Unit 731 Museum
Unit 731 Museum
4.5
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
155 reviews
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96
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40
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LesJenne
Jacksonville, FL158 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
We visited Unit 731 and found it to be an incredibly moving and worthwhile visit.
We are unsure why tour companies are charging such ridiculously high prices to visit the museum and grounds because both have free admission but to visit does require a reservation. Yes, you read that right - it’s free!! You will, however likely, need a Chinese-speaking friend to make your reservation because once you click on “English” on the website, it automatically redirects you to the paid tour guides only.
My recommendation is to make a reservation and take a cab out to the site. It’s about 45 minutes outside of Harbin and our 50 minute cab ride, one way from the famous Central Street was only 60 RMB … the equivalent of $8.25 USD.
Pro Tip: if you go with someone 65 years old or older, you can take the shorter line to enter. As it was, even with a reservation it took us 50 minutes to get inside using the <65 line. Once inside, you can use a free English speaking voice machine and ear piece that describes everything you’re seeing (you just need to leave a 500 RMB deposit and your passport) but all the exhibits are in English too.
Seriously, I kid you not.
We are unsure why tour companies are charging such ridiculously high prices to visit the museum and grounds because both have free admission but to visit does require a reservation. Yes, you read that right - it’s free!! You will, however likely, need a Chinese-speaking friend to make your reservation because once you click on “English” on the website, it automatically redirects you to the paid tour guides only.
My recommendation is to make a reservation and take a cab out to the site. It’s about 45 minutes outside of Harbin and our 50 minute cab ride, one way from the famous Central Street was only 60 RMB … the equivalent of $8.25 USD.
Pro Tip: if you go with someone 65 years old or older, you can take the shorter line to enter. As it was, even with a reservation it took us 50 minutes to get inside using the <65 line. Once inside, you can use a free English speaking voice machine and ear piece that describes everything you’re seeing (you just need to leave a 500 RMB deposit and your passport) but all the exhibits are in English too.
Seriously, I kid you not.
Written July 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter Zhao
Harbin, China145 contributions
Jul 2024 • Solo
If you don't understand what the Japanese army did during World War II, welcome here. The Attraction has now been renovated and is divided into two parts: the Sin Evidence Showcase and the Site. Of these, an appointment is required to enter the Sin Evidence Showcase, but since Harbin has suddenly become a Top Destinations in the last two years, it is hard to find a ticket and it is recommended to make an appointment in advance. However, the Site, where the old Museum is located, is free to enter and leave. To be honest, the atmosphere here is heavy, and the incriminating exhibits are trying to minimize fear, but the introduction remains creepy if read carefully. During World War II, the Japanese used the Chinese, Koreans, and Soviets as living experimental materials to develop germ warfare, virus warfare, and even years after their departure, a large number of germs remained in the area. This anti-human behavior is beyond description! The tunnel through the exit is where the site was located, blowing up this earthly hell when the Japanese troops rushed out, and the new China built an aluminum factory and school here. Not much remains of the site, but most of the foundations are preserved, silent proof of what they did. Note that the virus lab site closes slightly earlier and at a longer distance, and early access is recommended.
Automatically translated
Written August 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clive W
Orpington1,956 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
I had heard about this unit for decades and was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit it. I had visited the Nanjing Massacre museum and found that to be a very moving experience. It was important to me to visit unit 731 to understand more fully the impact it had and still has on the Chinese.
Notices are in English and Chinese. There is also an audio guide (not free).
The museum gave a detailed history including some details on the large variety of experiments conducted. It was particularly poignant visiting the ruins that were left. The museum itself is in a new purpose-built building.
I saw only 3 other foreign people during my visit. I very much was glad I visited this museum. It significantly increased my understanding and I recommend it highly.
Notices are in English and Chinese. There is also an audio guide (not free).
The museum gave a detailed history including some details on the large variety of experiments conducted. It was particularly poignant visiting the ruins that were left. The museum itself is in a new purpose-built building.
I saw only 3 other foreign people during my visit. I very much was glad I visited this museum. It significantly increased my understanding and I recommend it highly.
