Tourist information and bicycle rentals available! Make Katsuyama trip even more enjoyable at the " Echitetsu Cafe "

Introduction

Katsuyama City in Fukui Prefecture, which is blessed with tranquil nature, is home to popular tourist destinations such as the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, the Echizen Great Buddha, and Heisenji Hakusan Shrine.

When visiting Katsuyama City , the Echizen Railway is a popular means of transportation.

This time, we will introduce Echitetsu Cafe , a convenient stopover spot located at Echizen Railway Katsuyama Station, the gateway to Katsuyama .

Echigo- Echitetsu Cafe is a station cafe that's a great place to stop by at the start of your journey or when you want to take a break.

The cafe also provides tourist information and bicycle rentals, making it a great place to support your trip. Why not take a break at the Echitetsu Cafe , the perfect place to start your Katsuyama sightseeing trip, and plan your trip?

What kind of place is Echitetsu Cafe?

What is Echi- Echitetsu Cafe ?

The Echizen Echitetsu Cafe is located inside Katsuyama Station, a nationally registered tangible cultural property.

Although it is a small cafe, the high ceilings give it an open feel, and the interior has a retro, relaxed atmosphere, just like the station building.

This cafe once closed, but has reopened as a place to take a break at the beginning or midway of your journey. We look forward to welcoming you at Katsuyama Station, the gateway to Katsuyama .

More Information

[Business hours] 10:00-16:00

[Closed] Tuesdays and Wednesdays

[Address] 34-2-7 Hijima, Oshiba-cho, Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture (inside Echizen Railway Katsuyama Station)

[Number of seats] 10 seats

All drinks are available for take-out.

Some food items are only available for eat-in, while others are available for take-out.

Introducing popular menu items

Drinks

They serve coffee and cafe latte made from a machine. They also sell juices that even children and those who don't like coffee can enjoy, as well as original menu items such as "Dinosaur Soda (Melon Soda)" and "Echizen Railway Soda (Blue Hawaii Soda)." The two sodas, perfect for summer, come in a gradation of green, the color of dinosaurs, and blue, reminiscent of Echizen Railway trains, and are sure to look great in photos!

Be sure to take photos with the dinosaurs and trains in front of the station.

Price (tax included) Take-out/Eat-in

・Blend coffee (HOT) ¥400/¥408

・Cafe latte (HOT) ¥450/¥458

・Iced coffee ¥400/¥408

・Iced cafe latte ¥450/¥458

・Iced tea ¥400/¥408

・100% orange juice ¥400/¥408

・100% Apple Juice ¥400/¥408

・Echitetsu Soda (Blue Hawaii flavor) ¥450/¥458

・Dinosaur Soda (Melon Flavor) ¥450/¥458

・Lemon squash ¥450/¥458

Popular! Local sweets

The refrigerated display case inside the store is lined with sweets made by local businesses.

These sweets are Katsuyama that you can only get in Katsuyama, such as the sweets from Lovely Farm, a farm in Katsuyama that raises Jersey dairy cows, which are very rare in Japan, sweet potatoes made by two local cake shops, and puddings with chocolate dinosaurs inside. If you come to Katsuyama, be sure to try them before you leave.

Price (tax included) Take-out/Eat-in

・Makiba Milk Pudding (Lovely Farm) ¥280/¥286

・Makiba Roll Cake (Lovely Farm) ¥290/¥295

・Makiba cream puffs (Lovely Farm) ¥250/¥255

・Kato Sweet Potato (Kato Confectionery Shop) ¥150/¥152

・Moist Sweet Potato (Yokoyama Japanese and Western Confectionery Shop) ¥220/¥224

・Dinosaur excavation pudding ¥540/¥550

Available only in-store! Eat-in menu

Starting in November 2024, a dine-in only menu will be available.

The menu is retro and matches the atmosphere of Katsuyama Station. Please enjoy your meal in the relaxing atmosphere of Echitetsu Cafe.

*This is a special menu with limited quantities and will end as soon as stock runs out.

・Taisho Roman Pudding 550 yen (tax included)

・Katsuyama Station Basque Cheesecake 600 yen (tax included)

Staff Recommended Menu

The cafe staff's recommended menu item is the "Taisho Roman Pudding," which is only available for eat-in. It's a traditional firm pudding, and its slightly larger size makes it very satisfying. It's voluminous, but not too sweet, and has a gentle flavor that makes it easy to eat. It's also good for two people to share one pudding.

Tourist support functions are also available!

Echitetsu Cafe also provides information about Katsuyama City and offers bicycle rentals, and is here to help you make your sightseeing even more enjoyable. Please feel free to ask us if you need any help.

