Not only excellent food, but very comfortable accommodations. Although you can hear everything in the round cottages, they are sublimely peaceful.

Moku moku farm in Iga is a farm unlike other farms, which is more like a mini organic village focussed on sustainability. It’s a place where one can understand importance of organic farming and co-existence with nature, and at the same time, enjoy healthy and delicious organic food.

The besta place in iga to Go with kids

Amazing outdoor onsen

(Translated by Google) We stayed in a kids' cottage (bed type). It looked quite old, with stains on the ceiling and sashes, but I overlooked that, thinking it was reasonable for the price. The kids' cottage with futons seems to have been built recently and is much nicer. The reason we stayed here was to experience morning work on the farm! I was really looking forward to it. However, in reality, milking was an assembly line process that took about a minute per person, more for the purpose of taking photos, and loosening the grass by hand for the cows, which also took about three minutes. After that, we just had to tour the farm...the kids were thrilled to see the cows up close, but it was a disappointment considering it was advertised as morning work. There was a shuttle bus to the hot springs and dining area, so getting around was easy and very convenient. There was a wide variety of hot springs, which was fun. The breakfast buffet had a lot of items unique to Mokumoku Farm, like freshly milked milk, ham and sausages, and bread made on-site. It didn't seem frozen, so it was delicious! Also, taking walks in nature early in the morning and at night was very pleasant, and I'm glad I stayed there. (Original) キッズコテージ（ベットタイプ）に宿泊しました。天井の汚れ、サッシの汚れなどかなり年季が入っている感じで、コテージでこの値段なら相応かと目をつぶりました。 キッズコテージ布団タイプは最近できたようで、そちらの方が綺麗そうです。 こちらに泊まる理由は、牧場での朝しごと体験ができるということ！すごく楽しみにしていました。 でも実際は、乳搾りは1人1分くらい写真撮影目的のような流れ作業、牛の食べる草を手でほぐす作業こちらも3分くらいで終わりました。あとは見学…間近で牛が見えて子どもはとても喜んでいましたが、朝しごとと謳っている割に期待外れで残念でした。。 温泉や食事会場まではシャトルバスが出ているので移動に全く困らず、とても便利でした。 温泉はたくさん種類があり、楽しかったです。　朝食バイキングは搾りたての牛乳や、ハムソーセージ、施設内で作ったパンなどモクモクファームならではのものがたくさんあり、冷凍じゃなさそうな品々でとても美味しかったです！ また、早朝や夜に自然の中を散歩するのはとても気持ちよく、泊まってよかったなと思いました。

(Translated by Google) We went with our family. It's a fairytale-like facility that gives you an extraordinary experience. There are many signs about garbage sorting and energy conservation, but they are illustrated with warm illustrations so they don't feel cloying. There are many ways to keep children entertained, so it's a great place for families. Since you rent the entire building, you don't have to worry about noise. (Original) 家族で行きました。おとぎの国の様な施設で非日常感を味わえます。ゴミの分別や節電などの張り紙が沢山有りますが、温かみのあるイラストで描いてあるので嫌味になりません。子供達が楽しめる工夫があちこちにあるので家族連れには最高ではないでしょうか。一棟借りるので音も気になりません。

(Translated by Google) They are considerate enough to accommodate children, and cancellations are free up to three days in advance, which is helpful for children at an age where they may suddenly develop a fever. Moku Moku Farm itself has a variety of experience facilities and areas to enjoy. A place where children can interact with nature and animals. (Original) 子供も泊まれるように配慮されていて、３日前までのキャンセル無料、急な発熱とかがある年齢だと助かる。 モクモクファーム自体に色んな体験施設や、場所があって楽しめる。 自然や動物と子供を触れ合ってもらえる場所。

Has a lot of outlet store you can choose from.. Smoking areas are clean. Plenty of restaurants and a food court. Definitely worth to visit.. Regarding the price of products, we bought mostly Nike shoes with 10% discount if you are a member or 15% discount if its your birth month. No tax free on Nike outlet but there are other outlet that offers tax free.. Other stores we bought items are from: Fossil offers up to 50% off + tax free Michael Kors offers up to 85% off Notice: All discounts are subject to change without prior notice.

We didn’t plan to visit here but it was heavily raining around Biwa Lake so we don’t really have many options. However, it turned out to be a great shopping’s afternoon. There were as many shops as other Mitsui Outlets or other outlets around Japan with significant fewer visitors, that’s a plus to me. Toilets were clean and kid friendly. Multiple restaurants and a food court you can choose from. Not every shop offer tax refunds for foreigners. But it’s possible that your foreign credit card can get extra 10% off voucher from service center. Unfortunately they don’t really speak language other than Japanese.

Sizeable open concept outlet with many stores and easy parking Mont bell outlet prices is the same as town Some outlets don't give tax free Plenty of food outlets

Around 45 mins from central Kyoto Quiet in the week we actually enjoyed it more with less people And get all the basic lower- mid range brands

It's quite sad that many outlets don't have sales. Prices are not cheap. I can get a bargain in Singapore at Mustafa Shopping Centre or at Duty Free Singapore Changi Airport.

Good selection of brands and discounts are good from my point of view. There is also ample parking spaces and driving will make much more sense. There are also food options available and this includes a food court with a good variety such as ippudo ramen express, korean (bibim), soba and katsudon etc.

