Rikkunland: The Most Accessible Display of Modern Japanese Armor and Fighting Vehicles!

I briefly wrote about Rikkunland as part of a 2017 article on bigger vacation, here I’m sharing slightly more information and a lot more photographs of the rare to see Japanese armor and fighting vehicles.

In countries that are not the United States convincing young people that joining the military is a good idea can be a hard sell, especially in one as pacifistic as Japan. For one thing, the nation doesn’t have a military. In Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution war is renounced as a sovereign right and states that Japan will not maintain a military. Instead it maintains a self-defense force to protect the nation from outside aggression, and support the nation during natural disasters and emergencies. Okay, so it’s like a military with extra steps and rules to prevent it from being used aggressively.

A Fuji AH-1S attack (defense?) helicopter is the central piece in the main exhibition hall

As a form of public outreach and recruiting tool, the self-defense forces have established “public information centers” around the country. These centers showcase what the self-defense force does to safeguard Japan and lets the public see the tools they work with. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has centers in Kure and Sasebo, the Air Self-Defense Force has one in Hamamatsu and the Ground Self-Defense Force has the JGSDF Public Information Center or “Rikkunland” at Camp Asaka on the edge of Tokyo. (“Rikkunland” comes from the Japanese for “ground self defense force, which is “Rikujo Jietai”)

For armor enthusiasts it’s also the most accessible collection of Japanese-built armor and military vehicles. Due to its strict export laws, these vehicles are only in service with the self-defense force and aren’t even shared with foreign museums. There are few locations inside of Japan to see Japanese armor, and from experience I can say this is far easier to see than the collection at Tsuchiura. (I tried… its difficult getting permission to enter the base.)

Type 74 and Type 10 main battle tanks

Beyond the heavy metal they have displays of current uniforms, rations and personal equipment. I also watched a short video about self-defense force training that showed off squad tactics and building clearing that reminded of training I’d had to do in the Navy, except done by professionals and not a photojournalist/graphic artist trying to clear a room with an electrician, a longshoreman and an avowed pacifist in tow. A display case of models shows current JGSDF hardware alongside the reason the self-defense force was created: defending Japan against Godzilla. The documentary Gojira was released by Toei in 1954, the self-defense force was also created in 1954. This is not a coincidence.

Recreation of historic moments in JGSDF history

I spent 90 minutes at the museum, mostly taking pictures of all the vehicles and learning about them. I loved I could see all three of Japan’s current main battle tanks, the Type 74, Type 90 and Type 10, in one place. Another vehicle that stood out was the Type 96 Armored Personnel Carrier with Arabic writing on it. While Japan doesn’t go to war, the self-defense force has undertaken operations outside of the country. The Rikkunland APC was used by Japanese forces in Iraq, which supported reconstruction during the US-led war. Since 1989 Japan has also sent troops to support UN peacekeeping operations in Africa, Asia and Central America.

Type 74 main battle tank

Type 90 main battle tank; this one was a pre-production test type

Type 10 main battle tank

Type 75 self-propelled howitzer

Type 96 armored personnel carrier; the Arabic says “Japan”

Rikkunland is as much geared toward actual children as they are man-children like myself, it’s a recruiting tool after all, so the museum is child-friendly and designed to engage them with interactive stations like a tank fighting game, a flight simulator and equipment you can try on. (Check out their website and look at the volume of cutesy mascots; they want you to bring the kids). For those looking to pick up JGSDF memorabilia the gift shop is loaded with items to interest you or whomever you’re buying for.

The museum displays in the main hall are almost all dual language, but the outside ones are not. Using a translator app it’s not really an issue though. During my visit the small underground ‘command post’ was closed and I missed the upstairs history room, so I’ll have to check those out if I am ever back out that way.

Rikkunland is free and the only annoyance is getting there. It’s located at Camp Asaka in Nerima, which is on the Tokyo/Saitama border, far from the popular tourist attractions in Tokyo’s center.

There was, and hopefully will be again once the current unpleasantness is over, tours of the Shinbudai, which was the old Imperial Japanese Army Preparatory Officer School on Camp Asaka. It’s a more traditional museum with artifacts from the Imperial Japanese Army.

I got off at Wakoshi Station and walked about 15 minutes to the public information center, but opted to take a cheap cab ride back.