Written September 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Limlim C
Bangkok, Thailand61 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
spent 3 hours at the site. well worth the time to comprehend this lesser known but horrific atrocity in the second world war. take the metro the xinjiang road station (southernmost stop)
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FarAway26756
Vladivostok, Russia6 contributions
yesterday, i visited Unit 731 Museum in harbin. it is a place where chinese people were tourtured by japanese experimentators. victims were exposed to various deseases, poisonous gases, and other dreadful tourtures. a whole complex was built for this. at present you won't see most constructions. they are destroyed to the basis except for the administrative building and some barraques in the backyard.
to get there you take a taxi showing to the driver three numbers (731) or take one-and-a-half-yuan bus 343 showing the same numbers to the conductor.
the price of a ticket is 20 yuans ($2.5) you may also see a documentary movie there. the personell doesn't allow anyone to take pictures, but if you stand right under cameras (not appearing on their monitors) and turn the flash off on your camera, you might take some photos.
after having visited the museum, i had a whole bunch of mixed feelings.
to get there you take a taxi showing to the driver three numbers (731) or take one-and-a-half-yuan bus 343 showing the same numbers to the conductor.
the price of a ticket is 20 yuans ($2.5) you may also see a documentary movie there. the personell doesn't allow anyone to take pictures, but if you stand right under cameras (not appearing on their monitors) and turn the flash off on your camera, you might take some photos.
after having visited the museum, i had a whole bunch of mixed feelings.
Written January 27, 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jedai79
Singapore, Singapore2,711 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
This museum is not for visitors who only enjoy shopping, eating & seeing beautiful sites. It is a little serious & academic in nature. For those who love museums and war museums especially, will enjoy this. It is better than Auschwitz Camp (Poland) that we went in 1999 in terms of clarity and details.
On 13 May 2017, we were deciding between Unit 731 War Museum or Volga Manor, chose Unit 731 eventually. No regrets. May go Volga Manor during winter when we visit Harbin again for its ice festival, if we dare to brave the cold.
Transportation to and fro 731~ （see
below)
Time spent : 3-4 hrs. Can finish within 2hrs if you browse through briefly. We read thoroughly, thus it took us a longer time.
Ticket Price ~ Free
Building ~
Nice modern architecture designed by mainland Chinese architect 何镜堂（He Jing Tang）which stands on the actual site where unit 731 was in the 1930s-1940s.
Exhibition~
Fully English and Chinese explanation. Unit 731 Museum's English explanation is one of the best in China museums. It is clear and grammatically correct. Don't need audio guide.
Found the research & description more detailed than Auschwitz Camp in Poland. The mainland Chinese not only built an impressive modern building with three long structures that look like a memorial, the interior was equally modern, the presentation of the materials had a logical flow, the exhibited items were partially real and partially mock-up. We have been very impressed with one China War TV channel and now with this War Museum too. Very educational and also felt very sad/furious over certain facts/happenings. Maruta or Vivisection was a cruel act. From this exhibition, we also came to know of Head of Biological Warfare Unit, Shiro Ishii (石井四郎）. Although we heard of stories of the Japanese occupation from our grandparents, nothing could beat watching the numerous video clips at the museum to gather first-hand knowledge from the ex Unit 731 Japanese officials & other mainland Chinese who have helped the Unit 731 Japanese. From the exhibition, we also learnt about biological warfare research centre in Singapore.
Transportation to and fro 731~
1. Took a cab to 731. Read in TA, it's about ¥40 but ours turned out to be ¥83, may be our point of boarding the cab differed. We boarded our cab at Shang Zhi Jie 尚志街，parallel to Zhong Yang Main Street (中央大街), opposite MyKal Shopping Mall. We took public bus number 338 from 双拥站(Shuang Yong Station)back to main train station (or 324, I think, can't really remember now, only 3 numbers, 338, 324 and 220; take 220 if you wish to go the West Train (哈西站）Station. Bus fare: ¥2 per pax, you pay ¥1 when boarding and another ¥1 while alighting. Time: 1-1hr 15mins.
2. Direction to Unit 731 Museum if you wanna take a bus. Board 338 or 324 (324, u have to check again, I'm unsure) at Harbin Train Station (哈尔滨火车站／哈站）, alight at 双拥站, about 2nd or 3rd last stop. Alight, turn left & turn right at the first traffic junction. Unit 731 Museum should be coming into your vision on your right. To return to Harbin Train Station, catch the bus at the bus stop opposite from the one you alighted at. Refer to GPS for more details. Well, it's easy to grab a cab to go there but it's tough to get one to return to the city.
On 13 May 2017, we were deciding between Unit 731 War Museum or Volga Manor, chose Unit 731 eventually. No regrets. May go Volga Manor during winter when we visit Harbin again for its ice festival, if we dare to brave the cold.
Transportation to and fro 731~ （see
below)
Time spent : 3-4 hrs. Can finish within 2hrs if you browse through briefly. We read thoroughly, thus it took us a longer time.
