Local Guide
6 recommended sightseeing spots in Fukui Prefecture

Facing the Sea of Japan and located at the foot of Mt. Hakusan, Fukui Prefecture is dotted with scenic spots with spectacular natural beauty and places of interest with long history and tradition. Here are some classic sightseeing spots that can be reached in about an hour from Kaga City in Ishikawa Prefecture, including Tojinbo, with its powerful cliffs, and the Dinosaur Museum, which is fun for children and adults alike.

Zen village with 700 years of history and tradition

The temple was built in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The grandeur of the temple, which is in harmony with nature, is relaxing. Photo courtesy of Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple
The temple was built in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The grandeur of the temple, which is in harmony with nature, is relaxing. Photo courtesy of Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple

Located in the town of Eiheiji, which stretches to the east of downtown Fukui, this is the head temple of the Soto sect of Buddhism, founded in 1244 by Zen Master Dogen. Even today, about 150 ascetic monks from all over Japan gather here to undergo rigorous ascetic training. Surrounded by deep-green mountains, the temple grounds are about 100,000 tsubo (about 1,000 square meters) in area, with more than 70 halls and pavilions. The main building where the monks practice their asceticism is called Shichido Garan, and its layout, connected by corridors, is said to resemble a Zen meditation hall. The temple has received two stars in the "Michelin Green Guide Japon" published in France, and is attracting attention both at home and abroad.

Many highlights, including ceiling paintings depicting flowers, birds, wind, and the moon

The painted ceiling of Sanshokaku is a must-see. Photo courtesy of Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple
The painted ceiling of Sanshokaku is a must-see. Photo courtesy of Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple

Walking along the approach to the shrine, surrounded by 700-year-old cedar trees, you will feel your back straightened by the dignified air. Worship begins at "Kichijokaku," where you can experience zazen meditation and sutra copying. The majestic beauty of the "Kanshokaku," with as many as 230 paintings embedded in the ceiling, is overwhelming. It is said that if you find two paintings of carp, two of Chinese lions, and one of squirrels, your wish will come true.
Other highlights include the 4-meter-long "Dai-Surikogi-Bo" in Daikokuin, the monks' kitchen. Take your time and spend an hour or so in peace and quiet.

Photo courtesy of Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple
Photo courtesy of Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple
Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple
  • Address 5-15 Shibi, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui MAP
  • Direction 12 minutes drive from Echizen Railway Eiheiji-guchi Station.
  • Direction Take a bus from Echizen Railway Eiheiji-guchi Station, get off at Eiheiji-monzen or Eiheiji, and walk about 5 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 8:30-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Admission: 500 yen for adults, 200 yen for elementary/junior high school students
  • TEL 0776-63-3102
  • Parking Charged
  • Memo Eiheiji Oddekake-go" buses run directly from Kaga Onsen Station and the vicinity of Katayamazu Hot Spring, Yamashiro Hot Spring, and Yamanaka Hot Spring baths.

The only existing castle tower in Hokuriku

A Japanese garden-style park was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the construction of the castle, and the cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, and snowy scenery are spectacular.
A Japanese garden-style park was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the construction of the castle, and the cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, and snowy scenery are spectacular.

Maruoka Castle, which is said to have been built by Katsuie Shibata on the order of Nobunaga Oda by his nephew Katsutoyo as a preparation for the Ikkou Putsch, is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property. As the name "Kasumigajo" implies, in spring the castle tower appears to float amidst cherry blossoms in full bloom, creating a fantastic sight. The castle tower is one of the oldest among the 12 existing castle towers, consisting of a massive stone wall made of natural stone piled up on the ground and a watchtower-type tower with three stories and two stories without any pillars. The castle is one of the oldest among the 12 existing castles. Visitors can tour the inside of the castle by climbing up the large stone steps built into the stone wall.

Climb the steep stairs and look over the castle town from the watchtower.

The temple also features heavy stone roof tiles to withstand heavy snowfall. It is also illuminated at night.
The temple also features heavy stone roof tiles to withstand heavy snowfall. It is also illuminated at night.

The castle appears to be two-story from the outside due to the double roof, but the interior is a three-story structure. On the first floor, an elaborate diorama of the restored castle is on display. The staircase is steeply sloped to make it difficult to be attacked by enemies, and visitors must rely on climbing ropes to reach the upper floors. The watchtower on the top floor is about 35 meters above the base of the castle, and from the windows on all four sides, visitors can see the peaceful town of Maruoka and the countryside of the Sakai Plain.

Maruoka Castle
  • Address 1-59 Kasumi-cho, Maruoka-cho, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 10 minutes by car from JR Maruoka Station
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Fukui Station and get off at Maruoka Castle.
  • Hours of Operation 8:30-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Entry fee: Adults 450 yen, elementary/junior high school students 150 yen
  • TEL 0776-66-0303
  • Parking Free of charge

One of the largest museums in Japan where you can experience the world of dinosaurs

The moving Tyrannosaurus robot is about three-quarters the scale of the real thing.
The moving Tyrannosaurus robot is about three-quarters the scale of the real thing.

