Eiheiji Temple, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Photo: Tak H. via Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0
福井CHŪBU
CHŪBU · 福井県 · Japan

Fukui

Dinosaurs, dramatic cliffs, and a great Zen temple.

Fukui is Japan's "Dinosaur Kingdom," home to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and roughly 80% of the country's dinosaur fossil finds. It also draws visitors to the dramatic Sea of Japan rock pillars of Tojinbo and the serene Soto Zen training temple Eiheiji.

Fukui (福井) is home to Eihei-ji (永平寺), founded in 1244 as the head temple of Sōtō Zen, and to so many dinosaur fossils that it hosts Japan's premier dinosaur museum.

Katsuyama 勝山市Sakai 坂井市Fukui 福井市
Where it isFukui, CHŪBU
Eiheiji Temple, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Eiheiji Temple
Tojinbo Cliffs, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Tojinbo Cliffs
Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins

Photos: Eiheiji Temple — Tak H. via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Tojinbo Cliffs — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins — 掬茶 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

01

Getting there

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Fukui is reachable via the Hokuriku Shinkansen (extended to Tsuruga in 2024).

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02

What to see

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Eiheiji Temple, Fukui Prefecture, JapanTop pick

Eiheiji Temple

One of two head temples of Soto Zen Buddhism; a 70-building mountain complex with 200+ resident monks and nuns, Japan's largest Zen training site.

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Tojinbo Cliffs, Fukui Prefecture, JapanTop pick

Tojinbo Cliffs

Over a kilometer of dramatic columnar basalt cliffs along the Sea of Japan; a 'Top 100 Japanese Sunset' spot, best seen by boat tour at sunset.

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Top pick

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

One of the world's top dinosaur museums and Japan's largest, with 50 skeletons including local Fukuiraptor and Fukuisaurus plus animatronic dinosaurs.

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03

What to eat

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Echizen Crab, Fukui Prefecture, JapanMust-eat

Echizen Crab (Echizen-gani)

Premium male snow crab landed on the Echizen coast, tagged with a yellow port label for authenticity. Season opens Nov 6; a signature winter delicacy at local…

Echizen Oroshi Soba, Fukui Prefecture, JapanMust-eat

Echizen Oroshi Soba

Classic northern Fukui dish: cold buckwheat noodles topped with grated daikon, bonito flakes and green onion. Gained fame after Emperor Showa praised it in…

Sauce Katsudon, Fukui Prefecture, JapanMust-eat

Sauce Katsudon

Fukui's soul food with 100+ years of history: thin pork cutlet dipped in a Worcestershire-based sweet-savory sauce, served over rice (no egg, unlike standard…

04

Fukui at a glance

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05

Say it in Fukui

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Ask a local
Osusume wa nan desu ka?
What do you recommend?
Test yourself
Local word
kyōryū
dinosaur — Fukui is Japan's dinosaur capital
Test yourself
One more
Koko no keshiki wa hontōni subarashii desu ne.
The scenery here is truly wonderful, isn't it?
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Eiheiji Temple, Fukui Prefecture, Japan

Sleep in Fukui

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07

Next door

IshikawaKanazawa's gardens and gold leaf, plus the rugged Noto Peninsula.ShigaWrapped around Japan's largest lake, with a stunning castle.Play the 47-prefecture mapUnlock Fukui in the RPG-style explorer.

Links marked PR are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Photos: Eiheiji Temple — Tak H. via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Tojinbo Cliffs — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins — 掬茶 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eiheiji Temple — 雷太 via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Tojinbo Cliffs — 雷太 via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Echizen Crab — さかおり via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Echizen Oroshi Soba — 藤谷良秀 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sauce Katsudon — *_* via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. Map: Geolonia (MIT).