Fukui: Easy Access to Off-the-Beaten-Path Japan

Fukui Prefecture is a land of ancient dinosaurs and international heroes, with serene mountains, misty shrines, and Japan’s #1 most content local population. Thanks to its location tucked away on the western coast of Japan, however, Fukui is often overshadowed by flashier parts of Japan, including its neighbor Ishikawa. But Fukui is a vibrant part of Hokuriku – a region of rich culture and history pressed up against the Sea of Japan – and the area has seen some major infrastructure updates in recent years, including the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Whether you’re departing from Osaka after a visit to the 2025 Expo, or planning a trip after seeing the sights in Tokyo or Kyoto, the Japan Railways network has made it easier than ever to visit Fukui and discover all the natural wonders and traditional culture that await. Whether it’s your first time in Japan or your 100th, Hokuriku has a lot to offer any traveler exploring Japan, so check out some of the most interesting areas and best destinations in Fukui, below!

How to Get to Fukui

Fukui Prefecture is located on Japan’s western coast, just north of Osaka and Kyoto and due west of Tokyo, making it one of the most accessible Japanese travel destinations that most foreign visitors have never heard of! The routes are simple, too. Fukui is a straight shot from the Kansai region – an hour and a half from Osaka and under an hour from Kyoto using the JR Thunderbird Limited Express. From Tokyo, the recently extended Hokuriku Shinkansen will take you straight to Fukui from Tokyo Station in just over 3 hours.

For a great deal on transportation and convenient access to destinations in Fukui, we recommend checking out the various rail passes that cover the Hokuriku Region. JR-WEST offers a few different rail passes that are specially designed for international travelers visiting Japan! (They’re exclusively available for foreign passport holders in Japan as “temporary visitors.”)

The first of these passes is the Hokuriku Arch Pass, which is 30,000 yen (for adults) and covers 7 days of free access to a broad arc of transportation between Tokyo and Kansai, and throughout Hokuriku (including Fukui). The Hokuriku Arch Pass can be used on the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Tsuruga ⇔ Tokyo) and limited express trains like the Thunderbird, as well as local JR lines, and even a few select non-JR local railway lines. The Hokuriku Arch Pass gives you incredible freedom to move across Japan, and it’s a practical choice if your travel plans include time in Tokyo before or after your trip to Hokuriku!

Our second pass recommendation is the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass, a regional JR-WEST RAIL PASS, which works exactly like you might expect from the name. For 19,000 yen, adults gain 7 days of free access to transportation throughout the Kansai and Hokuriku regions, including Sanyo and Hokuriku Shinkansen routes within the regional boundaries, limited express trains like the Thunderbird, local JR lines, and select non-JR local railway lines too. Unlike the Hokuriku Arch Pass, this pass doesn’t include access to Tokyo, but it actually does cover a broader portion of the Kansai region, even including destinations as far as Kurashiki in Okayama. (Plus, it’s even more affordable!) If you’re hoping to make the most of your time in Kansai and Hokuriku and really enjoy the best of western Japan, the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass is an incredibly convenient option.

▶︎ You can find details on all of the JR-WEST passes on their official website, including the Hokuriku Arch Pass, the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass, and more.

While you can certainly take the Hokuriku Shinkansen straight to Fukui Station, we recommend starting your Fukui trip a little further south in Tsuruga, which is especially convenient from the Osaka/Kyoto area. There, you can begin your travel with a quick look at centuries of local history, before diving deeper into Fukui culture!

① Kehi Jingu Shrine & Pine Groves in Tsuruga

Start your Fukui trip in the port city of Tsuruga with a trip to the stately Shinto shrine known as the “Guardian of the Hokuriku Road,” Keihi Jingu Shrine. First established in the year 702, Kehi Jingu is a spiritual center for the region and has long been believed to protect travelers. It’s the perfect place to start this Fukui trip!

