[About 1.5 hours from Kanazawa] A thorough guide to getting to Fukui (2024 edition)

• Table of Contents
• Go from Kanazawa to Fukui
• How to get from Kanazawa to Fukui?
• With the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the travel time between Kanazawa and Fukui will be reduced to just 23 minutes!
• If you transfer to the JR line "Hapi Line Fukui"
• If you like driving, rent a car!
• 3 must-visit tourist spots when you come to Fukui!
• Choose the access method that suits you best and enjoy your trip to Fukui

Go from Kanazawa to Fukui

Fukui Prefecture faces the Sea of ​​Japan and is located in the Hokuriku region of Japan, adjacent to Kyoto Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, and Gifu Prefecture. The prefecture is currently attracting attention due to the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture on March 16, 2024.
There are also many scenic spots such as Tojinbo, Eiheiji Temple, and the Mikata Five Lakes, tourist attractions such as the Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins and the Dinosaur Museum, as well as many delicious local delicacies such as Echizen crab, sauce katsudon, and oroshi soba.

Tojinbo

913-0064 64-1 Yasujima, Mikuni-cho, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture

Tojinbo is a nationally designated scenic spot known for its view of the rough waves of the Sea of ​​Japan crashing against the cliffs. The magnificent cliffs spread out for about 1km. It is said that there are only three places in the world where the extensive columnar joints of dacite (volcanic stone) that form this kind of scenery are extremely valuable geologically. The dazzling blue sky and the Sea of ​​Japan in early summer, the evening view of the sun setting over the Sea of ​​Japan in autumn, and the rough waves and cold wind blowing against the rock surface when snow falls. All of them are wonderful seasonal scenery that shows Tojinbo and the great nature of the Sea of ​​Japan. Along with Ojima, which floats at the tip of Tojinbo, it has been designated as a natural monument of Japan. There are also many traditional souvenir shops and restaurants in the surrounding area.

Eiheiji Temple

5-15 Shihi, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui Prefecture 910-1228

In 1244 (Kangen 2), Zen training dojo was opened by Dogen Zenji. There are more than 70 temple buildings in the precincts of Miyama Yukoku, and among them, the seven halls called "Shichido Garan" (Dharma Hall, Butsuden, Sodo, Kokuin, Sanmon, Toshi, and Bathroom) are pure places where monks train. It is considered a particularly important building. At Eiheiji, many monks are still practicing hard every day, and visitors can see how they are doing.

Mikata Five Lakes/Rainbow Line

〒919-1301 18-2-2 Kiyama, Wakasa-cho, Mikatakaminaka-gun, Fukui Prefec...

The five lakes, Lake Mikata, Lake Suigetsu, Lake Suga, Lake Kugushi, and Lake Hyuga, which are interspersed among the valleys of the low mountains, are known for their mystical colors. You can enjoy the scenery by driving the 11.2km Rainbow Line that leads to the summit. If you go to the summit using a lift or cable car, you will find the Rainbow Line Summit Park. In the park, there are five terraces such as a footbath and a sofa terrace based on the concept of "a terrace in the sky floating on Mikata Five Lakes". The view of the Mikatagoko Lakes and the Sea of Japan, which can be seen while enjoying drinks and sweets, is highly acclaimed.

How to get from Kanazawa to Fukui?

There are currently two ways to get from Kanazawa to Fukui: by train or car. There are two types of train: the Thunderbird Express and local trains. To travel by car, you can either use the expressway or regular roads. The one-way travel time and cost for both train and car are as follows:

By train

◆ When using the Hokuriku Shinkansen (JR Kanazawa Station - JR Fukui Station)

・Time (one way): Approximately 23 to 36 minutes ・Fee (one way): Approximately 4,120 yen (reserved seat)

When using the local train "Hapi Line Fukui" (JR Kanazawa Station - JR Fukui Station)

・Time (one way): Approximately 80 minutes ・Fee: (one way) Approximately 1,660 yen

By car

◆ By car (if using the expressway)

Time (one way): About 44 minutes Price: (one way) 1,420 yen (ETC fee) + gasoline fee

By car (without using the expressway)

・Time (one way): About 2 hours ・Fee: (one way) Gasoline fee

*Although there is an airport in Fukui Prefecture, it is not a suitable means of transportation as there are no scheduled flights.
*After the Hokuriku Shinkansen opens between Kanazawa and Tsuruga on March 16, 2024, it has been decided that the Thunderbird Express will discontinue service between Kanazawa and Fukui. Please be aware of this when planning your itinerary.

With the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the travel time between Kanazawa and Fukui will be reduced to just 23 minutes!

The Hokuriku Shinkansen will finally open between Kanazawa and Tsuruga on March 16, 2024. Until now, if you were traveling to Katsuyama by train, you would typically take the Shinkansen to Kanazawa, then transfer to a limited express train to get to Fukui. With the opening of the Kanazawa-Fukui section, travel will become much more convenient as it will eliminate the time and hassle of transferring.