Not much tourists here, I think. I'm not sure if that's bad or good. Some shops are not tax-free. We only went here because there's a direct bus from Kyoto station.

(Translated by Google) The stone monument briefly explains the flow from Tsuda to Oda to Tsuda. (Original) 石碑には津田→織田→津田の流れが簡潔に説明されていました。

(Translated by Google) It is said that there were castle ruins on the mountain behind Shinshinji Temple. Horse《●▲●》Sukehiheen♪ (Original) 信念寺の裏山に城跡があったそうです 馬《●▲●》助ヒヒーン♪

A nice half hour ride up and down the river on the powered boat. There were no other passengers on our boat but they can seat up to around ten. We saw some that were more crowded but others that only had a couple on them as well. It's just luck or if you wait for a empty boat. It's the same price. The non powered boat looks more authentic and perhaps wooden, ours was plastic, but I'd choose the powered. It's still quiet, besides the speaker narration for half the ride which you may or may not like, and the ride is a little longer. Boat man was not the friendliest but was fine. Very relaxing and a nice break from walking around on a hot day.

Not long, can finish walking around along the kawa in 20-30 mins… Edo period old buildings are good for photos, very quiet & chill. In sunny weather, it’s beautiful & zen.

Hachiman-bori moat is a nice, quiet place, perfect for a relaxed stroll. (visited on a weekday in April 2025)

This place is wonderfully calm and peaceful, perfect for getting away from the city crowds. Just keep in mind that if you miss the boat for the scenic ride, there might be a 30-minute wait. On rainy days, it's even quieter here.

Nice area to stay close with the nature by boat or walk nearby the canal. It’s very peaceful day.

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE. Don’t have a lot of tourists. (Very important) You can enjoy quietly the history behind the stone walls. And emerged yourself into the history … the past … the season of Autumn. You may ride the boat if you have plenty of time.

Beautiful place ,can walk along the moat &beautiful traditional buildings So relaxing

The Shrine is the largest shrine in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture It had a lot of history behind. It was first established by Takenouchi no Sukune in 131. It houses the God of War and attracted many warlords to visit and worship. Today, the Sagicho Fire Festival is held here every March. It's worth visiting.

A shrine with Anpaman. I wonder why Anpanman is there, then I find out that it’s a motivation for kids to come here. There is a ceremony to celebrate when girls are 3 & 7 years old while boy are 3 & 5 years old. They are dressed up and pray at the temple. They are so cute.

Pretty shrine found at the base of the chair lift. Also has lots of parking at the front for free when it's a quiet day.

Himurehachimangu Shrine is a beautiful traditional shrine located next to Hachimanyama Ropeway. It is one of the largest shrines in Ōmihachiman area. The shrine has a quiet atmosphere and it is a great place to visit if you want to experience Japanese culture and history.

Beautiful shrine, I happened to visit during the Sagochi festival and it was really a great day.

Nice temple. Not sure of the significance, but many families with young toddler girls are here to pay respects. The little girls are all dressed up in traditional costumes. Pretty.

Peaceful shrine

Autumn colours started to show up. Nice hiking place and relaxing environment. After taking the cable car from the Ropeway, took another lift from the same station to get to the other side of the hill. It was lovely to visit the temple over there and to wander around the park freely. Not a lot of tourists and hikers. More tranquil.

– A Natural Wonder Near Nagoya Mount Gozaisho is a fantastic destination for nature lovers, offering breathtaking scenery and unique seasonal beauty. The mountain’s 1,212-meter peak provides stunning panoramic views, especially from the Gozaisho Ropeway, which soars over lush forests and dramatic rock formations . Natural Highlights: Seasonal Beauty: Each season brings something special—vibrant azaleas in spring, cool greenery in summer, fiery autumn foliage, and magical frost-covered trees (soft rime) in winter. Unique Rock Formations:The mountain is dotted with fascinating rocks like Jizo-iwa, a square boulder wedged between two pillars, believed to bring good luck . -Diverse Flora & Fauna:The area mixes subarctic and temperate plants, and in summer, red dragonflies flutter near the summit . Winter Wonderland: As Mie’s only ski resort, it offers snowy slopes and frosty landscapes rare for this region . Why 4 Stars? While the views and nature are spectacular, the ropeway can get crowded, and weather conditions sometimes limit visibility . Still, the well-maintained trails, observatories, and nearby hot springs (like Yunoyama Onsen)make it a must-visit for a day trip from Nagoya . Final Verdict:*A stunning natural escape with year-round appeal—just plan ahead for the best experience! 🌿🚡

The view is amazing from top. You have to take a ropeway to reach here. There are multiple stations for kids skidding and other areas including restaurants and skiing.

We took a cable car from the foot of the mountain. Visiting in September, the weather here was different from the stuffy heat below. Though the sun was still strong, a cool breeze blew unexpectedly on the mountain, gently dispelling the heat. After taking another cable car ride, we arrived on the other side of the mountain, where we were greeted with a stunning view of Lake Biwa in the distance. It was truly impressive.

We went here right before the autumn season. The leaves were still green, with only a few turning orange and red. This place is a ski resort during winter and a hiking place all year round. We were not wearing the proper attire and gear during our visit, so we only stayed a couple of hours, but the view was breathtaking. It's best to come here I the middle of autumn season for hiking and winter for skiing. Make sure to bring and wear the proper gear. We actually saw a snake on the road, and it was a viper snake, we didn't have the walking stick for hiking, so it was risky for us to walk along the hiking trail. We were informed that they only come out during summer, and they hide during the cold seasons, so that was a dangerous moment for us. But we will still definitely visit again during winter.

