[To be held in 2025] Echizen Town, the town of Echizen crabs! "Echizen Crab Festival" - Dates, access, etc.

• Table of Contents
• What is the Echizen Crab Festival?
• What is "Echizen crab"?
• Echizen Town, the town of Echizen crab
• Schedule of the Echizen Crab Festival
• The Echizen Crab Festival Venue and How to Get There from the Nearest Station
• How to enjoy the Echizen Crab Festival
• Event details

What is the Echizen Crab Festival?

Echizen crab is the top brand of snow crab.
The opening day for Echizen crab fishing is November 6th every year.

The Echizen Crab Festival is the largest crab festival in Fukui Prefecture, held every year to coincide with the opening of the Echizen crab season.

At the event, not only will Echizen crab be on sale, but other delicious seafood from Echizen, such as Echizen flounder and sweet shrimp, will also be on sale. You can also enjoy seafood delicacies such as fried and grilled seafood at the venue.

What is "Echizen crab"?

■What is Echizen crab?

Echizen crab is snow crab landed at a port in Fukui Prefecture, and fishing for Echizen crab opens every year on November 6th. Raised in the rough waves and harsh cold of the Sea of Japan, Echizen crab is known as the king of snow crabs and is a premium variety known for its sweet, firm meat. A yellow tag with the brand mark is proof that it is Echizen crab.

■Echizen crab "Kiwami" now available!

"Echizen Kani Kiwami" is a premium brand that was introduced in 2015. Only Echizen crabs that meet the following criteria are allowed to wear the tag: weight over 1.5kg (at time of landing), shell width over 14.5cm, claw width over 3cm. It is said that only about 0.05% of the total catch is eligible. Echizen Town has created a new tag exclusively for "Kiwami" and is working to further improve its brand power.

■GI mark obtained!

In 2018, Echizen crab will be newly registered under the Geographical Indication Protection System (GI) promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and will be the ancestor of tagged brand crabs and the only crab presented to the Imperial Family, with the new national seal of approval. *The GI system promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is a system to protect and pass on regional products with characteristics such as the environment and traditions unique to each region. Echizen crab is the first crab in Japan to be registered with the GI, with 69 items registered.

Echizen Town, the town of Echizen crab

Yellow tag, birthplace

Tagged brand crabs have now become a standard across the country. The Echizen Town Fisheries Cooperative Association was the first in the country to attach tags to crabs before auctions in 1997. This spread to other fisheries cooperatives in Fukui Prefecture, and now the yellow tag represents Echizen crab, and the brand image has become established. This yellow tag is called a label, and is a tag certifying the place of origin, and is attached to the base of the crab's right claw. Furthermore, the back of the tag lists the port of landing, and "Echizen Port" is proof that the crab is truly authentic Echizen crab.

◎ No. 1 in fish catch volume in Fukui Prefecture

Echizen crabs are landed at four ports in Fukui Prefecture. Among them, the port of Echizen Town has the largest number of landings. Echizen crabs landed in Echizen are delivered to stores throughout Fukui Prefecture and across the country. Of course, the largest number are distributed locally in Echizen Town. With an abundance of fresh Echizen crabs, you can enjoy fresh and delicious Echizen crabs at any time at inns, guesthouses, and restaurants in Echizen Town, and you can also buy them in large quantities at fish shops.

◎ Fukui Prefecture has the most crab fishing boats

Echizen Town has about 40 bottom trawl fishing boats, both large and small. This is the largest number in Fukui Prefecture, and they play a central role in Echizen crab fishing. However, even in Echizen, the number of fishing boats is decreasing year by year, and the problem of a lack of successors is common throughout the country. Nevertheless, the pride of supporting the kitchen of the whole country in Fukui Prefecture supports the port town of Echizen, and it continues to supply fresh Echizen fish, including many Echizen crabs.

◎ Echizen Port is the closest port to the crab fishing grounds.

The key to the taste of Echizen crab is, above all, its freshness. The port of Echizen Town is the closest to the fishing grounds off the coast of Echizen Cape, so the crabs caught can be brought home while still fresh. This is why Echizen crab is the top brand among snow crabs, and why Echizen Town is the home of Echizen crab, second to none in other production areas. You can't talk about Echizen crab without eating it in Echizen Town.

▼For more information, please visit the Echizen Crab Brand Site below.

( https://www.town-echizen.jp/echizengani/ )

Schedule of the Echizen Crab Festival

The event will be held for four days, on Saturday, November 15th, Sunday, November 16th, Saturday, November 22nd, and Sunday, November 23rd, 2025.

Echizen Crab Festival Official

The Echizen Crab Festival Venue and How to Get There from the Nearest Station

The Echizen Crab Festival is held at Roadside Station Echizen, located along the Echizen Coast in Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture.

To get to the event venue, Roadside Station Echizen, first take the Hapiline Fukui from JR Fukui Station or JR Tsuruga Station to Takefu Station. From Takefu Station, transfer to the Fukui Railway Bus bound for Takefu Echizen Kaigan and get off at Roadside Station Echizen.

The journey takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from JR Fukui Station via Takefu Station on the Hapi Line Fukui bus, and costs 1,510 yen. As there are few bus services, please make sure to arrive at Takefu Station in time to catch the 10:12 bus.

◎Fukui Railway Bus (Going) Departs Hapiline Takefu Station 10:12 ➡ Arrives at Echizen Roadside Station 11:17 (Return) Departs Echizen Roadside Station 15:35 ➡ Arrives at Hapiline Takefu Station 16:53

How to enjoy the Echizen Crab Festival

The highlight is, without a doubt, the Echizen crab! Echizen crab is known as the king of winter delicacies, and Echizen crab in particular is known as the king of snow crabs. It is a top-quality variety known for its sweet, firm meat, and the crabs with yellow tags bearing the brand mark are proof that they are Echizen crabs.

At the venue, you can buy fresh, affordable Echizen crabs and even eat them on the spot.
There is also seafood cuisine, and you can enjoy local delicacies made with seafood such as fried and grilled seafood.

Event details

・Dates: November 15th (Sat), 16th (Sun), 22nd (Sat), 23rd (Sun) 2025

・Event time: 9:00-15:00

・Location: Echizen Roadside Station, Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture

・Admission fee: Free

・Main activities: Sale of Echizen crab, dried fish, fresh fish and other seafood from Echizen, sale of seafood delicacies, etc.

・ Nearest station: Hapiline Fukui "Takefu Station" (about 60 minutes by bus from Takefu Station)

・Official website: https://www.town-echizen.jp/event/detail.php?id=422