Located in Katsuyama City, which boasts the largest amount of dinosaur fossils excavated in Japan, the museum is considered one of the world's top three dinosaur museums along with the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Canada and the Daikung Dinosaur Museum in China. The main exhibit is the "Dinosaur World Zone," where visitors can meet numerous dinosaurs. The Tyrannosaurus robot attracts the most attention, and the sight of it moving and squealing is a sight to behold. Around it are dinosaur skeletons, the largest of which is a 23.2-meter-long Mamenchisaurus. The diorama "Dinosaurs of Sichuan Province, China," in which carnivorous dinosaurs attack herbivorous dinosaurs, is also very realistic and powerful.

A world of dinosaurs that will enthrall both children and adults

The
The "Dinosaur World Zone" where visitors can see various dinosaur skeletons up close.

Ten of the 44 full-length dinosaur skeletons are made from real bones, and a ramp leading to the second floor allows visitors to view them up close from various angles. There are many exciting attractions, including a zone where visitors can learn about dinosaurs discovered in Fukui Prefecture and Asia, a "dino lab" where visitors can actually touch fossils and meteorites, a fossil cleaning room where excavated fossils are removed from stone, and an exhibit showing the evolution from dinosaurs to birds. There is also an "Open-Air Dinosaur Museum" (from around G.W. to early November) where visitors can have an experience of fossil excavation, making the whole day enjoyable.

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
  • Address 51-11 Terao, Muraoka-cho, Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture "Katsuyama Dinosaur Forest" MAP
  • Direction 10 minutes drive from Echizen Railway Katsuyama Station
  • Direction Take a bus from Echizen Railway Katsuyama Station and get off at Dinosaur Museum.
  • Hours of Operation 9:00-17:00 (last admission at 16:30) *8:30-18:00 during summer vacation, etc. (last admission at 17:30, please check the website)
  • Regular holiday Open on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays (closed the following day if the Wednesday falls on a national holiday), December 29 - January 2 *Open all year during summer vacation.
  • Admission Fee Adults 730 yen, high school and university students 420 yen, elementary and junior high school students 260 yen
    Open-air dinosaur museum (about 2 hours) ¥1,220 for adults, ¥1,020 for high school and university students, ¥610 for elementary and junior high school students
  • TEL 0779-88-0001
  • Parking Free of charge

Walking around the ruins of the castle town of the Warring States Period, which was called Hokuriku's "Little Kyoto

Faithful reconstruction based on excavated artifacts, including the use of excavated stone walls and foundation stones
Faithful reconstruction based on excavated artifacts, including the use of excavated stone walls and foundation stones

Ichijodani, located about 10 km southeast of Fukui Station, is the site of the castle town of the Asakura clan, a feudal lord who ruled Echizen Province (present Fukui Prefecture) for 103 years over five generations. The ruins of the castle town, which flourished and was called "Little Kyoto in Hokuriku," were excavated almost completely over a period of more than 50 years from 1967. Samurai residences, temples, and artisan residences have been beautifully restored. Along with Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto and Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, it is one of only six places in Japan to receive the triple national designation (Important Cultural Property, Special Historic Site, and Special Place of Scenic Beauty).

Strolling around the Karamon Gate and the garden of the former mansion, a reminder of the prosperity of those days

Take a break at the rest area near the southern entrance of the
Take a break at the rest area near the southern entrance of the "Restored Streets. Matcha green tea (with sweets) 400 yen

Walking along the "Fukuhara Machinami" and peeking into machiya and merchant houses, visitors can catch a glimpse of the lifestyle and culture of the time. After reminiscing about the Warring States period, take a rest at a rest area. Matcha (powdered green tea) served in an Echizen-yaki tea bowl and sweets branded with the Asakura family crest are available.
Across the street is the Karamon Gate, the symbol of the ruins. It is the main gate of Shounin, a temple dedicated to the family memory of Yoshikage Asakura V. It is said to have been moved and donated by the Toyotomi family. There are four gardens, including the ruins of Yoshikage's residence beyond the Karamon gate and the oldest Yudono Ato Garden in Ichijodani on the hill. The rugged landscape with its huge mountain stones is spectacular.

Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins
  • Address 28-37 Kidoinouchi-cho, Fukui-shi, Fukui MAP
  • Direction 25 min. walk from JR Ichijodani Stn.
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Fukui Station and get off at "Fubara Machinami" stop.
  • Hours of Operation 9:00-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
  • Regular holiday December 28 - January 4
  • Admission Fee Admission: 220 yen for adults, free for persons aged 70 and over and junior high school students and younger
  • TEL 0776-41-2330（Asakura Clan Site Preservation Association)
  • Parking Free of charge

Artistic cliffs created by nature

A scenic spot designated as a national scenic beauty and natural monument
A scenic spot designated as a national scenic beauty and natural monument

The wildly carved cliffs stretch for about 1 km, and the breathtaking view of nature's art is breathtaking. These cliffs were formed by magma that penetrated the earth during volcanic activity about 13 million years ago, and the cooled and hardened volcanic rock was eroded by the waves to appear on the surface of the earth. It is geologically rare to see so many pentagonal and hexagonal columnar fractures created when magma solidified, and is said to be one of only three places in the world, along with the west coast of Norway and Mount Kumgang on the Korean Peninsula, where such fractures are found. The quay is more than 25 meters high, and the view of the rough waves of the Sea of Japan lapping against it is powerful.

Take a sightseeing boat to see the powerful Tojinbo from the sea.

Ojima, the largest island on the Echizen Coast
Ojima, the largest island on the Echizen Coast

From the stone-paved plaza, visitors can enjoy a 180-degree view of Tojinbo and the Sea of Japan. There is a well-maintained promenade, and visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of oddly-shaped rocks such as "Candle Rock," which looks like a candle flame when the sun sets over the rocks, as well as "Ojima" offshore and the red bridge over the Ojima. It is also possible to descend to Senjyojiki, a flat rocky area.
We also recommend taking a sightseeing boat to view Tojinbo from the sea. You can enjoy a 30-minute cruise on a sightseeing boat that offers a close-up view of "Oike," "Lion Rock," and "Hachinosu Iwa," which are precipitous cliffs rising from the sea.

Tojinbo (Tojinbo)
  • Address Yasushima, Mikuni-cho, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 6 min. drive from Echizen Railway Mikuniminato Station.
  • Direction Take a bus from Echizen Railway Mikuni-ko Station, get off at Tojinbo and walk about 6 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation Free to visit: sightseeing boats 9:00-16:00, November-March 9:00-15:30
  • Regular holiday Sightseeing Boat December 29 - January 31 *Sightseeing Boat may be closed due to weather conditions.
  • Admission Fee Sightseeing boat: Adults 1,400 yen, Elementary school students 700 yen
  • TEL 0776-82-5515（Sakai Mikuni Tourist Association)
  • Parking Charged

A major center where Rennyo Shonin spread the teachings of Jodo Shinshu

A 5-meter-high bronze statue of Rennyo Shonin (Rennyo Shonin). The ruins of the main hall and other buildings remain in the plaza.
A 5-meter-high bronze statue of Rennyo Shonin (Rennyo Shonin). The ruins of the main hall and other buildings remain in the plaza.

In 1457, Rennyo Shonin, the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect, established a missionary base in the Hokuriku region at Echizen Yoshizaki, located on the border of Fukui and Ishikawa prefectures. In just a few years, Rennyo Shonin laid the foundation of the largest religious order in Japan, and the area is said to have been crowded with worshippers at the time. It is also the birthplace of the Kaga Ikkyu Putsch, which lasted nearly 100 years and established a "country of peasants" unprecedented anywhere in the world.
The Yoshizaki Dojo Ruins are located in a well-maintained plaza on Yoshizaki Gozan, surrounded on three sides by lagoons, where a large statue of Rennyo Shonin by Takamura Koun, one of Japan's greatest sculptors, rises above the ground.

The stage of the "Yome-oshi legend," a tale of Buddhism and mother-in-laws

Actual masks from the Fukui Prefecture folk tale
Actual masks from the Fukui Prefecture folk tale "Yome-ooshi legend" can be seen.

Be sure to visit Gankeiji Temple, which stands at the foot of Yoshizaki Gozan. This temple is also the setting of the "Yome-odoshi legend," a tale of a feud between a wife and mother-in-law that is well known in ningyo joruri (puppet theater) and kabuki. The "Yome-odoshi nikutsutsuki-no-men" (masks with a frightening expression that cannot be removed from the face) that appear in the story are kept here, and can actually be seen. The masks have been handed down from generation to generation for about 800 years, and there are traces of gold leaf on them as if they were once covered with gold leaf. It is also an interesting opportunity to learn about the legend and the history of Yoshizaki from the chief priest.

Yoshizaki Gobo Gankeiji Temple
  • Address 1-302 Yoshizaki, Awara City, Fukui Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approx. 12 min. by car from JR Daishoji Station
  • Bus Direction From JR Kaga Onsen Station, take the bus to the Rennyo Shonin Memorial Hall and Echizen Kaga Prefecture Boundary Hall. 3-minute walk from the bus stop.
  • Business hours 7:00-19:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Entrance fee: 500 yen, 300 yen for elementary school students
  • TEL 0776-75-1956
  • Parking Free (in front of Yoshizaki Tourist Center)
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.