Not too far from nagoya, one day trip, Best view, You can hike, Child friendly for snow fun, It's cold on top, Rope way price is around 2500¥ round trip, Only one restaurant option is there, All four season is good to visit, Best season is #Autumn n #Winter

12 nov 2023. An hike worth the one hour bus drive from Nagoya MEIETETSU Bus center. Take the bus at 7:55am on weekends and arrive at 9am. You just start walk from the base of the ropeway and it will take you around 3hours to go through the 10 viewpoints and reach the top. On the way down you can pass through another path that will take you through the hut. And you can finish with an onsen at the the bus stop. It is 1000yen

Very excellent view from the top of the mountain, full of snow. Since its weekend and next day is holiday its was so crowded we waited for about 30 minutes to get ticket. We paid 2600yen for cable car back and fort.

Amazing place where you can go up to more than 1,000 m in elevation. The temperature has a differenc of 10 degrees from the base of the gondola, so make sure to wear warm clothes, especially on autumn and winter. We came on autumn. The temperature was around 19degree in the base and 8 degree in the peak. There are 2 restaurants and hiking trails, which was really nice.

A really really amazing place to visit. The atmosphere was heavenly. It costs 2600¥ per adult for both an up & down rope way. Excellent and wonderful. The view was magically beautiful. Recommended place to visit in Japan especially in the Winter season.

The view is breathtaking and the experience unforgettable. However, if you’re afraid of heights, it’s best not to push your limits. Suspended in the air during winter, with the icy wind cutting through, can be truly terrifying. That said, the scenery is absolutely worth it for those who dare!

The view from the Gozaisho Ropeway was spectacular, especially on a clear day. The queues for the ropeway are long on weekends and holidays, so I recommend going on a weekday if possible. It takes another 10 minutes by lift to reach the summit, but from the top you are rewarded with a spectacular 360-degree view of the strangely shaped rocks and large boulders, Lake Biwa in the distance to the west, and a panoramic view of the Nohbi Plain and Ise Bay to the east, making this a must-see spot at least once in a lifetime. There is also a Fujimidai observation deck from which you can occasionally see Mt. Fuji, a spectacular view indeed.

We came at the tail end of winter. The view of the vegetation peeking through the snow was beautiful. Seeing everything from a height of more than 1000 meters was a memorable experience.

We came here 2 hours before closing, rode the cable car ropewayfor 20 minutes, and high up the mountains are still full of snow! We were expecting they would be melting by now. But it was a wonderful sight to see. A lot of people were skiing and kids playing. The temperature dropped to zero degrees with the wind so strong that our faces were numb. Our first time here was early autumn where the trees were turning red. This time, the trees were bare and white. It's best to come early, so there's time to walk the trail to the next mountain.

It’s really a hidden gem mostly known by local Japanese. Not many tourist come to this place but it is one of the best places to go to see autumn leaves. It is so quiet and peaceful. There are small food stalls near the entrance selling very delicious local snacks.

In full Autumn, this is truly a stunning place. Gorgeous fall colors and mountain side setting.

This is very peaceful place. I came here on weekday. No so many tourists only local tourists. Recommend to visit here in Late November. The color leaves changes is stunning.

Eigen-ji Temple, nestled in the serene landscape of Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, holds a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1361 by Kokai, a disciple of the famous Zen master, Muso Soseki. The temple's name, 永源寺, translates to "Temple of Eternal Spring," reflecting its connection to nature and spiritual renewal. Throughout the centuries, Eigen-ji has endured various reconstructions, with its current structures showcasing traditional Japanese architecture. The temple is renowned for its stunning gardens, featuring cherry blossoms in spring and vibrant foliage in autumn, creating a captivating backdrop for meditation and contemplation. Eigen-ji is a pivotal center for the Soto Zen sect, attracting practitioners seeking tranquility and enlightenment. Visitors can explore the main hall, pagoda, and tea houses while experiencing the Zen philosophy embedded in every aspect of the temple. Eigen-ji remains a timeless testament to Japan's cultural and spiritual heritage.

(Trip was made back then on 25 Nov 2019, 2 years before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit) Can’t believe it’s been exactly 2 years since we have visited this magnificent place. During the planning stages, I initially thought it was going to be tedious to get to, having to take a train to a random quiet town, then switching to bus which Google maps said would take another 47 minutes to reach. Was all this really worth it? Well, we took a gamble and went for it. When we arrived and saw the magnificent view, we knew that our risk had paid off. If you thought Ishiyamadera Temple was beautiful, wait till you see Eigenji Temple. The temple feels like it’s basking in the sun’s golden rays, surrounded by rich vibrant shades of orange, yellow and red. It is famous for its beautiful autumn coloured leaves, thanks to the 3000 maple trees found within the temple grounds. It comes as no surprise that the temple is as one of Japan’s 100 grand autumn foliage sites. It’s a place I can definitely fall in love with. The autumn foliage is so magnificent that you could stay here for hours admiring its beauty. There was so much to soak in that we were glued here for 3 hours. Really miss this experience and I would definitely do it in a heartbeat given the chance. Note: 1. The train journey wasn’t too difficult (granted, we were already stationed at Omihachiman). Just need to take the local train to Yokaichi Station. 2. If you’re lucky like us, a helpful bus conductor will help issue a 1 day pass at the train ticket counter, which covers the train and bus fares. This helps you to save more rather than paying for the train and bus fares individually. 3. Taking the bus wasn’t too daunting either. There are 3 bus stops just on the left exit of the station and the bus heading for Eigen-ji is bus stop no.1. The only problem is knowing when the bus arrives and departs. The bus ride itself took about 35mins. 4. Apparently, morning was the worst time to go as there’s tonnes of local tour groups, all elderly, swarming the place(think of it as our local CC grassroots activities). The place gets quiet and empty by 12 noon, so on hindsight it would have been better to come in the afternoon.

