[About 1.5 hours from Kanazawa] 7 recommended sightseeing spots in Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture, where the world's three largest museums are located
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Katsuyama City, Katsuyama Prefecture, which can be reached in about 1.5 hours from Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is home to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, which displays life-sized dinosaur fossils, and is a popular spot visited by more than 900,000 people a year. Also, near the dinosa...
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Katsuyama City is located in the northeastern part of Fukui Prefecture. The city is located on a river terrace formed along the course of the Kuzuryu River, and is a rural city rich in water and greenery, with commerce and industry based on the local textile industry since the Meiji period, and agriculture and forestry having been thriving since ancient times. Our company is a DMO (tourism region development organization) that works with local communities to develop tourist areas. Katsuyama City is a treasure trove of attractive tourist content, including the Dinosaur Museum and Heisenji Temple! We provide detailed services to customers visiting Katsuyama , such as guided tours that allow many people to experience Katsuyama , the Geo Terminal in the parking lot of the Dinosaur Museum, and the operation of the "Dinosaur Valley Katsuyama" Roadside Station , which opened in June 2020. We are also actively challenging ourselves to create new businesses centered around tourism, aiming to revitalize the town of Katsuyama.
Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture is home to many sightseeing spots, including the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, one of the world's three largest dinosaur museums, Heisenji Hakusan Shrine, with its beautiful moss-covered grounds, and Ski Jam Katsuyama, which has one of the largest ski slopes in western Japan. It is a popular area visited by approximately 2 million tourists annually.
This article introduces 7 recommended sightseeing spots in Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture.
There are many must-see spots when traveling to Fukui, so please use them as a reference when planning your trip.
1. “Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum”, one of the three major dinosaur museums in the world
A must-see on your trip to Katsuyama City is the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum.
The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Fukui, with over 900,000 people visiting each year.It is counted as one of the world's three largest dinosaur museums, and 50 full-body skeleton fossils are displayed in a vast pillarless space.There are also valuable exhibits such as real fossils.
In the center of the exhibit is a huge model of a Tyrannosaurus rex.
In fact, this Tyrannosaurus is very realistic and impressive as it moves and roars!
The museum is shaped like a silver dome, and from a distance it looks like an egg poking out in the middle of the forest.
Katsuyama Prefecture is known as the ``Dinosaur Kingdom'' because many dinosaur fossils have been excavated there.
In 1982, a crocodile fossil was discovered, and in 1987, dinosaur teeth were discovered at the same location, and excavations have continued to this day.
In addition to the large number of fossils that have been excavated, there are six types of dinosaurs discovered in Fukui that have been recognized as new species.
The area surrounding the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is a vast park where you can enjoy dinosaur-shaped play equipment and fossil excavation experiences.
Please come and visit the world of dinosaurs.
2. ``Heisenji Hakusan Shrine'', a mysterious moss garden that spreads all over
Next on the list is Heisenji Hakusan Shrine.
Opened in 717, it is a popular spot with a history of about 1,300 years.
The highlight here is the moss that spreads out like a carpet .
The precincts have been maintained by local residents, and the clear air and dignified atmosphere will calm your mind.
Another highlight is the giant cedar trees lining the approach. Some of the oldest cedar trees are said to be over 500 years old.
The best time to visit Heisenji is in the morning when there are fewer people .
You can relax and take a leisurely stroll around the grounds in the clear air.
When the conditions are good, the rays of light shine into the temple grounds, creating a fantastical scenery.
Another highlight is Mitarashi Pond, where legend has it that a goddess appeared there.
Heisenji Temple flourished as the entrance to Shugendo to Mt. Hakusan.
Heisenji Temple was opened when the goddess of Mt. Hakusan appeared and told him to climb to the top.
It's a mysterious space where it feels as if time has stopped.
Heisenji Temple reached its peak around 1400, and it is said that as many as 8,000 warrior monks lived within the grounds.
Excavation surveys that have been underway since around 1990 have uncovered the remains of dwellings and cobblestone streets where monks once lived, and progress has been made to improve the area.
The cobblestone streets are now open to the public, and you can actually walk on them.
Please come wearing shoes that are easy to move in.
3. Ski Jam Katsuyama, a highland resort where you can enjoy skiing up to 6,000m
"Ski Jam Katsuyama" is a snow resort with one of the largest ski slopes in western Japan.
The longest run distance is 5,800m, allowing for long rides.
The slope is made up of three areas: beginner, intermediate, and advanced, and can be enjoyed by everyone from beginners to experts.
It's very convenient as there are accommodation facilities ``Hotel Harvest Ski Jam Katsuyama'' and Hoonji Onsen ``Sasayuri'' within a 0-minute walk from the slopes.
Please slowly heal your tired body after playing a lot.
You can also enjoy many outdoor activities during the green season from spring to autumn.
There are lawn sledding and Segway experiences that take advantage of the grassy slopes, as well as a dog run.
On the premises, in addition to Italian dishes such as pizza and pasta made with local ingredients, there is also a BBQ garden that can be enjoyed by a large number of people, so the whole family is sure to enjoy it.