The shrine’s most iconic feature is its 11m vermilion torii gate, one of the three largest wooden torii in Japan, which has withstood the test of time and the World War II air raids to become an officially designated Important Cultural Property. Kehi Jingu was originally dedicated to the god Izasawake no Mikoto, but shortly after its establishment, the Emperor Mommu declared that another six gods be enshrined within. Legend tells that groundwater suddenly erupted from the earth while the shrine was being renovated to “make room” for all these new residents, and this sacred spring can still be found flowing within the shrine grounds. Since the shrine’s gods are so long-lived, the water is said to bring luck and longevity – you can stop into a cafe near the shrine to try coffee that’s actually brewed with this supposed elixir of life!

Kehi Jingu Shrine (氣比神宮)
11-68 Akebonocho, Tsuruga, Fukui
Shrine Office Hours: 6:00 – 17:00
Official Website (jp)

Directions: 15 min. on foot or 5~10 min. by bus from Tsuruga Station

While you’re in the area, don’t miss the chance to stretch your legs at the Kehi no Matsubara pine grove, hugging the curve of nearby Tsuruga Bay. Japan loves to gather its most beautiful natural landmarks into groups of three, and this seaside park has been designated one of Japan’s “Three Great Pine Groves” due to its 400-year-old trees with deep green pine needles. The trees are vivid against a backdrop of pale sand and blue waves, making it perfect for a stroll on a sunny day.

Kehi no Matsubara/Matsubara Park (気比の松原・松原公園)
33 Matsushimacho, Tsuruga, Fukui
Official Page (jp)

Directions: about 10 min. from Kehi Jingu or 15~20 min. from Tsuruga Station by bus

▶︎ For a glimpse of Fukui’s more recent history, the Tsuruga Museum focuses on the city’s legacy as a “Port of Humanity.” The area received Polish orphans exiled to Siberia during World War I, and accepted a number of Jewish refugees fleeing during World War II thanks to the tireless work of the diplomat Chiune Sugihara!

Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum (人道の港 敦賀ムゼウム)
23-1 Kanegasakicho, Tsuruga, Fukui
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00 | closed Wednesdays
Official Website (jp)

Train Travel: Tsuruga to Fukui Station

When you’re finished exploring the Tsuruga area, it’s time to head north! Fukui Station is just a little over 15 minutes from Tsuruga using the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which is covered if you’re using the Hokuriku Arch Pass or the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass. Hop on your train of choice, and before you know it, you’ll be pulling into Fukui Station, greeted by towering animatronic dinosaurs! Of course, these are no random gimmick – local paleontology exploits have made Fukui into Japan’s undisputed “dinosaur kingdom.” But it might be silly little projects like this that have helped Fukui Prefecture stay at the top of Japan’s “Most Contented Prefecture” ranking (from the Japan Research Institute) for more than half a decade. It’s time to head out of the station and see what else the area has to offer!

② The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

The vast majority of all Japanese dinosaur fossils come from Fukui Prefecture, including most of the dinosaur species first discovered in Japan, and the region is known as a paleontological treasure trove packed with unusually complete skeletons. So it only makes sense that one of the largest dinosaur museums in the world is located here, in the city of Katsuyama, about an hour through the mountains from Fukui Station. The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is housed in a gleaming silver dome in a forest park, and inside, exhibits include dozens of dinosaur skeletons, spectacular fossilized footprints, interactive exhibits, and enormous displays showing off just how big these “terrible lizards” really were. Passionate paleontology fans will be especially excited to learn that the museum is even connected to a real, active excavation site nearby, and visitors can not only tour the site, but even get their hands dirty with a little help from the experts, digging for real fossils!

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum (福井県立恐竜博物館)
51-11 Murokocho Terao, Katsuyama, Fukui
Hours: 8:30 – 18:00
Official Website (en)

Directions: from Fukui Station, take the Echizen Railway Katsuyama Eiheiji Line (not covered by the JR passes) to Katsuyama Station, then catch a bus to Kyoryuhakubutsukan-mae bus stop

③ Echizen Ono Castle

Jumping forward in time by about 120 million years, we’re shifting from the days of the Fukuisaurus (yes, that is a real dinosaur discovered in Fukui) to Japan’s Sengoku era (1467-1615) to visit Echizen Ono Castle. The original castle was built by Kanamori Nagachika in the year 1576, well into Japan’s “Warring States” period, and it served as a key fortress during the country’s feudal struggles. Like so many Japanese castles, the current structure is a reconstruction from the 20th century, but the beautiful building still offers sweeping views of the valley below, and a peek into the region’s samurai past. Best of all, this beautiful castle perched atop a forested hill is sometimes called Fukui’s own “Castle in the Sky,” and on cold, misty mornings, the fog makes it look like this fortress is floating among the clouds. It really feels like entering another world.