**No goshuincho at this time due to COVID** We missed the fall season where the maple leaves really pop out through the temple. But the snow that falls throughout the temple grounds still brings beauty. Parking is right across the red bridge across from the Eigen-hi tourist info booth. It was very empty when we visited.

Beautiful and remote temple for viewing autumn colours, particularly momiji. On our visit, it was a welcome change of pace compared to Kyoto and Tokyo. Not crowded and very serene, as these places should be.

The street was empty and only a handful of shops were open. Many close on Mondays and/or Tuesdays so try to avoid those days when you plan to get here. Not sure how crowded it could be, though. We haven't seen many tourists during our three days stay here at all.

Yume Kyobashi Castle Road in Hikone is a beautifully preserved shopping street that blends Edo-period aesthetics with modern convenience. Just a short walk from Hikone Castle, the road is lined with traditional white-walled merchant houses that now host cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, and local craft stores. It’s not overly commercialized, so it retains a peaceful, laid-back atmosphere that makes strolling here genuinely relaxing. The area is especially lovely in spring and autumn, when the scenery becomes picture-perfect. You can sample local specialties like Omi beef croquettes, freshly made mochi, or pick up elegant calligraphy brushes and ceramics. It’s a perfect place to slow down after sightseeing and enjoy a taste of both history and local flavor. Romantic, nostalgic, and full of character.

The scenery is pleasant but there are just too many eateries and not enough retail shops. It would be nice to have a few stores that showcase Hikone wares.

(Trip was made back then on 26 Nov 2019, 2 years before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit) We thought it would be bustling with activity but the streets were quiet and bare when we visited 2 years ago. It’s quite a nice neighbourhood for a walk but unfortunately a lot of the shops were closed. While Kyoto was suffering from over-tourism, it’s neighbouring prefecture in Shiga suffers from the lack of it (pre-Covid-19 times of course). Really hope that the town can pick itself up once Japan opens up for tourists again.

It's a nice place to stroll around. There are a lot of souvenir shops and food shops. If you walk a little further, you will find "Yobancho square" which has different kinds of restaurants.

Right Now You gonna experience the Autumn video vibes and the tress is starting to change into yellow and orange

Nice street to walk around - lots of food choices available and plenty of parking close by

A little quiet museum documenting the brief history of its ancient owner. The wooden stage is a rare item. The garden is peaceful for a short meditation during your trip.

Very beautifully preserved and straight out of japanese historical movie. The original room of the daimyo as well as its original garden are the best part of this museum!

A Japanese National Treasure for sure. It was enjoyable to explore the castle grounds and go into the watch tower gates, unfortunately we were not allowed to go into the actual castle because of restoration efforts. It was not busy and we were able to take our time exploring.

Wasn’t sure if it would be worth the extra time and money to visit the museum, but glad I did. Great pieces including masks, art, kimonos, and samurai armour. However, the highlight was the wonderfully gorgeous traditional garden that brought tears to my eyes. Incredibly beautiful. Ticket for museum, castle and gardens is ¥1,200 at the time of writing. Well worth it.

Absolutely worth visiting. The grounds a beautiful and there is a great view of Lake Biwa from the castle.

A well maintained historic castle worth visiting. We were lucky to have a guide as we explored the site.

It was a really nice trip to Hikone. It took me and my friend about 1 h to get there, and it was pouring, but still, the views, the museum, and the castle were breathtaking. If you come to Kyoto, save a day to visit Hikone 😉

One of the best 12 of japanese original castles that is preserved real well, inside and outside. Its rather on smaller scale which makes it unique. The surroundings are greenish and tranquil but the step to reach the castles are rather quite steep, be prepared!

Hikone castle is a charmingly nice place with a cute mascot 'Hikonian'. You will find a stunning view from the top floor of the castle. Visiting the museum and the garden made the trip to Hikone wonderful. The place is very calm and gives you a good rest from the crowdy big cities. Please note that you need to walk - partly steep - steps, which are absolutely worth the effort! Clear recommendation!

I went on a weekday morning , before 9AM. Took the train from Ishiyama station, then a pleasant 20-minute walk from Hikone station to the castle. Tickets were Y1000 for castle and gardens; Y1500 for castle/gardens + museum. I thought the grounds were well-maintained, staff were courteous, and the castle is awesome. The reconstructed Omote Goten (Daimyo’s Palace), present-day museum, is also beautiful, with a wonderful collection (much of it donated by the Ii family). Truly worth a visit, and returns — probably mid-November for the Fall colors, and April for the peak of sakura blooms (the grounds have hundreds of cherry trees). And, also, no maddening crowds of Kyoto or Osaka.

