Maizuru can be explored through a variety of themes: brick architecture and naval history, the history of a castle town, places of remembrance and the harbor. The city of Maizuru offers a range of places to explore these subjects. Those interested in architectural history will find a different focus from travelers looking to explore exhibitions on Japanese history, a harbor cruise or local cuisine.
Brick History and Former Naval Buildings
The Maizuru Red Brick Park in Higashi-Maizuru comprises twelve former naval warehouses built between 1900 and 1921. Eight are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan; five have been repurposed as publicly accessible commercial facilities. Buildings 2 and 3 house a café, souvenir shops and exhibition spaces. If these offerings are important to your plans, check in advance what is currently available.
The Maizuru Red Brick Museum is housed in a former Maizuru Navy torpedo warehouse built in 1903. It is one of the city's oldest surviving steel-frame brick buildings. The museum explores both the history of bricks and how they are made, including bricks from buildings around the world and well-known brick structures. A reconstructed Hoffmann kiln also introduces the brickmaking process.
Castle Town and Historical Exhibitions
The Tanabe Castle Museum covers the history of Tanabe Castle, its successive lords—including Hosokawa Yūsai—and life in the castle town. Exhibits include panels and models, as well as armor and swords belonging to historical military commanders and a diorama of the castle town. The topics extend to the siege of the castle and the subsequent battle of 1600, considered a turning point in Japanese history.
Another historical focus is the experience of people interned in Siberia by the former Soviet Union after the end of World War II in 1945. The Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum displays paintings, along with letters to families and diaries written during internment. In Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Park, the statue “Peace Group” stands at the lookout, alongside song monuments featuring lines from “Ikoku no Oka” and “Ganpeki no Haha.”
Harbor, Views and Local Cuisine
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, among other things, an Aegis ship of the Self-Defense Forces and the helicopter carrier “Hyūga,” based in Maizuru, up close. The Japan Self-Defense Forces' Kitazuki pier is also in view; it was also featured in the film “Detective Conan: Private Eye in the Distant Sea.” Which ships are actually visible may vary. Check whether the cruise is operating before planning your trip.
For a view over the city, the hill in Higashi-Maizuru Park offers a different perspective: from there, the view stretches over the Higashi-Maizuru urban area to Maizuru East Port and Maizuru Bay. The restaurant at Maizuru Shinkai Park serves the local specialty “海鮮黒ハヤシライス,” a seafood Hayashi rice dish; the restaurant also offers harbor views. As the menu may change, check in advance if this dish is essential to your plans.
El Mar Maizuru also offers its own distinctive focus, with educational and hands-on activities about energy and ships, as well as a planetarium. If you plan to visit, check its current operating status in advance.
Discover more destinations: Kasagi, Soraku District, Kyōtango, Wazuka, Miyazu, Ayabe, Yawata, Kameoka.
For the broader travel overview: Kyoto Prefecture.