● Travel time when riding the "Hakutaka" (one way): Approximately 35 minutes

● If you take the "Kagayaki" train, the travel time (one way): Approximately 23 to 36 minutes

If you transfer to the JR line "Hapi Line Fukui"

From Kanazawa to Fukui: Time: Approximately 80 minutes (one way) Price: 1,660 yen (one way)

*If you go by local train, you will need to transfer. Local trains take longer but the fare is cheaper.

If you like driving, rent a car!

There are two ways to get there by car: via the expressway or via regular roads.

◆ Expressway

Hokuriku Expressway Kanazawa IC ⇒ Hokuriku Expressway Fukui IC

・Time: 44 minutes ・Fee: 2,030 yen ・Distance: 68.9 km

*Fares vary depending on the route. Please check the details on a traffic information website. Recommended for those who want to use the expressway and get to their destination quickly.

3 must-visit tourist spots when you come to Fukui!

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

Fukui Prefecture is famous in Japan as the dinosaur kingdom, and this natural history museum has a dinosaur theme.
This is a theme park that is a must-see for dinosaur lovers, where you can see dinosaur skeletons and other specimens, and even experience fossil excavation. It will be reopening in July 2023 and is attracting a lot of attention.

access

・Public transportation: Take the Echizen Railway from JR Fukui Station (about 60 minutes) and get off at Katsuyama Station. From Katsuyama Station, take the bus bound for the Dinosaur Museum (12 minutes)

・Car: 15 minutes by car from Katsuyama IC on the Chubu Longitudinal Expressway

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

911-8601 51-11 Terao, Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture

Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture is known nationwide as a treasure trove of dinosaur fossils. Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is one of the world's leading dinosaur museums. The vast, immersive space is filled with exhibits of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, specimens, dioramas, reconstructed models, and more, allowing you to see impressive dinosaurs up close. The area surrounding the museum is also full of experiences such as fossil excavations and play equipment, making it an area that the whole family can enjoy. The Dinosaur Tower, which reopened in July 2023 and appeared in the new small egg hall, is a must-see. In the atrium of the new building, there is a 13m-tall monument called the Dinosaur Tower, which features five species of dinosaurs and one species of bird discovered in Fukui. In addition, the facility has been upgraded to be a facility that can be enjoyed in all seasons, including the impressive ``3-sided Dino Theater'' and the ``Fossil Research Experience'' .

Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins

This is a valuable archaeological site where the castle town of the Asakura clan, who ruled this area during the Sengoku period, was excavated almost completely intact.
The surrounding area is open to the public as a restored castle town from that time, recreated based on solid evidence, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the romance of history. It has been designated as a triple national site (special historic site, special place of scenic beauty, and important cultural property), alongside Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto and Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima.

access

・Public transportation: Take the Etsumi-Hoku Line from JR Fukui Station (15 minutes), get off at Ichijodani Station, and walk for 3 minutes.

・Car: 10 minutes by car from Fukui IC on the Hokuriku Expressway

Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins

Kidonouchi-cho, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture 910-2153

Asakura, one of the Three Cultural Lords of the Warring States Period, built his city in Ichijodani about 430 years ago. In its heyday, the city housed roughly 10,000 people. It was razed by Oda Nobunaga and its remains excavated 400 years later. Ichijodani is the only place in Japan that featuring Warring States architecture in its original ruined form.

Heisenji Hakusan Shrine

Heisenji Hakusan Shrine in Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture, is famous as "Moss Palace" and "Moss Temple," and is a scenic spot that is praised alongside Saihoji Temple in Kyoto. The appeal of Heisenji is not only its beautiful scenery, but also the untold history of its 1,300 years of rise and fall.

access

・Public transportation: Take the Echizen Railway from JR Fukui Station (about 60 minutes) and get off at Katsuyama Station. Take the city sightseeing bus "Dynagon" for about 13 minutes and get off at "Heisenji Jinja-mae" stop.
*Please note that the city sightseeing bus "Dynagon" to Heisenji is suspended from December to mid-March due to snow.

・By car: Approximately 35 minutes from Fukui Kita IC on the Hokuriku Expressway

Heisenji Hakusan Shrine

56 Heisenji, Heisenjicho, Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture 911-0822

"Heisenji" is a base temple for worshiping Hakusan, located at the entrance to the Echizen side of the sacred Mt. Hakusan (altitude 2,702m). In the Middle Ages, it became one of the most influential in the Hokuriku region, and it is said that there were dozens of temples and shrines and thousands of temples in the precincts, which were much larger than the current Hakusan Shrine. However, in the 2nd year of Tensho (1574), the whole mountain was destroyed by fire during the battle against the Ikko Ikki, and most of the things that tell of the past have been lost. However, a full-scale excavation survey that began in 1989 revealed that the remains of the former precincts remain splendidly. The full picture of Heisenji in its glory in the Middle Ages is now being revealed little by little.

Choose the access method that suits you best and enjoy your trip to Fukui

This time, we introduced how to get from Kanazawa to Fukui. There are various means of transportation such as "Shinkansen", "train", and "car", but if you want comfort and speed, you should choose "Shinkansen", and if you want to keep the cost down, you should choose "train". Find the mode of transportation that suits your plan and budget and enjoy your trip.