The building itself is a simple, modern shed-like structure—functional and unassuming from the outside, which makes encountering the legendary aircraft waiting inside all the more dramatic.
