Floats, Museum & Shrine
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Port
Tsuruga, Japan
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$170
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 3½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Tsuruga will charm you with a host of scenic, cultural and historic sights and insights.
Grab your camera and head to the iconic Kehi Jingu Shrine, the largest and most important shrine in the Hokuriku region, founded in AD 702. Though it was mostly destroyed in 1945, one surviving structure is the shrine's 36-foot-tall red Torii gate, built in 1902 and registered as an Important Cultural Property.
At Minato Tsuruga Yama Kaikan, marvel at the floats used at the Kehi Jingu Shrine Annual Festival. There is an exhibition room for armor, helmets, and Noh masks worn by Samurai dolls -- a ubiquitous main character on Tsuruga floats.
At the annex, housed in the former Owada Bank building, see a model of the Kitamaebune merchant ships that were so instrumental in the prosperity of Tsuruga. The building itself is listed as an Important Japanese Cultural Heritage Property.
Interpretive material at the Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum tells the story of the refugees that passed through Tsuruga's port. Tsuruga was the only port in Japan where orphaned Polish children were allowed to come ashore during the 1920s, and likewise for Jewish refugees seeking "visas for life" during the 1940s. This generosity is a wonderful representation of Tsuruga's post-Isolationist worldview.
Please note:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair or for those with mobility limitations. Bring local currency, as some vendors do not accept credit cards or US dollars. Coach can not accommodate scooters. Tour order may vary.