Traveling in Fukui
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Fukui
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Fukui
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Eiheiji Temple’s Hakujukan accommodation in Fukui
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- In July of this year, a new accommodation facility will open at the gate of Eiheiji Temple in Fukui, one of two main temples of the Sōtō school of Zen Buddhism in Japan. It’s being created for guests to experience the world of Zen and the practice of Zen ascetics. Aside from Western and Japanese-style rooms, the accommodation will also include large public baths and a restaurant serving Seishin cuisine. URL：https://daihonzan-eiheiji.com/
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- Fukui
- 30. July. 2019
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The taxi driver’s sutra: Echizen Daibutsu and the power of dreams
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- In the devotional arms race that is Buddha building, Japan has mostly been outshined by the Chinese, if only when it comes to sheer height… When it comes down to personality, the massive Buddhas of Japan are the clear winners. The otherworldly hulk that is the Ushiku Daibutsu is probably the best known, looming over Ibaraki Prefecture, or perhaps it’s the serene bronze Great Buddha of Kamakura. Although the Echizen Daibutsu at Seidaiji in Fukui is virtually unknown, it is in fact the tallest seated Buddha in the country. The giant Buddha anchors a charming temple in a beautiful setting in Fukui. The taxi driver’s sutra: Echizen Daibutsu and the power of dreams The Great Buddha of Echizen, as well as the temple itself, Seidaiji, have an interesting history. The project was financed by a local boy, Tada Kiyoshi, who hoped to make merit by building a Buddhist temple. Tada’s family had lived comfortably in the Katsuyama area for centuries, making a living as merchants and sake brewers, but the business collapsed and the Second World War came and the family fled to Osaka. Tada Kiyoshi became a taxi driver after the war and, starting with a single car, slowly built an empire. The taxi driver’s sutra: Echizen Daibutsu and the power of dreams As Tada grew older, he hoped to give back to the Katsuyama area and, presumably, make sure his next life would be even smoother than his present life. The temple at Seidaiji, and its mighty Great Buddha of Echizen were made to the old man’s specifications. The temple is a gaudy monstrosity that looks more like a luxury hotel than a place to contemplate ko’an. The temple is as much a product of religious devotion as it is a product of the glory days of Bubble Era Japan. But the story behind it and its setting in stunning thick forest makes up for its garishness. The taxi driver’s sutra: Echizen Daibutsu and the power of dreams ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 27. November. 2018
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Three things to do at the crack of dawn in Katsuyama and Ono
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- Towns like Katsuyama and Ono, places so long governed by the rhythms of agrarian life, get going early. Whether you’re simply headed to a Kissaten for a morning set and a blast of ice coffee, or, more ambitiously, heading out to stroll the old town or venturing out to one of the town’s famous sites, you might as well get up early. If you’re feeling a bit aimless at dawn, here are three great ways to get your morning started. Stroll the grounds of Heisenji Hakusan Shrine Stroll the grounds of Heisenji Hakusan Shrine Get up early and head down to Heisenji. The stairs up to the complex start down in a village alley and head up past the viridescent Mitarashinoike Pond and into a still, green forest dotted with shrines. In the early morning, the hinoki perfume of the forest is intensified by the dank scent of dewy moss and wet stone. On most mornings, there will be no living soul around to disturb the intense stillness of the complex; on a particularly busy morning, you might encounter a few photographers stalking the forest for better angles. There is no better way to set the mood for the day to come than to spend a few hours strolling the shrine complex and the surrounding area. Experience living history at Ono’s Shichiken Morning Market Experience living history at Ono’s Shichiken Morning Market Once the main street of a bustling castle town, Shichiken is slightly less hectic than it was in previous centuries, but the vendors that convene every morning between March and December are carrying on a tradition that dates back to Ono’s glory days. Produce from market gardens is picked as the sun is just coming up and delivered to the market in Ono shortly after. The colors of the market seem to change each morning, as the season shifts. The vegetables and fruit in the market are nothing like the lacquered produce at a Tokyo supermarket—this is the real deal. As the population ages, traditions like this are in danger of fading. The market is the perfect place to experience the history of Ono while also taking the pulse of the day-to-day life as it is now. Make sure you get their early: the market is only open for a few hours in the morning. Experience living history at Ono’s Shichiken Morning Market