Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse

Exterior view

Interior view of Diorama Wing. Overview

Interior view of Diorama Wing. Close-up of Tsuruga Station

JN/JR Kiha 28 series. Exhibited on adjacent land.

Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse (敦賀赤レンガ倉庫, つるがあかれんがそうこ) is a historical monument in Port of Tsuruga, Tsuruga City, Fukui prefecture. Renovated and currently used as restaurant hall in the south-wing and diorama exhibition in the north wing. The diorama revives Tsuruga city in Showa era by using Model railroad.

Overview

In 1905, the warehouse was built by Standard Oil of New York as a storage of petroleum. Between the middle of Meiji era to early Showa era, Tsuruga flourished as the major departure/arrival port in Japan to the trans-eurasian trains to Europe via Russia. The warehouse is one of the remain from the time. 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.

Building

• Built: Standard Oil, New York.
• Current ownership: City of Tsuruga
• Year of establishment: 1905
• Structure: Wood-made shafts, brick, flat houses
• Location: 1-19 Kanagasaki Town, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture 914-0072

Because it was designed by a foreign (non-Japanese) architect, foot was used for the measurement. Other notable features are the use of Dutch bricks and hidden columnar structure.

Current status

In 110 years after construction, the warehouse was renovated and opened in October 2015 for utilization 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 HO cage model railroad 。

In order to further appeal 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 。

In addition to these, Kanegasaki area is indeed rich in railway heritage, including train museum which utilizes former station building of Tsuruga port station (reconstructed, though), lamp house, Tsurugako line (operation suspended now). The city plans to utilize these resources to further expand visitor attractions in this area.

Access

• About 30 min walk from Hokuriku Line Tsuruga Station. Or 8 min bus ride from the station (Gurutto Tsuruga Shuyu Bus, operated by Tsuruga Sightseeing Bus Co.), get off at Kanegasaki Park, and 4 min walk.

Visitor information

Restaurant wing is free of change. 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 Dec. 30-Jan. 1. 。

Other attractions

• 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
• Tsuruga Municipal Museum
• Minato Tsuruga Yama Kaikan
• Kami-Warabe Washi-Paper Doll Museum
• Kehi no Matsubara (pine tree park)
• Kehi Shrine

External links

• 国指定文化財データベース – 旧紐育スタンダード石油会社倉庫南棟
• 国指定文化財データベース – 旧紐育スタンダード石油会社倉庫北棟
• 国指定文化財データベース – 旧紐育スタンダード石油会社倉庫煉瓦塀