Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse

In 1905, the warehouses were built by Standard Oil of New York for the storage of petroleum. Between the middle of the Meiji era to the early Shōwa era, Tsuruga flourished as a major seaport. These warehouses are remaining examples of red brick warehouses which were common in ports around Japan. The warehouses in Tsuruga were designed by a foreign architect, feet was used as the unit of measurement. Other notable features are the use of imported Dutch bricks and a hidden columnar structure. On January 2009, the north and south wings of the building as well as their surrounding were designated as registered tangible cultural property of Japan.

• Builder: Standard Oil, New York.
• Current ownership: City of Tsuruga
• Year of establishment: 1905
• Structure: Wooden beams, brick
• Location: 1-19 Kanagasaki-sho, Tsuruga-shi, Fukui-ken 914-0072, Japan

In 110 years after construction, the warehouse was renovated and opened in October 2015 as a tourist attraction. Today the South wing is a restaurant hall, the North wing is a Diorama hall, and the south side is an open garden. In Diorama hall, the heyday of Tsuruga from the late Meiji period to the early Showa period is reproduced by using a HO scale model railroad[3]。

In order to further attract tourists, the city of Tsuruga decided to highlight its railway heritage. As a part of effort in May 2018, JR Kiha 28 Series Diesel train was installed on adjacent land north side of the warehouse[4]。

In addition to these, Kanegasaki area is indeed rich in railway heritage, including Tsuruga train museum housed in the former station building of Tsuruga port station (reconstructed), lamp house, Tsurugako line (operation suspended)[5][6]. The city plans to utilize these resources to further expand visitor attractions in this area[7].

• About 30 min walk from JR Hokuriku Main Line Tsuruga Station. a Or 8 min bus ride from the station (Gurutto Tsuruga Shuyu Bus, operated by Tsuruga Sightseeing Bus Co.) followed by 4 min walk from Kanegasaki Park bus stop.

Restaurant wing is free of charge. Open at 9:30, closes at 22:00. Admission fee incurs in Diorama wing. Open at 9:30, closes at 17:30 (last admission at 17:00). Closed on Wednesday. If it is holiday, next day will closed instead. Also closes 30 Dec. – 1 Jan..[8]。

• Tsuruga Port – Kanagasaki Park – Kirameki-minato kan – Former Tsuruga port station building (Tsuruga Railway Museum) – Takatoro Tall Stone Lantern at Suzaki – Lamp house – Tsuruga warehouses – Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum
• Tsuruga Municipal Museum
• Minato Tsuruga Yama Kaikan
• Kami-Warabe Washi-Paper Doll Museum
• Kehi no Matsubara (pine tree park)
• Kehi Shrine

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