Information Center Function

Echigo Echitetsu Cafe also provides tourist information. If you have any questions about how to get to tourist spots, bus information, restaurants in Katsuyama City, or anything else you don't understand during your trip to Katsuyama, please feel free to ask. In the cafe, we also have pamphlets about tourist spots and Katsuyama in general, so please be sure to stop by.

Bicycle rental

We offer a rental service for electric bicycles, or "e-bikes." As they are electrically assisted, you can ride comfortably even on the hilly roads of Katsuyama City. They are available for rental at the Echitetsu Cafe, so you can get on your bike as soon as you get off the train and head off.

[Detailed information]

* e-bikes require reservations in advance.

(If there are no reservations and the bike is ready, we can accept your request on the day.

However, same-day reservations are accepted only during the cafe's business hours from Thursday to Monday.)

Fee

Rental only plan 1000 yen/unit

Plan including worship experience fee: 3,500 yen/unit

・E-bike rental fees,

・Original coaster making experience fee at Textile museum Yume Ole Katsuyama

・Normal admission fee for Echizen Great Buddha

・Katsuyama Castle Museum admission fee

Age: 13+

Rental times

To book an e-Bike, click here

Recommended sightseeing spots accessible from the station!

We will introduce recommended sightseeing spots that can be reached by bus or on foot from Katsuyama Station. If you are wondering where to go, please refer to this article.

・Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

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'' .

・Echizen Great Buddha of Daishizan Seidaiji temple

Daishizan Seidaiji temple Echizen Great Buddha

911-0811 50-1-1 Katase , Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture

The model for the Great Buddha is a seated statue in the Longmen Grottoes on the outskirts of Luoyang, Henan, China, the origin of Buddhism. It is 17 meters tall. It is larger than the Nara Great Buddha (16.2 meters in documents, 14.98 meters in actual measurement). In addition, the halo is 23 meters, and the 3-meter lotus pedestal is placed on a 2-meter stone base, making the total height 28 meters. While the Nara Great Buddha is stocky, the Echizen Great Buddha is characterized by its slender and gentle face and neck. It is made of copper, with a total weight of 200 tons. In addition, 1,281 stone and gold Buddhas are enshrined on the three walls on the left, right, and back of the Great Buddha, and two arhat statues (10.3 meters) and two bodhisattva statues (11.2 meters) are enshrined on each side of the Great Buddha as attendant Buddhas.

・Heisenji Hakusan Shrine

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.

・Katsuyama Castle Museum

Katsuyama Castle Museum

85-26-1 Heisenji, Heisenjicho, Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture 911-08...

Opened in 1992, this historical museum is located inside a 5-layer, 6-story castle tower that boasts the highest height (57.8m) in Japan. From the observatory on the top floor, you can see the scenery of Katsuyama, which has a history dating back to the Paleolithic age, and the beautiful nature that is registered as a geopark. In addition to the collection of daimyo armor and battle screens, we also store and display works related to the calligrapher Nishiwaki Goseki. Now that most of the remains from the feudal era have been lost, the existence of this museum also functions as a symbol that allows you to feel at a glance that there was once a domain in Katsuyama.

・Yume Ole Katsuyama

Yume Ole Katsuyama

1-7-40 Showamachi, Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture 911-0802

Yume Ole Katsuyama is a living cultural asset where you can enjoy the world of textiles. It is a must-see to see the textile-related machines that were active in the Showa era moving with a sense of realism. You can learn about the history of the textile industry and the structure of textiles while operating the weaving machine and picking threads from the cocoons. The hand-woven coaster experience and cocoon ball craft experience are also very popular. You can enjoy creating your own original work.

How to get to each spot

・Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

[By bus] Bus stop No. 1: Dinosaur Museum direct bus Travel time: 14 minutes

[By taxi] Approximately 10 minutes (time required may vary during peak hours)

・Echizen Great Buddha of Daishizan Seidaiji temple

[By bus] Community bus " Heisenji-Inose bus" Time required: 8 minutes

[By taxi] Approximately 7 minutes

[On foot] Approx. 35 minutes

・Heisenji Hakusan Shrine

[By bus] Community bus "Heisenji Line" Travel time: 16 minutes

Community bus "Heisenji Line reservation service" Required time: 30 minutes

City sightseeing bus "Dynagon" Travel time: about 15 minutes

*The city sightseeing bus "Dynagon" only operates on weekends and holidays.

[By taxi] Approximately 12 minutes

・Katsuyama Castle Museum

[By bus] City circular bus "Gururin Nanbu direction" Time required: about 15 minutes

Community bus "Heisenji-Inose bus" Travel time: 20 minutes

City sightseeing bus "Dynagon" Travel time: about 10 minutes

*The city sightseeing bus "Dynagon" only operates on weekends and holidays.

