What to know
Tsuruga (敦賀) is a mid-sized city in southern Fukui Prefecture. It is best known for its port, which has played an important role both domestically and internationally over the centuries. The city gained new prominence in March 2024 when the Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended from Kanazawa to Tsuruga, making it the line's new terminal station.
Tsuruga's port was central to the city's growth because it offered the easiest connection from the Sea of Japan to Kyoto, Japan's former capital, via land and Lake Biwa. This made Tsuruga a thriving stop on the Kitamaebune shipping route, the most important maritime trade route during the feudal era, linking Hokkaido through the Sea of Japan to Shimonoseki, the Seto Inland Sea, and Osaka.
After Japan was forced to open to international trade and later industrialized, the port flourished again in the early 1900s as the main departure point for travelers heading to Europe via Vladivostok and the Trans-Siberian Railway. However, as air travel became more popular, the port and city declined in importance.
Though not a major tourist destination, Tsuruga offers a peaceful atmosphere and several interesting attractions that can be explored in a single day.
A cluster of sights, including a few museums, is located around Kanegasaki Park, a waterfront park at Tsuruga Port that also has free parking.