Great castle with excellent views of Lake Biwa and the surrounding areas. The castle itself is atop a mountain so it is recommended to take a walking stick at the entrance as there will be a lot of uphill and downhill areas. There are toilets and shops as well. Also has a good museum and a great forested area with some wildlife. Surprisingly the moat also is home to some swans and fish.

Don't miss this attraction! There is so much to do and see. My friend and I got a kick out of Hikoyan's Birthday celebration. The castle itself and all of the thoughtful landscaping surrounding make for a relaxing day with the right amount of exercise. Photography by Jason Taylor

It was such a nice place to discover and explore. I've been there between 14:00 and 17:00, but I do recommend you go a bit earlier so you can explore everything more leasurely. I didn't have time to also visit the garden as it was already very close to closing time.

The scenery around the castle is amazing! If you are making your way to Tokyo from Kyoto, a two hours stop here definitely worth while!

Calm and Panaromic breeze

Very nice

(Translated by Google) I went there around March the year before last. It was still around 5am, so the place was reserved. Since it's called a beach, it has an image of summer. However, depending on the time of day and the season, I felt that this coast looked different. Also, since it's a lake, the scenery is spectacular and different from the usual ocean, and I felt like I wanted to stay here forever. (Original) 一昨年、３月頃に行きました。 まだ早朝５時位だったので貸切状態。 ビーチという位ですから夏のイメージがあります。 しかし時間帯、季節によってこの海岸は見え方が異なる印象を感じました。 また湖なので通常の海とは違って景色も壮麗で、いつまでもここにいたい気持ちになりました。

(Translated by Google) You can also walk your dog on the small beach. If the weather is nice, you can take good photos. However, be careful of an elderly couple in town who are feeding a black cat; they are a bit dangerous and will go mad if you approach them. (Original) こじんまりしたビーチで犬の散歩もできます。天気がいいといい写真が撮れます。が、黒猫に餌付けしている町の老夫婦にはご注意を、近づくとキレる少しやばい人。

(Translated by Google) I stopped by while taking photos! It's a really nice place. It's open and the views are amazing! There are several benches so you can take a break and enjoy the view! (Original) 撮影ついでに寄りました！ 凄く良い場所ですね。 開放的で景色も素晴らしい！ ベンチがいくつもあるので休憩しながら景色を楽しめます！

(Translated by Google) A campsite where you can spend a wonderful time while looking out at the beautiful Lake Biwa. (Original) 綺麗な琵琶湖を見ながら素敵な時間が過ごせるキャンプ場。

(Translated by Google) It was a great place for camping and SUP. I want to come back again. (Original) キャンプもSUPもできるいい場所でした また来たい

Beautiful place to visit during cherry blossom season in early April. It’s in the north and cooler here so blossoms will bloom a little later than in Kyoto or southern Shiga. In summer there are still nice views and a good places for picnics and a little swimming. If you are driving you can continue on to the Oku Biwako Parkway which has spectacular views of Lake Biwa!

Really beautiful. I am doing one full lap around Lake Biwa by bike and just stopped here. It’s April 30th and the scenery looks more like summer. Everything is very green. Definitely worth it.

Perfect place for sakura watching. If come by car, we have to go to the car park first and go to the Biwako by bus with 300¥ per people. If go by train, you have to take a bus, but it really far to go there by walking. You can see sakura by waking along the street, sakura was everywhere. It is wonderful time!! They have a small boat to look sakura from Biwako. Price: 1000¥/person for 15 minutes, safety and peaceful. It is perfect for watching sakura and watching Biwako, the heart of Shiga. Flower and lake, so romantic and peaceful. They have some small food under the sakura for traveller, bbq pork and noodle. There don't have a lot of tourist, just Japanese local people and some Chinese people. It is a quiet place for me and the people who don't like noisy and crowned tourist spots. The air is very clear, quiet, cold. Sakura full of blossom. I am lucky because sakura wait for me, and this far away from my place, about 1 hour and 45 minutes for driving. Center of Shiga was end of sakura season. I came here at 8April2018.

Spectacular cherry blossoms along the roadway and lake. Full bloom had passed. The hanafubuki was stunning.

beautiful little beach. there id a parking and bbq fee but bike parking and use of the beach are free. shallow water with big rocks to climb and shady trees to sit under.

Good place. We took ship from Hikone and have abt 40 mins to walk around here. Sufficient to explore. Otherwise traffic is not so convenient unless you drive by yourself.

The amazing view here is the best reward of my whole Biwachi trip here. The scenery is too great to stop me from riding.

This place is very nice and very near at the station of nagahama, also there a lot people walk around and see the place. They have also map that they provide to kurokabe square. I have so much fun. Touring till next time.Ciao😉🥰

Kurokabe Square in Nagahama was such a fun surprise. The area has a really charming vibe with lots of cute little shops to explore. One of the highlights for me was stumbling across the figure museum. I wasn’t expecting it but it ended up being such a fun and quirky stop. Watching the glass makers at work was also really interesting. It was amazing seeing the glassblowing process up close. It’s definitely a unique spot that’s worth wandering through if you’re in the area.

Shopping streets near the train station. Love the local shops and restaurants there

'cause of Tuesday??? Not sure but most stores were closed in last Tuesday. Though some spots were still ready to try Japanese street foods. Except black and red ice cream sold at 96 cafe, other foods were so nice~

It was a great experience in Kurakobe Square. It's like a local shopping street, I visit early in the morning so It's less crowded.