[By taxi] 8 minutes

・Yume Ole Katsuyama

[By bus] City circular bus "Gururin Chubu direction" Time required: 4 minutes

Community bus "Heisenji-Inose bus" Travel time: 4 minutes

City sightseeing bus "Dynagon" Travel time: 3 minutes

*The city sightseeing bus "Dynagon" only operates on weekends and holidays.

[By taxi] Approximately 3 minutes

[On foot] Approx. 20 minutes

Bus operation information

There are buses to various areas in the city, as well as direct buses to the Dinosaur Museum. You can check the bus that suits your destination and travel date from the URL below.

Bus timetable here

Useful information around Katsuyama Station

Coin lockers

You will find coin lockers after exiting Katsuyama Station and going to the right.

Please use this if you have any unnecessary luggage while sightseeing in Katsuyama.

[Price] Small: ¥300/day

Medium size: 500 yen/same day

Large: ¥600/day

[Operating hours] From the first train to the last train

[Notes]

・The number of days will change at midnight. If you use the service across days, an additional day fee will be charged.

・Please collect your luggage within 3 days of use.

Restaurants

We will introduce you to some restaurants that are within walking distance from Katsuyama Station. If you are using the Echizen Railway at lunchtime, be sure to stop by.

・Furusato Teahouse Jomon Village

Using seasonal ingredients from Katsuyama, we serve healthy local lunch dishes and traditional sweets such as botamochi. We also sell vegetables and wild plants grown in Katsuyama.

[Closed] Tuesdays and Wednesdays

[Business hours] 11:00-14:00

[Address] 33-1 Hijima, Oshibacho , Katsuyama City Prefecture

・Midori-tei

This restaurant in front of Katsuyama Station serves Fukui specialties such as "Katsuyama Oroshi Soba" and "Sauce Katsudon." The menu is extensive and it's only a one-minute walk from the station, so it's a great place to have lunch in front of the station.

[Business hours] 11:00~14:00

[Address] 33-1 Ochibacho , Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture, 911-0831

Shopping

Did you forget to buy some souvenirs at the end of your trip to Katsuyama? Here are some places near Katsuyama Station where you can buy souvenirs and do some shopping.

Inside Echitetsu Cafe

・Echizen Great Buddha goods (handkerchiefs/box memos/masking tape)

Echizen Great Buddha goods feature realistic yet somehow cute illustrations of the Great Buddha. How about a souvenir of seeing the largest Buddha in Japan?

・kyutarouBlue Cup (Tyrannosaurus/Elasmosaurus/Fukuiraptor)

This cup, made by artisans using Echizen lacquerware, a traditional craft of Fukui Prefecture, is carefully painted in a beautiful blue color one by one and features a dinosaur design, making it a product that is packed with the charm of Fukui.

・Dinosaur coffee

This is a set of four types of drip coffee from a coffee shop in Fukui Prefecture. The names and packaging of the coffee are all dinosaur-themed.

・Wasanbon sugar fossil

These Wasanbon sweets are shaped like dinosaur and ammonite fossils. They are so beautiful and intricately designed and all different colors that it seems a shame to eat them.

・Dinosaur poop donuts

This donut has an interesting name and is especially popular with children.

Inside is a honey donut, giving it a gentle flavor.

・Echizen Railway original goods

Echizen Railway station buildings sell original goods that can only be purchased here. If you love trains, local trains, or have become a fan of the Echizen Railway, why not buy some as a memento of your trip?

・Original T-shirt 2,800 yen (tax included)

This original T-shirt was made in collaboration between Dinosaur Base and Echizen Railway. It features a very cool design of dinosaurs and the Echizen Railway.

・Original hand towel 600 yen (tax included)

Imabari hand towels with Echizen Railway train embroidery are also popular. They come in three colors: pink, white, and purple, and look easy to use.

・Commemorative Goshuin stamp "Gojoin" 300 yen (tax included)

"Gojo-in" is the train version of the goshuin stamps that you often see at temples and shrines. Why not get one as a memento of your ride on the Echizen Railway?

・Kawabata Confectionery Shop

This shop in front of Katsuyama Station sells snacks, drinks, vegetables, and daily necessities. From autumn to spring, they also sell the local sweet "Katsuyama Oyaki," so if you want to try shopping at a local store, be sure to stop by.

[Business hours] 9:00~19:00

[Address] 31-32 Chiyoda, Oshibacho , Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture, 911-0831

summary

Echitetsu Cafe , the gateway to Katsuyama City , is a place where you can enjoy the local charm in a retro station building. You can also make use of services such as tourist information and bicycle rentals to make your Katsuyama sightseeing even more enjoyable. We also recommend taking a break with some locally produced sweets and a unique drink menu while planning your trip. As the starting point of Katsuyama sightseeing, be sure to start your wonderful trip at Echitetsu Cafe.

*Prices and menu information are current as of the time of writing. They may be subject to change, so please check with the store for details.