Tsuruga served as a critical port for the 'Sea Route' of the Trans-Siberian Railway, connecting Tokyo to Paris in the early 20th century.
The museum chronicles the stories of over 700 Polish orphans rescued by the Japanese Red Cross in the 1920s.
Chiune Sugihara's 'visas for life' allowed Jewish refugees to enter Japan via Tsuruga after obtaining transit through the Soviet Union.
The museum is located near the site of the former Tsuruga Minato Station, which was once the terminus for international rail-to-sea travel.
The building was recognized as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan before its repurposing as a museum.
The Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum commemorates the historic arrival of Polish orphans and Jewish refugees who landed in Tsuruga during the early 20th century. The museum is housed in a renovated warehouse structure that originally served as the Tsuruga Port warehouse during the Meiji era. It utilizes multimedia exhibits and personal testimonies to document the humanitarian efforts of the local citizens during the 1920s and the 1940s. The site highlights the role of Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese diplomat who issued transit visas to thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe. The displays reconstruct the transit process, emphasizing the logistics of the 'humanitarian bridge' that connected Tsuruga to the rest of Japan. It functions as a historical archive documenting Tsuruga’s evolution as a gateway for international transit and maritime trade. The facility integrates digital storytelling with physical artifacts to maintain the historical context of the port's humanitarian legacy.
The restored exterior of the Meiji-era warehouse facing the harbor entrance.
Pair your visit with a walk along the adjacent Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse area.
Download the museum's guided audio app in advance if you prefer listening to the personal testimonies.
Check the exhibits on the second floor first, as they contain the most comprehensive historical documents.
Rushing through the exhibits; the museum relies on deep reading of documents to fully understand the historical context.
Closed on the last Wednesday of every month.
Maintain a quiet volume as the facility covers sensitive historical events; flash photography is generally prohibited in the document galleries.