Very neat place, tons of shops with very kind people.

(Trip was made back then on 28 Nov 2019, 2 years before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit) Stayed overnight at Nagahama and visited their Kurokabe Square, which was said to be a bustling tourist area popular with the locals. But instead of a street bustling with activity, we were greeted to a quiet, almost empty street. It seems what was once a lively town with crowds streaming down the streets, now lay barren as many merchants struggle to stay afloat while many others have closed, with some sections of the street having already turned into a ghost town. We thought it was because we arrived on a Thursday afternoon, but we were greeted with the same scene when we returned the following Friday morning. It is actually a pretty townscape, with historical architecture dating back to the Edo and Meiji era. Many interesting shops lined the streets, each with their own individual character and charm. It’s very disheartening to see such places fade away. Hopefully the local government and community can revitalise this lovely little town.

Really enjoyed this place. Glad that Lego park was closed during our short stay in the area and we went here instead. I had a dream-like experience, unique and immersive park, you can climb, touch exhibits and crawl into narrow places. We went to the opening and there were no other people except for workers. Scenery around the park is magnificent.

Absolutely loved this place. Great for lovers of art, as well as a potentially great place to take kids. The entire installation is interactive and open-plan, but be aware that it can be a bit treacherous if you’re absent minded. We got caught in a downpour and the steep terrain became very slippery.

A bit old, it was fun for kids upper than 5years old. Not recommended for toddlers because it’s easy to fall down with hole and terrain For an architect and a designer it was great to visited

Went out of the way to come here because I wanted to see something a little different and was completely worth the trek for me. It took the architect-artists over 30 years to bring the park into fruition. And it wasn’t even everything they had planned for it to be. Even still very unique experience. Fun to walk/crawl/experience all the spaces and thoughtfulness to the lines and paradoxes. Watching people explore in their own ways was very interesting too, from adults to elementary school age kids. Stayed at Senzairou nearby too and it made for a very memorable day on our trip. Went in the 3rd week of February and the temperature was great.

Amazing experience that allows you to rediscover your inner child!

This place is incredible and awesome. I'm simply overwhelmed by this wonderful place, it offers a very interesting experience. I went to see specifically the yellow pink building. It was lovely and a great area in terms of design and feel. I really enjoyed the reversible area. That was lovely. There also several terraces and rooftops which provide a light breeze in the summer. It is a 10 min walk from Yoro Station which is another beautiful experience in the summer. There is a staff at the front desk who can give information to help and facilitate and interact with the art pieces. The museum is like a maze, every turn surprised me. The artwork here is a large scale and most of them are embedded in the museum. The art displayed is clever and mind-blowing. The entrance fee for adults is 770 JPY and its worth it. Spare a day to experience and appreciate the incredible area along the way up and down, chill at the lawn and just wander around. There are beverage machines on site. The museum is very popular and is busy on a weekend, the car park can get quite full. I recommended wearing sneakers only because the area quite has many slopes. I have been to several famous contemporary art museums in the world, this is by far the most special one, and it gives me a reason to come back one day for sure.

Interesting park to spend a few hours exploring. There's a free shuttle bus from the train station. Admission is free if you present the train ticket at the counter

Wandering around Yoro park is like spending time in the mind of an amiable madman. It’s a fascinating place, basically an extended art installation which covers a park. There are lots of weird things, hidden areas and strange surprises to discover. I’ve never been anywhere quite like it. However it’s starting to show it’s age now and the installations need a good cleaning, while some bits could do with outright replacement. Also, don’t go in the middle of summer, the park is right in the middle of a heat sink.

Unique structures but not worth for short time travellers. Good for locals to relax and chill for sometime with kids or picnics.

Very interesting and unique adventure park with a low admission rate. I went on a rainy day and nearly slipped into a 15ft pit. Not sure what would have come of that. Be safe. Wear quality shoes. Know your limits and be aware of your surroundings. Rain makes some areas impossible to traverse.

The fall itself is not so big but it’s beautiful. I went there in late November. Colorful tree leaves were also so beautiful at that time. You can also enjoy in Yoro Park. All the building are so interesting and children might enjoy there.

Really pretty during spring time. We came on a Tuesday when some businesses are closed which includes the food court so it was pleasantly quiet

A spacious place to go with friends or family. Everyone will have a space to enjoy themselves.

Good for Families.. Pretty much free.. Parking a slight problem... Yoroland a good old amusement park

We ventured out in early April, despite the route being closed due to a landslide. The hike proved to be quite challenging, with strong winds and slippery sand making the path treacherous. We had to navigate through numerous stones and tricky sections. Thankfully, the breathtaking view at the summit made it all worthwhile, and we descended safely. I recommend anyone being well-prepared for steep hikes.

Being at an altitude of 1260m made my heart pound and I almost had difficulty breathing, but the experience strengthened my faith in Allah's greatness. Unfortunately, I couldn't reach the summit of 1377m, as my breath had already risen to my stomach. 🤭 Mount Ibuki July 27th, 2025.

