Full Day Tour Eiheiji Buddhist Temple and Fukui City Castle Town
Description
Often overlooked when travelers head along the Sea of Japan, Fukui is another one of Japan’s prefectures that has as much history and natural beauty as any other. As the entrance to the Hokuriku region, Fukui has served as a crossroads for many important wars and trade routes throughout Japanese history. This tour will have you walk by the castle and also a temple where buildings form the former castle were moved, get stunning views of the modern city skyline from a hill with over a thousand years of history and dive into one of the head temples of Zen Buddhism in an idyllic mountain setting. Let’s dive deep into lesser traveled area of Japan that leave you wanting to come back to Fukui for more.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start your tour at Kanazawa Station, where your guide will greet you to begin the tour. The meeting point will be outside the Shinkansen ticket gate, in front of the information center sign. We will then get on the train to Fukui. Arrive at Fukui Station and start the tour by walking around the station to find all the interesting dinosaur statues and art. We will then depart to see the castle walls and bridge before stopping over at the "rainbow" shrine. We will get on the bus and head to a different side of the city where we will see a daimyo's room turned temple, a hill view history that stretches back over a millennium, and the best view of the city skyline.
For the next section of the tour we will walk to the castle ruins, with the great walls and moat and even more unusually, the prefectural office and police headquarters inside. The walls are original to the construction but there is also a bridge that faithfully reproduces what it looked like during the Edo period. There wasn’t a keep for many years so instead the gates around the castle were reinforced to act as the final line of defense, making it unique among castles in Japan. A short walk away from the castle is a shrine that has recently become popular because of the origami cranes that are hung at the entrance. It is a striking visual to imbue hope for a better future. Following the shrine is a walk and a short bus ride to a slightly different part of the city.
The final stop before lunch is the Atagozaka or the Atago Slope. This is a series of staircases that lead up to the top of a large series of hills. One of the oldest shrines in all of the prefectures rests up here as well is probably the best view of Fukui City’s modern skyline. The brand-new buildings against the mountains in the background is really beautiful. Coming down from the viewpoint, we will head towards the Katamachi area near the station where you will have time for lunch. Feel free to ask your guide for recommendations. The local specialties in Fukui City are Echizen soba and katsu(fried port cutlet).
It's time for lunch! Feel free to ask your guide for recommendations for local Fukui specialties. After lunch meet back at Fukui Station and get on the direct bus to to Eiheiji. Arrive at Eiheiji, one of the head temples of Zen Buddhism, and discover the surreal blend of Japanese traditional architecture with a natural environment that is just as beautiful. We will have the chance to walk around the temple and you can learn about the history and importance of this Buddhist sect and this temple in particular. You will also have some time to explore at your own pace as well. After getting a taste of Zen in its Japanese homeland, we will head back to the hustle and bustle of city life. Getting on a direct bus back to Fukui Station will take just under 30 minutes, where we will leave our friends staying in Fukui, and then the train to Kanazawa should get us back home by 18:00.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.
Reviews(15)
Superb guide who was well-prepared and informed. He took very good care of the group and was open to all questions.
Michael is knowledgable; attentive and made de day easy going, In fact very well organized. No delay at all. He had all answers to our questions. Fukui is great place to visit however half a day is a little too much. Eiheijii: half a day is perfect.
Just simply beautiful. A day filled with adventures and emotions. We had an extraordinary guide who knew how to make a difference. Thank you very much Mike for this great experience. I highly recommend this tour.
Blown away by this tour! Our tour guide Mike was phenomenal and the tour from start to finish was amazing. We learned so much about the Japanese culture and history and had the opportunity to see one of the most breathtakingly beautiful temples I’ve ever seen. Wonderful experience!
A short walk into the tour, and Mike felt like a friend already! He was knowledgeable and kept us enthralled with his stories, and insights. Zuigenji_fukui temple was an intimate temple and the resident monk there was warm and welcoming; loved the history and stories told by him! Personally, Eiheiji was a personal pilgrimage and we’re thankful for Mike whose insights made it even more memorable for me! Can’t recommend this enough! ありがとございます 🙏
Mike was a great guide! He was considerate of our needs and always respectful. We had just a great time with him, we are signing up for another tour with him the next day. The trip to Fukui and Eiheiji Buddhist Temple was smooth and the experience enriching. We may come back again to see the tree lined walk along the river and the temple in all the glory of the autumn colours. It was a great day well spent.
Despite the rain, this tour was an insightful and enriching experience in Fukui. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, providing deep historical and cultural insights that brought each location to life. Eiheiji Temple, with its serene atmosphere and stunning Zen architecture, was a highlight, offering a glimpse into the traditions of Soto Zen Buddhism. Walking through Fukui Castle Town was equally fascinating, with well-preserved sites and engaging stories about the region’s samurai past. The guide’s expertise and passion made the tour both educational and enjoyable. Highly recommended for history and culture enthusiasts!
Mike was the best guide ever! Honestly felt so special to have a small group, there were jokes, there was everything you could want. He was so knowledgeable and I felt like I was with pals the whole time.
Garret was an amazing tour guide. He was very knowledgeable about the specifics of the history and architecture. I learned a lot about being able to tell about original works. And the culture of the temples. He was very helpful and recommended different local foods in the area. 100/10 would recommend.
Dear Haley, Thank you so much for the great review and 5-star rating! We are so glad Garrett's knowledge and passion about Fukui enhanced your experience. We hope to see you again! Snow Monkey Resorts
I was very happy with my earlier tour with Snow Monkey resorts, so I booked this tour in Fukui as well. This tour is one of the few that visits Zuigenji. Although Fukui Castle no longer exists, this temple has a section of the daimyo's original living quarters in the castle from the 1800s. It was really cool to see the various architectural aspects of the building (traditional nail-less Japanese wood binding, reuse of materials, etc.). The intricate artwork and craftsmanship in Eiheiji temple was also incredible to see. The tour guide was very knowledgeable in cultural, historical, and architectural aspects throughout the tour and was very helpful with suggestions of local souvenirs to bring back.
Dear John, Thank you for booking multiple tours with us! We are pleased to know that you could experience the wonderful cultural, historical, and architectural aspects Fukui has to offer. Your pictures are fantastic and capture the area so well. We appreciate your time and support to review us, and we hope to see you again! Snow Monkey Resorts
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