Ticket Price ~ Free
Building ~
Nice modern architecture designed by mainland Chinese architect 何镜堂（He Jing Tang）which stands on the actual site where unit 731 was in the 1930s-1940s.
Exhibition~
Fully English and Chinese explanation. Unit 731 Museum's English explanation is one of the best in China museums. It is clear and grammatically correct. Don't need audio guide.
Found the research & description more detailed than Auschwitz Camp in Poland. The mainland Chinese not only built an impressive modern building with three long structures that look like a memorial, the interior was equally modern, the presentation of the materials had a logical flow, the exhibited items were partially real and partially mock-up. We have been very impressed with one China War TV channel and now with this War Museum too. Very educational and also felt very sad/furious over certain facts/happenings. Maruta or Vivisection was a cruel act. From this exhibition, we also came to know of Head of Biological Warfare Unit, Shiro Ishii (石井四郎）. Although we heard of stories of the Japanese occupation from our grandparents, nothing could beat watching the numerous video clips at the museum to gather first-hand knowledge from the ex Unit 731 Japanese officials & other mainland Chinese who have helped the Unit 731 Japanese. From the exhibition, we also learnt about biological warfare research centre in Singapore.
Transportation to and fro 731~
1. Took a cab to 731. Read in TA, it's about ¥40 but ours turned out to be ¥83, may be our point of boarding the cab differed. We boarded our cab at Shang Zhi Jie 尚志街，parallel to Zhong Yang Main Street (中央大街), opposite MyKal Shopping Mall. We took public bus number 338 from 双拥站(Shuang Yong Station)back to main train station (or 324, I think, can't really remember now, only 3 numbers, 338, 324 and 220; take 220 if you wish to go the West Train (哈西站）Station. Bus fare: ¥2 per pax, you pay ¥1 when boarding and another ¥1 while alighting. Time: 1-1hr 15mins.
2. Direction to Unit 731 Museum if you wanna take a bus. Board 338 or 324 (324, u have to check again, I'm unsure) at Harbin Train Station (哈尔滨火车站／哈站）, alight at 双拥站, about 2nd or 3rd last stop. Alight, turn left & turn right at the first traffic junction. Unit 731 Museum should be coming into your vision on your right. To return to Harbin Train Station, catch the bus at the bus stop opposite from the one you alighted at. Refer to GPS for more details. Well, it's easy to grab a cab to go there but it's tough to get one to return to the city.
Written May 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sunjoe075
Princeton, NJ1,572 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
A museum of Unbelievable atrocities committed by Japanese army during WWII against civilian Chinese . It is totally unimaginable crime and inhuman act for one human being against another. To top it off, the MD responsible was able to get away with the crime by turning over his research to the US in exchange for his life.
Anyone walking away from the museum will understand the deep rooted hurt of Chinese against Japanese. You don't see many Japanese restaurants in this part of China or as many Japanese cars. On this day of Obama's decision to visit Hiroshima - the site of the atomic bombing, I think it is only fair or necessary to develop a more balanced view of the war by visiting this museum to understand why the war, WWII must end and must end quickly and why the use of atomic bomb against Japan was justified.
This is equally as horrified and perhaps even more barbaric as the gas chambers used by Germans during the war against Jews.
Unless it is documented and displayed as in this museum, no one in future generation would believe it actually happened.
Anyone walking away from the museum will understand the deep rooted hurt of Chinese against Japanese. You don't see many Japanese restaurants in this part of China or as many Japanese cars. On this day of Obama's decision to visit Hiroshima - the site of the atomic bombing, I think it is only fair or necessary to develop a more balanced view of the war by visiting this museum to understand why the war, WWII must end and must end quickly and why the use of atomic bomb against Japan was justified.
This is equally as horrified and perhaps even more barbaric as the gas chambers used by Germans during the war against Jews.
Unless it is documented and displayed as in this museum, no one in future generation would believe it actually happened.
Written May 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GECII
Fayetteville, GA4 contributions
Apr 2014 • Solo
As a student of History I wonder how the free world would punish and condem the Axis powers of war crime and ignore what the Japanese did to the people of China. I now know that the United States Government ignored what took place in China.What was done here was used to faclitate my own governments advance in inhuman treatment of our fellow humans in the world. We as Americans are as guilty as those that built and used the concertration camps. I am ashamed.
