Maizuru: Harbor, Brick and Culture

In the municipality of Maizuru, maritime history, brick architecture, memorial sites and views across the bay come together. Each place has its own focus: one may explore the history of a castle town, another bricks and how they are made, or the maritime character of the harbor. You can tailor your stay to the topics that interest you most.

Harbor and Brick History

The Maizuru Red Brick Park in Higashi-Maizuru comprises twelve former naval warehouses dating from 1900 to 1921. Eight are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan, and five have been converted into publicly accessible commercial facilities. Buildings 2 and 3 house a café, souvenir shops and exhibition spaces. As offerings may change, check what is currently available before your visit.

The Maizuru Red Brick Museum is a separate site: it is housed in a former Maizuru Navy torpedo warehouse, built in 1903 and among the city’s oldest surviving brick buildings with a steel frame. The exhibitions cover the history of bricks, display bricks from buildings around the world, and introduce notable brick structures. Brickmaking is also presented in a reconstructed Hoffmann kiln. The museum thus links the history of one building with a broader look at building with bricks.

Castle Town and Remembrance

The museum on the grounds of Tanabe Castle is devoted to the castle, its successive lords—including Hosokawa Yūsai—and life in the castle town. Panels and models present these topics; the exhibits also include armor and swords belonging to historical military leaders, as well as a diorama of the castle town. Another focus is the siege of the castle and the subsequent Battle of 1600, considered a turning point in Japanese history.

The Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum offers a different historical perspective. Paintings depict the experiences of people who were interned in Siberia by the former Soviet Union after the end of World War II in 1945. Letters to their families and diaries written during internment complement these accounts. The focus is therefore on personal experiences and how they were recorded in images and written documents.

Harbor Views and More

The approximately 30-minute harbor cruise “海軍ゆかりの港めぐり遊覧船” departs from a pier east of the Red Brick Museum. From the boat, you can see up close, among other vessels, an Aegis ship of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the helicopter carrier “Hyūga,” based in Maizuru. The Kitazuki pier of the Self-Defense Forces is also one of the sights; it appeared in the film “Detective Conan: Private Eye in the Distant Sea.” The presence of ships may vary. Check whether the cruise is operating before your trip.

For a view across the city, the hill in Higashi-Maizuru Park offers a different perspective: from the summit, the view stretches across Higashi-Maizuru to Maizuru East Port and Maizuru Bay. The observation area in Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Park is a place of remembrance. It features the “Peace Group” statue and song monuments bearing lines from “Ikoku no Oka” and “Ganpeki no Haha.”

The municipality also offers attractions for other interests. El Mar Maizuru has educational and hands-on activities about energy and ships, as well as a planetarium. As current operations should be checked, find out whether it is open before visiting. The restaurant at Maizuru Shinkai Park serves the local specialty “海鮮黒ハヤシライス,” a black Hayashi rice dish with seafood. Restaurant offerings may change; check the current selection if you are interested.

Discover more travel destinations: Fukuchiyama, Wazuka, Seika, Uji, Kasagi, Miyazu, Kyōtango, Ayabe

For the regional travel overview: Kyoto Prefecture.