Model course details

The famous Fukui Castle has been around for seventeen generations of the Echizen Matsudaira family. Hideyasu Yuki, the second son of Ieyasu Tokugawa, was the first feudal lord of Fukui and started building the castle in 1601 and finished it six years later. The vast castle, suitable for the powerful 680,000 koku clan that took over the Kaga Maeda clan, was encircled by four moats, protecting a five-storied castle keep that towered 37 meters, equivalent to a modern 12-story building. Today, only the castle stone walls and a portion of the moats are left. In addition, an old well called the "Fortune Well" was found beneath the castle tower. This well is said to be the origin of the name “Fukui City.”

The Yokokan Garden was formerly the villa of the Matsudaira clan, one of the lords of the Fukui Domain. It was used as a guesthouse during the Meiji era, but was destroyed during a war. However, as part of the Gosensui Plan, the garden was designated as a National Site of Scenic Beauty during the Edo Period and has since been restored. It is a tasteful garden with ponds, trees, rock arrangements, and out-buildings in the Sukiya architectural style. You can enjoy all four seasons here. This garden has been recognized both domestically and internationally and was ranked third among Japanese gardens in an American garden magazine for three consecutive years until 2010.

The inner palace of Fukui Castle, built by Taicho Daishi, was relocated to its current location during the Edo period for reconstruction as a temple. The main hall and reception room are designated as an important cultural property of Fukui prefecture. Popularly known as "The Clover Temple," it has many visitors in the autumn.

Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruin is the ruins of a castle town of the Asakura clan, who ruled Echizen for five generations (1471-1574). At that time, the castle town was in no way inferior to Kyoto. The town has been restored, and now the mansions, temples and roads are just like they used to be. The ruins are still being excavated, and artifacts, such as tea sets, stationery and other objects of value to research have been discovered. This is a rich archaeological site that has been designated as a site of special historic significance and scenic beauty as well as an important cultural property. There are only a few such archaeological sites in Japan.

The construction for the Echizen Ono Castle started in 1575 and was completed four years later. The castle, which is built on two levels, stands on a mountain overlooking Ono City and provides excellent views from its three-story donjon. The current castle was rebuilt in 1968 and houses relics of the castle lords who have lived here over the generations. These objects are on display in the castle.

A very beautiful shelf filled with windmills is set up for a limited time. It is a very popular spot for taking photos.

[Japan Heritage Fukui, Katsuyama Stone Story] Japanese Cultural Heritage: Reading the Stones of Fukui and Katsuyama Heisenji Hakusan Shrine was originally a Buddhist temple of the Hakusan Faith, founded by Taicho Daishi in 717; however, it was officially designated as a shrine during the Meiji Era, when the government wished to make a clear distinction between temples and shrines. The shrine grounds are covered with a spectacular moss that covers the ground like a carpet, and 200-300 year old cedar trees stand in rows. The natural beauty of the surroundings soothes the souls of those who visit. And right next to the temple parking lot is an ice cream shop that is very popular with the locals. Their soft serve ice cream is made from the fresh milk of hand-milked Jersey cows.

Maruoka Castle, which was built in 1576 during the Sengoku period, is said to have the oldest architectural style among the twelve existing castle donjons in Japan. In the beginning of April, cherry trees surrounding the castle are in full bloom, and are a truly magnificent sight.

Takidanji Temple is an ancient temple built during the Nanbokucho Period. The temple houses many treasures, including national treasures. The temple garden, which was made in the Edo Period and is now designated as a national site of scenic beauty, is worth checking out. It is also only a 10- minute walk from Mikuni Station.

Daianji Temple is a Rinzai sect Myoshinji temple, built in 1658 by the fourth feudal lord of Fukui, Mitsumichi. For more than 350 years since its foundation, the building has not been damaged by war or earthquake and remains almost the same as when it was first built. Hundreds of cultural properties are preserved inside the temple, including the Rakan drawings, an important cultural property designated by the national government. The temple is also open to the public. Behind the main hall of the temple is a cemetery with the mausoleums of the successive feudal lords of Fukui. The cemetery is called “Senjojiki,” or a Thousand Tatami Mats because it contains 1,360 tatami-sized pieces of “shakudani” stone, a stone found in Fukui that is famous all over Japan. The sight of the line of 4-meter high tombstones is breathtaking. The temple grounds also contain an iris garden, where a festival is held every June for visitors to enjoy the thousands of budding irises.