Written April 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard B
Yokohama, Japan91 contributions
Sept 2017
Unit 731 was the Japanese Germ Warfare Unit, led my General Ishii, masquerading as a water purification and supply unit, who were responsible for slaughtering 1,000s of Chinese and some Allied prisoners of war in bizarre medical experiments, designed to improve efficiency of Japanese battelfield medical care. Boiling, freezing, being exposed to bacteria and viruses, being shot, and worst of all being dissected alive withouth any anaesthetic so that Japanes doctors could obtain 'pure' results without any influence of drugs.
The museum at Pingfan, about 1 hour by bus from Harbin, is a rather low-key Chinese style, but is very well arranged and laid out, with good use of technology to enhance the experience, and audio guides available. It has some mock-ups of the 'operations', many images of the Unit from 1930 onwards, as well as the Nanjing Massacre, and a great deal of information of the Japanese and US cover-up, and subsequent careers of many of the Unit members.
My Chinese friends who accompanied me had to leave, some of the images were so distressing, and they did not know the full extent of the activities in the Harbin area, nor its sister units elsewhere in Asia and Japan.
There are many accounts of the deaths of the prisoners, known as 'maruta' or logs in Japanese, some remains of the camp, and the chimney where many of them were cremated is still present. A great deal of informaiton is presented, as well as number of books available to buy, both in Chinese and English. Some of the most appalling pictures are not displayed, but a little research or reading will lead you to them.
This is not a place for children or the faint-hearted, but people interested in WW2 history would find it valuable. Any sympathy for Hiroshima and Nagasaki is quickly erased when you see what they did to the local people, women, children, babies and even unborn embryos.
As a resident of Japan, who had previously worked with a company that had ties to the area, and a friend who was a Japanese POW, I'd read a lot about Unit 731, and had even visited the unofficial memorial at Kokubunji park in Tokyo, where ex-members still gather once a year, though there numbers get fewer every year. Many of these men, and a few women, who were involved with the experiments, have made confessions before they died, looking for forgiveness, to the embarrassment of the Japanese government, who continue to deny its existence and activites.
The museum at Pingfan, about 1 hour by bus from Harbin, is a rather low-key Chinese style, but is very well arranged and laid out, with good use of technology to enhance the experience, and audio guides available. It has some mock-ups of the 'operations', many images of the Unit from 1930 onwards, as well as the Nanjing Massacre, and a great deal of information of the Japanese and US cover-up, and subsequent careers of many of the Unit members.
My Chinese friends who accompanied me had to leave, some of the images were so distressing, and they did not know the full extent of the activities in the Harbin area, nor its sister units elsewhere in Asia and Japan.
There are many accounts of the deaths of the prisoners, known as 'maruta' or logs in Japanese, some remains of the camp, and the chimney where many of them were cremated is still present. A great deal of informaiton is presented, as well as number of books available to buy, both in Chinese and English. Some of the most appalling pictures are not displayed, but a little research or reading will lead you to them.
This is not a place for children or the faint-hearted, but people interested in WW2 history would find it valuable. Any sympathy for Hiroshima and Nagasaki is quickly erased when you see what they did to the local people, women, children, babies and even unborn embryos.
As a resident of Japan, who had previously worked with a company that had ties to the area, and a friend who was a Japanese POW, I'd read a lot about Unit 731, and had even visited the unofficial memorial at Kokubunji park in Tokyo, where ex-members still gather once a year, though there numbers get fewer every year. Many of these men, and a few women, who were involved with the experiments, have made confessions before they died, looking for forgiveness, to the embarrassment of the Japanese government, who continue to deny its existence and activites.
Written August 26, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amith G
New Delhi, India140 contributions
Feb 2013 • Family
I wasn't interested in visiting this place and after visiting it was at loss for words. It is a perfect example of what monsters can do and what we have all forgotten and forgiven. While standing there at the gates after I had exited this house of horrors, I couldn't stop wondering what must have gone through every one of those victims entering this place knowing that this is going to be the last they are ever going to see the outside world. It's funny when I read some of the comments here stating there should have been a more un-biased approach. Don't miss this place.
Written January 12, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
If I wanted to hire a taxi for 2 people from Central Street to the Unit 731 Museum, have the driver wait approximately 2 hours and then take us back to Harbin city center what is a fair price to pay?
Otherwise, would it be easy to flag down a taxi when leaving the museum (so without asking the first driver to stay)?
Thank you!
Written January 1, 2019
Is the museum open during Chinese New Year (8th Feb - 13th Feb 2016)?
Written January 13, 2016
I believe so. There’s nothing on the website about the museum closing on any holidays. This is what it does say: It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 AM to 11:30 AM and from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Last entrance is at 3:30 PM. As long as you visit in between Hess times you should have no problem no matter what occasion it is.
Written January 6, 2018
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