Please come to Ski Jam Katsuyama, a highland resort that you can enjoy all year round.
4. Echizen Daibutsu, the largest Buddha in Japan with a majestic atmosphere
Next on our list is the Echizen Daibutsu of Daishiyama Seidaiji Temple, which is rapidly gaining in popularity.
A relatively new temple and Great Buddha built in 1987.
It is said that Seio Tada, a businessman from Katsuyama City, thought of his hometown and spent his own money to build it.
Speaking of the Great Buddha, the Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple in Nara Prefecture is famous, but did you know that the Echizen Daibutsu is actually larger than the Great Buddha in Nara?
Echizen Daibutsu is 17m tall, 2m larger than the Nara Daibutsu.
It is the largest indoor seated statue in Japan .
There are 1,281 stone Buddhas lined up on the walls of the Great Buddha Hall , all made of marble!
I was constantly surprised at how much it cost.
In recent years, the sight of stone Buddha statues lined up all over the walls of the Great Buddha Hall has become a hot topic on social media such as Instagram, and it is also a popular photo spot .
Many people come and say, ``It's like wandering into another world.''
In addition, there are many other attractions such as the view from the five-storied pagoda and the Seidaiji Temple blossoms and Echizen Daibutsu leaves in the Daishiyama garden.
It's close to the Dinosaur Museum and Heisenji Hakusan Shrine, so be sure to stop by.
5. The view from the castle tower is outstanding! " Katsuyama Castle Museum"
Next on our list is the Katsuyama Castle Museum, which opened in 1992.
This historical museum has a castle tower with 5 layers and 6 floors, and at 57.8 meters in height, it is the tallest in Japan .
The museum exhibits a collection of daimyo weapons and battle screens, as well as works related to calligrapher Kureseki Nishiwaki.
One of the highlights is the large wall painting ``Japan's Four Seasons'' on the second floor, which depicts flowers of the four seasons on a gold folding screen.
This is a work by Toshimitsu Imai, a Western painter.
Concerts are held several times each year in front of the barrier paintings, and it is also used as a venue for lectures.
Various events such as tea ceremonies are held in the tea room inside the building.
It's a great museum just to look at from the outside, but be sure to take a look inside as well.
6. Textile museum Yume Ole Katsuyama, a museum facility built from a renovated textile factory
Textile museum Yume Ole Katsuyama is a museum facility that has been renovated from a former textile factory.
Textile-related machinery is in operation inside the facility, making it a living cultural asset where you can enjoy the world of textiles.
In the dynamic exhibit, you can see up close the process of creating textiles from thread.
While listening to the sound of powerful looms, you can learn about the history of Katsuyama's textile industry.
At the experience corner on the first floor, you can enjoy ``making your own original coaster'' and ``cocoon ball craft experience'' by choosing your favorite thread.
It takes about 30 minutes.
The staff will carefully support you, so even children as young as 7 years old can try this experience.
Please try making your one and only original coaster in the world.
There is also a shop selling textile-related souvenirs and a cafe space where you can take a break.
It's close to the town, so it's also recommended as a starting point for exploring the town.
Admission is free , so please feel free to drop by.
7. Lunch of local cuisine at a cultural property built 120 years ago “Shunsai Food Festival Kagetsuro”
The last place we would like to introduce to you is Shunsai Shokusai Kagetsurou, a restaurant facility that has been renovated from a nationally designated tangible cultural property.
We serve local cuisine centered around Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture , and dishes made with local seasonal ingredients .
Kagetsurou was built in 1897 and reopened in 2017.
The building retains as much of the architectural style of 120 years ago as possible, giving it a tasteful atmosphere.
The highlight is the ``Umbrella Ceiling Room'' on the second floor.
The ceiling of the 32-tatami-mat large hall is curved in all directions, and is called the ``umbrella ceiling'' because it looks like an open umbrella.
If you make a reservation, you can also eat under the umbrella ceiling.
Please enjoy your meal in the tatami room of the old Japanese restaurant, which was highly prestigious at the time and only allowed a limited number of people.
This time, we introduced seven recommended sightseeing spots in Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture.
If you're tired of having too many, why not stay in Katsuyama City and visit all seven?
Please enjoy your trip to Katsuyama City.
Katsuyama City is located in the northeastern part of Fukui Prefecture. The city is located on a river terrace formed along the course of the Kuzuryu River, and is a rural city rich in water and greenery, with commerce and industry based on the local textile industry since the Meiji period, and agriculture and forestry having been thriving since ancient times. Our company is a DMO (tourism region development organization) that works with local communities to develop tourist areas. Katsuyama City is a treasure trove of attractive tourist content, including the Dinosaur Museum and Heisenji Temple! We provide detailed services to customers visiting Katsuyama , such as guided tours that allow many people to experience Katsuyama , the Geo Terminal in the parking lot of the Dinosaur Museum, and the operation of the "Dinosaur Valley Katsuyama" Roadside Station , which opened in June 2020. We are also actively challenging ourselves to create new businesses centered around tourism, aiming to revitalize the town of Katsuyama.
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