Mietsu Naval Dock Site

This is one of the component sites of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage property “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining.” It served as the base for the Saga Domain’s Western-style navy at the end of the Edo period, where ships were repaired and built. The timber remains of its dry dock, a facility used to repair ships, were constructed using a combination of Western and Japanese technology and are the oldest surviving remains of their kind in Japan.

The nearby Sano Tsunetami and the Mietsu Naval Dock History Museum reopened after renovations in September 2021. Its extensive exhibits introduce the achievements of Sano Tsunetami, who made major contributions to Japan’s modernization, including helping to establish the Mietsu Naval Dock and Hakuaisha, the predecessor of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Do not miss the full-scale model recreating part of the dry dock’s timber framework, whose original remains are buried underground for preservation, or the impressive large-screen presentation showing what the site looked like at the time.

Visitors can use dedicated iPads available to borrow free of charge inside the museum or install the free Rekinabi guide app on their own smartphones or tablets. The app provides detailed explanations of the exhibits and CG recreations to view at the historic site.