Survey your kingdom at Echizen Ono Castle Survey your kingdom at Echizen Ono Castle The castle that anchors Ono is sits on a forested mound in a valley ringed by mountains. Photographers climb to the remains of Inuyama Castle for the best views of the fortress, a hike up a sometimes-treacherous trail that leads to a perfect vantage point on Echizen Ono Castle. A peculiar feature of the valley that Ono sits at the bottom of is the phenomenon of clouds rolling down from the mountains, filling the basin with cottony cirrus. When the clouds fill the valley, the castle seems to float on a sea of down. The cloudy view of the valley is not guaranteed, by any means, and it usually fades shortly after dawn, but it’s worth taking the chance to climb to Inuyama Castle to capture the once-in-a-lifetime view. Survey your kingdom at Echizen Ono Castle ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 26. November. 2018
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Family Friendly Fukui Fun
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- Fukui is not at the top of most itineraries for travel in Japan—and that’s a good thing. It means that the prefecture is full of undiscovered gems and unique experiences that can be experienced with a minimal amount of the holidaymaker crush that can make traveling to more popular locations frustrating, especially if you’re headed there with the family. Here are five places to get you and yours started on planning a trip to Fukui. Take a trip from the old town of Mikuni to the towering cliffs at Tojinbo Take a trip from the old town of Mikuni to the towering cliffs at Tojinbo The old town of Mikuni flourished as a node on the coastal shipping route that linked Honshu to northern Japan during the Edo, serving as a pitstop for the Kitamaebune freighters. The town’s well-preserved buildings have been reborn as cafes, ice cream shops and guesthouses. After exploring Mikuni, your next stop has to be Tojinbo. From Mikuni Station hop the train one stop down to Mikunimato Station, then take the bus out to the cliffs. Start by climbing to the top of the 180 foot Tojinbo Tower to take in a stunning view of the Sea of Japan and the Fukui countryside. There are trails that run up and down the cliffs, but, if you’ve got younger members in your party, hop onto one of the boat tours that run up and down the coast. Shibamasa World Shibamasa World Absolutely tailor-made to satisfy even toughest adolescent customer, Shibamasa World, a short distance from Hamaji Beach, is a theme park and water park. For kids, there are rides and games, a work park where kids can experience the thrill of toiling at various mundane jobs, a maze, and even a play zone for infants and toddlers. The water park is one of the largest in the country, boasting wave pools, play parks and fifty waterslides. Ten times the space would be required to cram in a description of every attraction at Shibamasa World. It’s got to be on the itinerary, if you’re traveling to Fukui with the family. Ikegami Himawari Park Ikegami Himawari Park When the sunflowers rise and shine in late summer, the fields at Ikegami Himawari Park are full of families strolling through and pausing for cutesy photo opportunities. Spots like this are hard to hit by public transit, but if you’ve rented a car, make sure to drive through the farmland north of Mikuni, ending up at Ikegami Himawari Park. Take a day trip to Echizen Matsushima Aquarium Take a day trip to Echizen Matsushima Aquarium Traveling and living in Japan will turn you and your kids into aquarium spotters. It seems as if even tertiary tourist spots have installed aquariums as part of a drive to bring in out-of-towners, and they range from very good to not-that-bad. The Echizen Matsushima Aquarium is somewhere in the middle, but throw in a detour to Mikuni Seaside Natural Park and a trip out to the Hamaji Beach, and it makes a good family day trip. Apart from the usual attractions, the glass-floored observation room, looking down on an artificial reef, is particularly fun. Take a day trip to Echizen Matsushima Aquarium Experience mineral springs at Awara Onsen Ashiyu Experience mineral springs at Awara Onsen Ashiyu The truth is that onsen are best for couples. If you’re traveling with kids, there are some resorts that work (Sentopia Awara might be an option), but, for most kids, relaxing in scalding hot alkaline water is just not their scene. Instead of writing off the pleasures of onsen altogether, bring the family by the Awara Onsen Ashiyu, a foot bath just north of Awara Yunomachi Station on Echizen Railway's Mikuni Awara Line. ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 26. November. 2018
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A festival of lights in Katsuyama: Akari Matsuri
