1. Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
Fukui is Japan's center for dinosaur research, with approximately 80% of the country's fossils discovered here. The area boasts many complete and rare fossils. The museum features a 7.2-meter tall robotic T-Rex, over 40 dinosaur skeleton models, and around 1,000 fossil specimens. Experience the true scale of these magnificent creatures and feel as if you've traveled back to the age when dinosaurs ruled the earth.
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum Official Website
📍 Address: 51-11 Terao, Muraoka-cho, Katsuyama City, Fukui
🎫 Ticket Price: Adults 1000 yen / High school and university students 800 yen / Middle and elementary school students, seniors 70+ 500 yen
🏠 Business Hours: 9:00~17:00
※ Summer extended hours: 8:30~18:00 (last entry at 17:30)
※ Closed on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. If these days fall on a national holiday, the closure is postponed by one day (no closures during summer vacation). / Closed for New Year’s from 12/31 to 1/1.
※ Temporary closures may occur for exhibit changes and facility inspections. Please refer to the latest information from the Dinosaur Museum.
2. Echizen Matsushima Aquarium
Experience "Admire," "Interact," and "Learn with Fun" at our hands-on aquarium. Enjoy popular activities like the dolphin show and penguin parade. Touch adorable marine animals such as seals, starfish, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, stingrays, and sharks. Observe colorful tropical fish in the transparent floor aquarium, giving the sensation of floating on the sea.
Echizen Matsushima Aquarium Official Website
📍 Address: 74-2-3 Sakai, Mikuni-cho, Fukui Prefecture
🎫 Ticket Price: Adults 2200 yen / Elementary and middle school students 1200 yen / Children (3 years and older) 600 yen
🏠 Business Hours: 9:00~17:30
※ Business hours may vary during summer, specific summer days, Golden Week, and winter. Please refer to the official website for the latest information.
3. Maruoka Castle
One of the oldest surviving castle keeps, it is said that whenever enemies attacked, the castle would be shrouded in thick fog, creating a natural shield, earning it the nickname "Castle of Mist."
Inside, a steep 67-degree staircase requires a rope to climb. Visitors can ascend to the top floor for stunning views of Sakai City. Explore the history and enjoy the breathtaking vistas from Maruoka Castle's highest point.
Photo Credit: Japan Tourism Bureau
Visit during cherry blossom season to see approximately 400 Yoshino cherry trees in full bloom around the castle. This stunning sight is among Japan's top 100 cherry blossom spots. Every April, Maruoka Castle hosts the Sakura Festival.
Maruoka Castle Official Website
📍 Address: 1-59 Kasumimachi, Maruoka-cho, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture
🎫 Ticket Price: Adults 450 yen / Children (Elementary and Junior High School) 150 yen
🏠 Business Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Last admission at 4:30 PM)
4. Daihonzan Eiheiji
Founded by Zen Master Dogen in 1244, this temple complex is nestled in the mountains. It features 70 interconnected buildings and blends seamlessly with nature, creating a serene and solemn atmosphere. Over a hundred monks practice Zen here, enhancing its tranquil ambiance.
Eiheiji is the head temple of the Soto Zen school in Japan, known for its historical connection to artists and poets. This sect emphasizes enlightenment through "zazen" (sitting meditation). The practice of facing a wall and meditating makes it an accessible form of Zen for everyone.
The temple buildings, known as "garan" (monks' serene practice areas), include the Dharma Hall, Buddha Hall, Monk's Hall, Kitchen, Main Gate, Toilet, and Bathhouse, called the "shichido garan." The Main Gate, the oldest structure in Eiheiji, is built in the Tang Dynasty wooden style.
Daihonzan Eiheiji Official Website
📍 Address: 5-15 Shihi, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui Prefecture
🎫 Ticket Price: Please refer to the official website
🏠 Business Hours: 8:30 - 16:30 (Closed on January 1st)
※ Opening hours may vary based on temple activities
※ Please maintain silence during your visit and refrain from photographing or filming the monks
※ Reservations for Zen meditation experiences must be made via email through the official website
🍮 Eiheiji Specialty Dessert - Daruma Pudding
Located about a 5-minute walk from Eiheiji, the "Eiheiji Daruma Pudding" specialty shop features delicious puddings themed after Daruma Daishi, the founder of Zen Buddhism, so good even the practicing monks crave them.
Daruma Pudding, crafted from select local ingredients, is smooth, soft, and melts in your mouth. Seasonal fruit flavors make it a beloved local treat and a new regional specialty.