Echizen Ono Castle (越前大野城)
3-109 Shiromachi, Ono, Fukui
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00
Official Website (jp)

Directions: about 30 min. from Katsuyama Station, or an hour from Fukui Station using the JR Kuzuryu Line

④ Tojinbo Cliffs

When you’ve had enough of the mountains, it’s time to head back across the width of Fukui Prefecture to admire the stunning natural beauty of the coastline. Few places in Japan are as visually spectacular as the Tojinbo Cliffs, which rise from the sea of Japan in striking vertical pillars of rugged columnar basalt. This kind of rare geological formation can only be found in three places globally, making it a rare treat for those interested in earth science as well as anyone who enjoys a beautiful view.

The name “Tojinbo” comes from a dark local legend about a wicked monk who was pushed off the cliffs by his fellow priests, but in spite of that violent history, visitors still arrive on nice days to enjoy picturesque walks along the water, enjoy boat cruises along the craggy shoreline, and take plenty of pictures of the cool rocky structures. With plenty of seafood restaurants and cafes nearby, it’s a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon!

Tojinbo (東尋坊)
64-1 Mikunicho Anto, Sakai, Fukui
Hours:
　Cruise: 9:00 – 16:00 (or ~15:30 in winter)
　Observation Deck: 9:00 – 17:00 (or ~16:30 in winter)
Official Page (jp)

Directions: from Fukui Station take the Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line (not covered by the JR passes)  to Mikuni Station, then catch a bus to Tojinbo bus stop

⑤ Awara Onsen

Before leaving Fukui, we recommend a visit to Awara Onsen, a quiet hot spring village surrounded by rice fields and rolling hills. Hot water bubbles up from the ground all over this area, resulting in 74 unique springs, which many visitors like to tour in order to experience the unique mineral properties at each! Spend the night at a local onsen ryokan hotel so you’ll have plenty of time to explore the many local springs, boiling onsen eggs in the hot water, or soaking in the 100% natural hot spring water – including many open-air baths. (The photo above is from Tsuruya Ryokan, a traditional inn with elegant wooden interiors and private open-air tubs!) 

Tsuruya Ryokan (越前あわら温泉 つるや)
4-601 Hot Spring, Awara, Fukui
Official Website (jp)

Ryokan often provide decadent meals made with seasonal local ingredients for overnight guests, but in Awara Onsen you’ll find a tempting alternative – the Yukemuri Yokocho is a charming cluster of miniature restaurants and bars with counter-only seating and friendly owners. Even if just for an after-dinner drink, we recommend stopping in to chat with locals, sip regional sake, and snack on local seafood dishes!

Yukemuri Yokocho (あわら温泉屋台村 湯けむり横丁)
1-207 Hot Spring, Awara, Fukui
Hours: around 17:00 – 24:00 (hours vary)
Official Website (jp)

Directions: about half an hour from the Tojinbo Cliffs by bus, or a little over 40 min. from Fukui Station via the Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line (not covered by the JR passes) 

Start Planning a Trip to Fukui Today

From misty mountaintop castles and towering dinosaur skeletons to striking sea cliffs and soothing hot springs, Fukui offers travelers a way to dive into Japanese history and revel in the country’s natural beauty, all without the crowds. Despite feeling like it’s far off the beaten path, Fukui is more convenient than ever, thanks to convenient rail access from Osaka, Kyoto, and even Tokyo using rail passes like the Hokuriku Arch Pass or the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass. This underrated prefecture is the perfect detour for visitors looking to go beyond the usual tourist route, so whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or a hot springs enthusiast, Fukui promises an unforgettable journey.

For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don’t forget to follow us on X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook!