Tsuruga Cruise Port
Tsuruga, Japan · Asia
Cruise ships dock at Mariyama-minami Multipurpose International Terminal (Kawasaki-Matsubara Pier), Tsuruga.
Plan my port daysDocked port where big ships berth 3-4 km from the centre; a shuttle or taxi reaches Kehi Jingu, the Red Brick Warehouse and Symbol Road.
At a glance
Port summary
Large cruise ships berth at the Mariyama-minami multipurpose international terminal, an industrial pier about 3-4 km north of central Tsuruga; smaller ships sometimes use the Kanegasaki quay right beside the Red Brick Warehouse. Either way you will use a cruise shuttle, a taxi or the sightseeing loop bus to reach the sights. Central Tsuruga is compact and flat: Kehi Jingu with its great wooden torii, the century-old Red Brick Warehouse, the Port of Humanity museum and the Galaxy Express 999 statues along Symbol Road all sit within a short walk of each other and Tsuruga Station. The city is also a rail hub - JR limited-express trains reach Kyoto in about an hour for a big day trip, and the Mikata Five Lakes and their Rainbow Line summit are a 40-60 minute drive west.
Cruise dock
🚢 Mariyama-minami Multipurpose International Terminal (Kawasaki-Matsubara Pier)
Deep-water multipurpose international pier on the Mariyama reclaimed land, the main berth for large cruise ships. An industrial cargo terminal about 3-4 km north of central Tsuruga; passengers transfer by cruise shuttle or taxi. Smaller ships sometimes use the Kanegasaki quay beside the Red Brick Warehouse. Coordinate approximate (Mariyama waterfront; exact quay not OSM-tagged).
📍 Latitude: 35.666322, Longitude: 136.062937
See dock on port map →Getting to Tsuruga
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Map & things to do
Money & payments
Japan is still cash-friendly in a smaller city like Tsuruga: carry ¥5,000-10,000 in cash for shrines, buses, markets and small eateries, and use 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATMs to withdraw with a foreign card.
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Typical weather
Emergency & contacts
Excursions compared
4 comparedTsuruga highlights: Kehi Jingu, the Red Brick Warehouse and the pine grove
≈ 4 h · sold by 3 cruise lines
Cruise line
€135$155
Do it yourself
€9$10
Save ≈ €126Save ≈ $144 (93% off)
Ships berth at the Mariyama-minami pier; take the cruise shuttle (or a ~¥1,500-2,500 taxi) the 3-4 km into central Tsuruga near the station and Kehi Jingu. From there the Gurutto Tsuruga loop bus stitches the central sights together for ¥200 a ride (its sightseeing route serves the station, Kehi Jingu and the Red Brick Warehouse; the shopping route reaches the fish market), though it runs only about hourly - a taxi is the reliable fallback. Kehi Jingu and the pine grove are free; the Red Brick diorama museum is about ¥400.
See the DIY plan →
Eiheiji Zen temple and Maruoka Castle
≈ 6 h · sold by 2 cruise lines
Cruise line
€175$201
Do it yourself
€45$52
Save ≈ €130Save ≈ $149 (74% off)
Both sights are in Fukui Prefecture north of Tsuruga and are impractical by train-plus-bus in a port day, so the DIY version is a hire car or a pre-arranged full-day taxi. It is about 70 minutes each way to Eiheiji on the Hokuriku Expressway; entry is ¥700 and the monastery is a working training temple, so keep quiet and allow time for the cedar-shaded approach. Maruoka Castle (about ¥450) is a 30-minute drive away, with habutae-mochi sweet shops nearby. Fix the taxi price and return time before you set off.
See the DIY plan →
Ready-made port days
8 plansThe Tsuruga Highlights Loop
The town's postcard pair — the great Kehi Jingu torii and the old-port Red Brick Warehouse — plus the pine-grove beach, all by cruise shuttle and the ¥200 loop bus.
Kanegasaki Waterfront & the Port of Humanity
A compact, mostly-indoor history morning on the old harbour — a hilltop shrine, the Red Brick Warehouse and the moving refugee museum, all within a few hundred metres.
The Free Tsuruga Day
A whole port day for the price of the loop bus — the great torii, a blossom-framed shrine, a harbour park and one of Japan's three great pine groves, all free to enter.
Sea-of-Japan Seafood & Sauce Katsudon
Tsuruga's honest food day — a heaped seafood bowl at the big Nihonkai Sakana Machi market, then Fukui's famous sauce katsudon back in town.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Tsuruga?
- Your ship docks at one of the cruise terminals in Tsuruga, Japan. The specific berth is assigned by the port a few days before arrival.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Tsuruga?
- Yes. Tsuruga is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Tsuruga centre?
- Typical options include Shuttle bus, Taxi, Local bus, On foot. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Tsuruga?
- Plan for at least 3 hours ashore to see Tsuruga independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Tsuruga and are cards accepted?
- Tsuruga uses the Japanese Yen. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Tsuruga cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
- When should I be back at the ship?
- Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.
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