Kure is a city in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 April 2023, the city had an estimated population of 208,024 in 106,616 households and a population density of 590 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 352.80 square kilometres. With a strong industrial and naval heritage, Kure hosts the second-oldest naval dockyard in Japan and remains an important base for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force.