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- Katsuyama’s Akari Matsuri (literally, “Lighting Festival”) takes place in the city in late summer, usually around the Bon Festival, and is centered on the Honmachi neighborhood around the Kagetsuro building and Oshozu. Lanterns are lined up along the walkways and alleys of the city, turning the old town into a fantasy land. Locals and visitors to the city join together to appreciate the unique atmosphere in Katsuyama’s old town. A festival of lights in Katsuyama: Akari Matsuri The four night festival has kicked off in recent years with the Kacchama Music Festival, an outdoor concert and folk festival held at Benten Ryokuchi Park, a green space along the Kuzuryu River. The streets east of the river, in Honmachi, are decorated with lanterns that light up the historic neighborhood from dusk. Nowadays, it’s LED lights in the screens rather than candles, but the effect is not compromised. The streets are full of revelers strolling the alleys with snacks and drinks, appreciating the lights. A festival of lights in Katsuyama: Akari Matsuri Events are centered on the Kagetsuro building. The two-story townhouse was once the home of a mighty textile dynasty, the Nakamura family. Over a century old, the house was expanded by the Nakamura clan over the years. In 2011, a project was undertaken to resurrect the building, and it was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property. The old Nakamura home has been reborn as a restaurant, with simple fare served on the first floor and more refined kaiseki on the second. In the city’s heyday as a center of textile manufacturing, the Nakamura family would have hosted the city’s powerful families for elegant get-togethers—now, the hoi polloi can appreciate the palatial dwelling. The Akari Matsuri is the perfect time to visit the historic building’s dining rooms. A festival of lights in Katsuyama: Akari Matsuri ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 22. November. 2018
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Experience the traditional crafts of Fukui
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- Fukui was built on agricultural, the sea trade, and most importantly, traditional trades, like papermaking, ceramics, brewing, and even manufacturing eyeglasses. The legacy of those craftspeople and their workshops is preserved in modern-day Fukui, and it’s one of the main reasons people visit the prefecture. Here are a few places to experience the arts and crafts of Fukui. Udatsu Craft Center Udatsu Craft Center Located east of Echizen City, within walking distance of the expansive Washinosato Park, the Udatsu Craft Center (sometimes translated on maps as Udatsu Paper and Craft Museum) is an attempt to preserve the traditional crafts of the Echizen region. On the grounds of the Center stand the recreated homes of the washi makers, complete with the equipment required to produce paper the old-fashioned way. Visitors can join traditional craft workshops, or watch someone else complete the labor-intensive process. The museum is one of a handful of sites in the area that are devoted to washi manufacturing, but Udatsu Craft Center is one of the most accessible and comprehensive. Megane Museum Megane Museum The Megane Museum in Sabae pays tribute to the region’s history as a base for eyeglass manufacturing. The museum charts Sabae’s early history as a center of cheap manufacturing, up until today, when, despite cheap labor and materials in China and Southeast Asia edging out most Sabae producers, the region is still renowned—now, not for cheap manufacturing but for high-end, precision, handmade products, stamped with foreign brands like Chanel and Prada, or marketed within the country by artisanal makers and high-end domestic marques. Apart from touring the museum, visitors willing to invest approximately 20,000 yen can take a workshop where they make their own pairs of glasses by hand (a shorter workshop walks visitors through making an eyeglass strap). The attached Megane Shop sells locally-made eyeglasses, ranging from utilitarian and traditional to extravagant luxury pieces. Echizen Lacquerware Traditional Industry Hall Echizen Lacquerware Traditional Industry Hall Lacquerware, essentially carved wood coated with a shiny, hard finish, has been produced in the Echizen area for centuries. This facility in Sabae hosts a gallery showcasing the craft of lacquerware, the Echizen Lacquerware Cooperative's workshops, as well as a space for lacquerware workshops. Stop by the attached cafe, Wanwan, where everything is served in lacquerware made in-house. Echizen Lacquerware Traditional Industry Hall Misaki Tansu Shop Tansu refers to a sort of chest, made usually from elm, cedar or cypress, that range from rough-hewn cabinets to elaborate trunks that would have held for noblewomen of an earlier time the prestige of Goyard luggage. Echizen City, which sits on the territory once occupied by a historical province of the same name, has been known for centuries as a home to some of the finest tansu craftsman, working with wood cut from the hills around the region. Misaki Tansu, a surprisingly spacious but somewhat unassuming shop in an old neighborhood in Echizen, is home to carpenters and craftsmen that keep the art and craft of tansu-making alive. Using traditional methods, the shop turns out tansu, as well as modern and traditional furniture, including handsome cedar beds. And don’t worry about carting furniture home again, the shop will ship products within Japan and assist with setting up international shipping. ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 22. November. 2018
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Remembering the glory days in Mikuni Town
