Photo: Asturio Cantabrio / CC BY-SA 4.0Maizuru was a naval base, and the red-brick warehouses are what is left of it: built between 1901 and 1921 to store supplies for the naval district, with eight of the twelve surviving buildings designated Important Cultural Properties. The park around them opened in 2012 and the district joined the Japan Heritage list in 2016 with Yokosuka, Kure and Sasebo.
The visit is easy and compact. Walk the brick road between the warehouses, go into the Red Brick Museum (one of the oldest steel-and-brick buildings in Maizuru, built in 1903 as a torpedo store) for the history of brick and a replica of the kiln, drop into the free Municipal Memorial Hall, and have a coffee in the cafe in No.5. The pier for the harbour cruise is here too.
The catch is that it is a pleasant hour rather than a headline sight, and that it sits a taxi ride from the Dai-2 pier. Its great merit is that it pairs with the Repatriation Memorial Museum (a joint ticket exists) and the harbour cruise. Skip the cruise on the closed days listed above.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- The harbour cruise pier is inside the park and tickets are sold from 9:00 at the Red Brick Museum; buy at least 20 minutes before departure.
- The cruise has three sailings on weekdays (11:00, 13:00, 14:00) and six on weekends and holidays (hourly 10:00–15:00).
- Buy the ¥600 joint ticket if you will also visit the Repatriation Memorial Museum, but remember that museum is closed on Wednesdays.
- Rental bicycles are ¥500 a day (electric sports bikes ¥2,000) from the No.2 building, but the park says it may decline rentals to elderly riders for safety.
- Free loop buses link the park, the Repatriation Memorial Museum and Goro Sky Tower on Sundays 18 and 25 October 2026; the museum also lists a free loop bus on the first Sunday of most months. Check the details before relying on it.
The pier for the harbour cruise is here too.
Guided days from Maizuru
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
Questions people ask here
Is there an entry fee for Red Brick Park?
The grounds are free. The Red Brick Museum costs ¥400, and a ¥600 joint ticket also covers the Repatriation Memorial Museum.
How do I get to Red Brick Park from the cruise pier?
By taxi, about 15 minutes from the Dai-2 pier, or on a ship shuttle where one is run. The International Wharf (used by Spectrum of the Seas) is closed to walkers, so the shuttle is the only way out.
Can I take a harbour cruise of the navy ships?
Yes, a 30-minute cruise leaves from the park (¥1,800). It has three sailings on weekdays and six on weekends, and it is suspended on 13–16 and 20–21 October 2026 for pier works.