Eiheiji Daruma Pudding Official Website
📍 Address: 28-2 Shihi, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Eiheiji Store)
🏠 Business Hours: 10:00～17:00 (until 16:30 from November to March), irregular holidays
※ Sales periods for different flavors vary. Please refer to the official website for details.
5. Awara Onsen "Mimatsu"
Experience Japan's hot spring culture at our facility, which features the spacious "Garden Bath" bathhouse with domed glass windows that open and close according to the season and time of day. The "Moon Bath" is a moon-shaped circular bath with floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to enjoy the outdoor scenery while soaking.
The two large bathhouses operate on a gender rotation system. By checking the schedule, you can experience both types.
After your bath, unwind in our spacious lobby while enjoying Japanese tea and delicious sweets from our specialty shop, "Charaku KAGUYA." Take in the serene views of the beautiful Japanese corridor garden.
Awara Onsen Mimatsu Official Website
📍 Address: 26-10 Funatsu, Awara City, Fukui Prefecture
🏠 Public Bath Business Hours:
Men: Garden Bath｜14:00〜24:00 Moon Bath｜4:00〜9:30
Women: Garden Bath｜4:00〜9:30 Moon Bath｜14:00〜24:00
※ Bathing is not allowed from 24:00 to 4:00.
6. Yōkōkan Garden
Built during the Edo period, Yōkōkan Garden is a strolling garden centered around a pond with rock formations and wooded areas. Once a villa for the Matsudaira family, lords of Fukui, it appears to float on water, earning the nickname "The Water Pavilion." Experience the beautiful scenery once enjoyed by Fukui lords on their leisurely strolls.
The garden features a variety of plants, offering different scenery each season. The lake reflects blooming flowers in spring, green leaves in early summer, red maples in autumn, and white snow in winter, creating a picturesque view for you to enjoy.
Yōkōkan Garden Official Website
📍 Address: 3-11-36 Hōei, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture
🎫 Ticket Price: 220 yen
🏠 Business Hours: 9:00~19:00 (Last admission at 18:30)
※ Free admission during early morning hours for a limited period. Please check the official website for details.
7. Tojinbo
Formed by volcanic activity and years of erosion by sea waves, this rare geological feature is known as "pyroxene andesite columnar joints." The rock walls stretch for 1 kilometer. Outside of this location, such formations can only be seen in South Korea or Norway.
Recognized as a National Natural Monument and one of Japan's top 100 geological sites, its majestic formations showcase nature's power. The sunset views are also a must-see.
Tojinbo Official Website
📍 Address：Mikuni-cho, Tojinbo, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture
🍽️Nearby Tojinbo: Sea View Restaurant Ootoku
Photo Credit: ootoku.com
The restaurant features elegant Scandinavian modern decor and large floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning sea views, overlooking the serene ocean and Anjima in Mikuni-cho.
The restaurant is dedicated to using fresh, seasonal seafood and vegetables to craft each dish with care, offering warm hospitality to every guest. The special lunch sets and Echizen crab dishes are particularly delicious.
Relax and savor delicious seafood dishes while enjoying the magnificent views of the Sea of Japan, offering a feast for both the eyes and the palate.
Sea Restaurant Ootoku Official Website
📍 Address：24-83 Mikunicho Anto, Sakai, Fukui 913-0064, Japan
🏠 Business Hours： 11:00 - 14:00 /17:30 - 21:00
※Closed on: Wednesdays
🚌Fukui Transportation - Recommended Bus Pass
《Keifuku Bus - Eiheiji, Maruoka Castle, Tojinbo 2-Day Pass》
For visiting Tojinbo, you can take the Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line and transfer to a bus. If your itinerary includes popular attractions like Eiheiji and Maruoka Castle, consider purchasing the Keifuku Bus 2-Day Pass. This pass allows unlimited rides within 2 days. Additionally, you can enjoy extra discounts on admission tickets or souvenirs at designated attractions when you use this pass. It's a great value!
Keifuku Bus - Eiheiji, Maruoka Castle, Tojinbo 2-Day Pass Official Website
📍 Sales Locations: Fukui Station East Exit Bus Ticket Center, Sakai Sales Office, JR Awara Onsen Station Tourist Service Center in AFLARE, Echizen Railway Awara Yunomachi Station
🎫 Ticket Price: Adults 2500 yen, Children 1250 yen
⚠️With the Have Fun In Fukui Pass, you can access the following attractions:
Dinosaur Museum, Maruoka Castle, Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, Awara Onsen "Mimatsu", etc. For other included facilities, please refer to the official website.
⚠️Attractions in the Pass will be updated from time to time, please refer to the official website for the latest information.