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- One of the most disorienting things about historical sites is often their isolation from our modern centers. Nowadays, it's certainly quicker to get from the new centers of the country in Kanto or Kansai to the west coast of Honshu, but a port town like Mikuni feels far more peripheral than it would have in its heyday as a locus of trade and commerce. The town no longer exists, even, as a discrete entity, having been absorbed into the sprawling Sakai City. Its meaning changed as it slid into the periphery—the samurai, the men that grew wealthy from trade, the bureaucrats and their Dutch advisors are gone, but their mansions and temples are now tended to, kept up by the families that were here long before they arrived. Remembering the glory days in Mikuni Town Mikuni flourished as a node on the coastal shipping route that linked Honshu to northern Japan during the Edo. The mighty Kitamebune, stout freighters with square sails, eventually replaced by Western schooners, offloaded northern commodities in the port, enriching the traders of Mikuni. The evidence of that wealth remains in the well-preserved streets of the town. A guest house, Tsumesho Mikuni, offers a chance to stay in one of the port’s old townhouses. The project is one of many rural revitalization projects undertaken by Alex Kerr, one of the greatest living evangelists for preserving the culture and traditions of rural Japan. The pretty guest house has become a destination in its own right; staying true to Alex Kerr’s vision, Tsumesho Mikuni welcomes a limited number of guests and showcases traditional ways of building and living. Remembering the glory days in Mikuni Town Mikuni Minatoza is another building saved by rehabilitation; apart from the homey dishes in the dining room, you might also stop by to take part in one of the events hosted by the local tourism boosters. Behind the original facade, the building now functions as a cultural hub, tourist drop-in center, and a restaurant. If you’re interested in meeting up with locals or just want to pick up some local sweets, stop by. It’s a great chance to get a closer look at the local architecture. Remembering the glory days in Mikuni Town ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 15. November. 2018
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Rediscovering Lost Japan: Tsumesho Mikuni and Mikuni En
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- Mikuni was once a node on the Kitamaebune shipping route up to the rich but sparsely populated islands of Northern Japan, and the legacy of the wealth of that trade is preserved in the handsome townhouses and shops that are being repurposed by locals and entrepreneurs. Tsumesho Mikuni, built in a former pharmacy welcomes a limited number of guests to experience modern comfort in a traditional home. Rediscovering Lost Japan: Tsumesho Mikuni and Mikuni En Perhaps the best way to introduce the guest house is with a few words about Alex Kerr, who was responsible, through his company, Chiiori Co. Ltd., in part, for this renovation. Kerr, an American, has been lamenting the loss of Japanese tradition and culture for decades now. Although he is not the sole progenitor of the movement to renovate townhouses and old shops, and preserve vernacular architecture—rather than exclusively castles and temples—he has become the most vocal supporter of that drive. Kerr and his company and associated non-profits have helped preserve hundreds of structures that likely would have been bulldozed or left to moulder—Tsumesho Mikuni is one such building. Rediscovering Lost Japan: Tsumesho Mikuni and Mikuni En The guest house is divided into two separate and distinct accommodations, the first called Koun (行雲：Moving Clouds) and the second, Ryusui (流水：Rushing Water). Both poetically named spaces have their own particular attractions but are similarly equipped with modern appliances and a kitchen. The layout in both spaces in spacious, spread across the main building and the former pharmacy’s renovated storehouse. Both spaces have access to and views of the property’s gardens. Tsumesho Mikuni splits the difference perfectly between hoary traditional ryokan esthetic and slick modern hotel style. Only two groups can book the accommodations at a time, meaning that it’s often booked in the busiest months of the year. Rediscovering Lost Japan: Tsumesho Mikuni and Mikuni En ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 13. November. 2018
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Exiled in Esshu: four spots to check out in Echizen and Sabae
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- A thousand years and a handful of centuries ago, a province called Echizen was created in northern Fukui from the scraps of other districts. The ancient province, also known as Esshu, was famous for paper—washi—and poets—Otomo no Yakamochi, among others—and pottery—its kilns turned out some of the finest ceramics in the land, and it helped link the country to the powerful kingdoms of China. The city of Echizen and its neighbor, Sabae, a few miles up the road, sit on the same territory as the former province, and have inherited its historical legacy, while also forging their own modern identity. On a visit to Echizen and Sabae, these are the spots to hit. Gotanjoji, the Cat Temple Gotanjoji, the Cat Temple A Zen temple of the Soto school, Gotanjoji in the barren, hilly Shodencho district of Echizen has become famous for its cats. The temple’s history is lengthy, but it has occupied this piece of land for only about two decades; shortly after its construction, south of the Hachiman Shrine, stray cats that had stalked the nearby hills began showing up at the temple. The temple heads did their best to care for the cats, but eventually, the felines became something an attraction, and the tour buses that arrive in the temple’s parking lot these days are full of pilgrims coming specifically for the swarming clowder of cats that greet them. Echizen Lacquerware Traditional Industry Hall Echizen Lacquerware Traditional Industry Hall This expansive facility in Sabae, known also by the more poetic name Urushi no Sato Kaikan (literally, “Village of Urushi Hall,” named for the urushi tree, the sap of which is the source of the caustic chemicals necessary to make lacquer), houses the Echizen Lacquerware Cooperative's ateliers, a gallery showcasing the craft, and a space for lacquerware workshops. Lacquerware, essentially carved wood coated with a shiny, hard finish, is a famous local product, with a history stretching back a millennia. Before you pick up a lacquer bowl, take the local products for a test drive in the attached cafe, Wanwan, where everything is served in lacquerware made in-house. Okamoto-Otaki Shrine Okamoto-Otaki Shrine The story of the Okamoto-Otaki Shrine begins like this: a heavenly princess appeared to villagers that lived on the shores of the Okamoto River; the princess, with a few waves of her hands, demonstrated the craft of making washi. The villagers followed her lead; they mashed the pulp of local shrubs, washed the pulp in the clear, cold water of the Okamoto, and spread it on screens to make delicate yet durable sheets of paper. The princess, Kawakami Gozen, is enshrined at this ancient Shinto tabernacle. It was washi that made the villages and towns of the region rich, in an age before plastic, when the paper was used to make everything from fans to food wrappers. Set in a thicket of trees, the ancient shrine has been visited by the town’s washi makers and dealers for centuries. The shrine complex sits in a beautiful corner of Washinosato Park, not far from the city’s Paper and Culture Museum. Okamoto-Otaki Shrine Murasaki Shikibu Koen Murasaki Shikibu Koen Murasaki Shikibu, the author of the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji, was a homebody. She left her hometown only once, to accompany her father to Echizen. It was a poem, written to Emperor Ichijo, that earned her father his position as governor of the province, and a novel that earned his daughter eternal fame. The park, a neat rectangle of land, is a landscape of traditional gardens and architecture, honoring the work of the great novelist. ©NAVITIME JAPAN. Travel Info Check out our travel tips to make your trip better!
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- Fukui
- 13. November. 2018
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Recommended spots
229 results
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- Eihei-ji Temple
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4.5604 Reviews - Temple
- Fukui Pref. Yoshidaguneiheijichou Shihi 10-5
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Since I had the day free, I went to the train station to get a ticket to Eiheiji. The ticket agent said, once there, I’ll need to get a bus and the bus is not scheduled to meet the first train...
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- Maruoka Castle (Kasumigajo)
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4.0331 Reviews - Historical Monument
- Fukui Pref. Sakaishi Maruokachoukasumichou 1-59
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This castle ranks 30th of the thousands of Japanese ancient castles. However there was nothing much to see. It was destroyed in an earthquake and it was rebuilt after that. The ticket set including...
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- Kehi-jingu Shrine
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4.0165 Reviews - Shrine
- Fukui Pref. Tsurugashi Akebonochou 11-68
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We visited the Shrine whilst on a cruise day stop. We saw several Shrines whilst in Japan and although they all seem very much alike there is always a different charm to them all. It was quiet and...
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- Echizen Matsushima Aquarium
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3.04 Reviews - Aquarium
- Fukui Pref. Sakaishi Mikunichousaki 74-2-3
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三国の宿に越前ガニを食べに来て、その帰りに水族館に寄りました。 昨夜、飽きるほど海鮮類を食べたのに、飽きずに北陸海鮮を堪能しました。
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- Inuyama Castle Ato
- Castle / Ruins of Castle
- Fukui Ono Inuyama
Fukui Main Areas
Northeast of Kyoto, the ancient Tojinbo Cliffs separate Fukui prefecture from the Sea of Japan in a stretch of land well worth exploring. Water sports and seaside delicacies are available in abundance as the spectacular rugged coastline flattens down into beaches to the west of the prefecture, while inland, Fukui is home to Zen Buddhist temples and historic ruins.
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