Our starting point was in Omi-Nagaoka Station. There are bus trips going to the jump off but according to the bus driver, the mountain is closed because of the landslide that happened last 2023 so he didn't allow us to ride. By checking photos here in Maps, we saw some climbers that posted a week ago and decided to walk up to jump off point (started 10.26AM JST) it took as an hour to get there). The normal trail is closed so we walked on the paved road for cars heading to the gondola area. There were only 2 Japanese female hikers that we met along the trail. You can still see the effects of the landslide on most parts of the trail. Just look for the markers and trail signs (in the form of wood planks, a metal stick with nylon ropes as guide, pink ribbons). Better to bring gloves and walking stick to better assist you. It was already late when we reached the summit (4PM JST), we asked the store owner if there are still buses on the other side of the trail (where cars can park and non climbers walk to reach the top), taxi is the only option but it would take a lot of money. We decided to go down the same way we went up and walked up to the train station where we started. It was a great experience because we encountered a lot of wild creatures (deer, snake, etc), saw the vast Lake Biwa and enjoyed soft served ice cream on top as a reward. Other food items are also available in the restaurants.

Great place for hiking. You will be able to see the whole lake of biwa in the west and the city of Nagoya in the east. Driveway to the hill top parking lot is ¥3120 per car, but I think it worth the money. If you have time and energy, try climing from the bottom. There are several restaurants on the hill top and the price is almost the same as down the hill. (Which I really respect for Japanese people) It's really cold on the top in October. Get ready for it if you want to climb.

Great spot, the first snow of the year today 26 November, although it melted quickly. I went from ibukichoshazen side, which in theory is closed, due to a disaster. Actually the path in a couple of places is damaged, but you just walk around, is just a hike, not a ferrata.

Highest mountain in Shiga. You can see 360 great view at the summit. Also, there are many kinds of flowers there. You can go by car using drive way(40min $30 only cash) until 30-40min away from the top. There are some cafe and stores at the summit.

Gorgeous mountain a much better hike than Fuji and you can do it at most of the year! Absolutely stunning

Not as popular compare to other markets in Japan. Most of the shop sells similar items. The seafood restaurants close early before dinner time. So it's better to come during lunch.

lots of fish for sale here and fresh seafood restaurants. also sold other stuff such as green tea, sake, sweets, ice cream and wares. samples on offer too which was good. clean rest rooms.

This is the fish market at Tsuruga. Many options for fresh seafood to eat on site.

📍Fish Market Nihonkai Sakana Machi (Sea of Japan Fish Market), Tsuruga, Fukui is one of the biggest markets in this region where you can fully enjoy fresh seafood 🐟🍣. They offer a 10-coupon set for ¥2,000, which you can use at participating restaurants to exchange for dishes based on the required number of coupons per item. Not only can you savor super fresh seafood, but you’ll also find souvenirs, desserts, and local specialties 🛍🍰. One of the highlights is the DIY kaisendon experience, where you can decorate your rice bowl with your favorite toppings—it’s both fun and delicious! 🎉✨ Umamai bowl 1,670¥ Ikura-Negitoro-Salmon bowl 1,770¥ 📍鮮旬処 よって家, Tsuruga, Fukui They offer generous, customizable seafood bowls featuring fresh local catches like ikura, scallops, tuna nakaochi, salmon, and more—each bowl comes with miso soup. The portions are hearty, the seafood shines with brightness and sweetness, and the place buzzes with tourists at lunchtime on weekends. Great value, wide variety, and ideal for seafood lovers! 👉 Full video and more food discovery in Japan: @fastingidie on TikTok & Instagram! 🎥🍣

Excellent fish market. Great food to eat or take home. An unusual experience for tourists if you can drive there.

Sales clerk can be quite pushy there and seafood bowl is average. It can be super busy during weekends and/or lunch rush.

Many crabs to eat with reasonable price.

It would be really nice if you're a local and enjoy the beach in the summer times. Not convenient if you're a visitor, especially the bus route and schedule.

It’s a place well worth visiting — one of Japan’s three great pine groves. You can enjoy the beautiful view of pine trees along the seaside, play in the water during summer, and watch the sunset by the shore.

9月 2022年 - Pine trees on the beach side! - Beach water is clean and clear - Watch out for food thieves birds

Nice easy walk from the station and hotel. What a beautiful place, beach backed by trees. The trees ,I learnt, offer some protection from tsunamis. And no permanent development, almost unspoilt. Very quiet and peaceful. Long may it continue.

Visited in Feb! Show covered beach on a bright sunny day! One of the best day trips from Osaka! Easy access from JR and local bus!

The view is nice but not advisable to stay on night and there is no shower room also no water in the faucet

I saw 2 people catch a fish. That was pretty neat.

A beautiful Jingu (shrine) in Tsuruga now even more accessible due to the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension. It's a really old shrine with some special water and other attributes like one of the three largest Torri gates in Japan.

Another shrine ⛩️ , another place to visit and admire the style of the buildings , some nice trees and fish 🐟 here 😀

A very beautiful, tranquil spiritual place set amongst tall trees which add to its peaceful surroundings, there’s a water fountain here that you can sprinkle on your hands and is said to bring you good health and fortune-I took a bath in it (just kidding). I was reading that the original shrine has been around since 692AD but the site was destroyed during the bombings of WW2 this was late rebuilt in 1945, the Tori Gate was originally built in 1902 and survived the devastation of WW2, I hope this spiritual place is around for a very long time to come.

This shrine is really worth a visit, the torii gate is very majestic and a significant one as one of the 3 major wooden torii gate in Japan. It remains really well maintained too. Practically no other visitors when we visited which adds to the serenity of the place once you enter.

Visited Kehi Jungu Shrine on a snowy day.. The shrine is a major cultural site and one of the three major wooden torii gates in Japan (alongside Kasuga-Taisha in Nara and Itsukushima Jinja in Hiroshima).. and don’t forget the Longevity Water to pray for good health 😊

Beautiful shrine that is definitely worth a visit.

Beautiful Shrine. May be the biggest shrine over there. Just about 10min by walk from Tsuruga station. You can spend a peaceful time over there.

Kegon Temple, usually simply called Tanigumi, is a locally well known and popular temple. It's also the final stop for Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage which begins in Wakayama Prefecture. Tanigumi is beautiful year round but it's best visited in autumn, as like nearby Yokokura, the fall foliage is particularly beautiful. The road leading to the temple is lined with shops so there's plenty of souvenirs to buy as well as food. During some holidays there are also many different stalls lined along the road as well.

This was a spur of the moment visit, and I am so glad I did. I visited during the colour change on the trees, and the road heading up to the shrine was beautiful with all the autumnal colours, and the sunlight highlighting the views. The shrine itself is also a beautiful sight to behold, with great surroundings. I highly recommend a visit as I believe you will not be disappointed.

Love the atmosphere. Lots of things to see. Temples, trees, interesting statues. Recommend.

This is such a pretty temple hidden in the mountains. I was able to get the shrine stamps for this temple. Very nice nature and I saw lots of cute lizards running around. It was a fun place.

Very nice temple and you can meditate no noise and you can pray with no distractions

Buddhist Temple where I pray to have a baby. 🥹🙏🏻 hope you guys can manage to have a child.

Kegonji is a site to behold. It depicts a tradition that dates back to hundreds of years. The sculptures are evidence of sophisticated creations of the japanese.

Didn't go during sakura blossom season, instead I went in summer. The park was still quite beautiful. There's a large open area and a small stream in the park. There's also a pavilion in the park. There's some trails from the park that go into the woods. One of the trails lead to a waterfall. Unfortunately, I didn't hike to the waterfall when I was there but I did hike one of the trails up into the woods. Great place to enjoy the outdoors.

Cherry tree with a lot of support Unfortunately when l arrived on 24/3/2024 There were lots of snow & no Sakura

(Translated by Google) 2024.04.06 I came here for the first time in over 10 years, but it's still as popular as ever. We were able to find a parking lot, so we arrived around 5:30, and it was about 80% full, as there were a lot of people staying overnight. I knew that the cherry blossoms were affected by past typhoons, but they are still magnificent. I hope that the new and old cherry blossoms will be passed on to future generations. After taking all the pictures, I finished taking pictures of Shinryu-zakura, and returned to the Usuzumi-zakura entrance around 8:30. There was already a traffic jam coming from the bridge. I think most people will probably need at least an hour to get here, but are those who visit on Saturdays and Sundays, the peak season, prepared for that? Please do so. (Original) 2024.04.06 10年以上振りに来ましたが、相変わらずの人気ですね。 駐車場の確保もあり、5時半過ぎには着きましたが、ここは泊まり込みの方も大勢見えるので8割方埋まってましたね。 過去の台風の影響があったことは知っていましたが、それでも立派な桜です。 二世も大きく新旧の桜が後世にも引き継がれることを期待します。 一通り撮り終わって、神龍桜も撮り終えて、又8時半頃に薄墨桜入口までに戻ると 既に橋から渋滞になってましたね。 多分ここまで来るのに最低でも1時間は掛かる方が多いと思いますが、ピークの土日に訪される方々は覚悟？してくださいね。

Road was good, there were some street food, most visitors were Japanese. Be sure to check the latest photos of the ancient sakura before going.

(Translated by Google) It's a great place for small children as it has a wide grassy area. A shop and restrooms are also available. There are also cherry blossoms that are different from light blue cherry blossoms. (Original) 広い芝が引き詰めてあり小さなお子さんにも良い所。売店、トイレも完備。 淡墨桜と違う桜もあります。

(Translated by Google) 2025/4/12 It was the day when the light blue cherry blossoms were in full bloom. There are several other cherry trees, and they seem to be in full bloom a little later. (Original) 2025/4/12 淡墨桜がちょうど満開の日でした。 その他にも桜の木が何本かあり、満開が少し遅いようです。

(Translated by Google) As autumn deepened, it was truly beautiful to see the rich natural scenery take on deep autumn colors. With more fallen leaves, we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery unique to autumn. Usuzumi Park is a special place that you'll want to visit again and again. (Original) 秋も深まり、豊かな自然が色濃く紅葉していく様子がとても素敵でした。 落ち葉も増えて、秋ならではの美しい風景を楽しめました。 うすずみ公園は、何度も訪れたくなる特別な場所です。

It's a beautiful lotus garden.

(Translated by Google) I happened to stop by on my way to eat grated daikon radish soba noodles nearby. The Lotus Festival was happening at the time so there were a lot of people there. There were only a few flowers in bloom yet, but the gardens were well maintained and beautiful! (Original) たまたま近くのおろし蕎麦を食べに行ったついでによりました。 ちょうど「はすまつり」をやっていたので人が多かったです。 まだ花は少ししか咲いてませんでしたが管理がしっかりできていて綺麗でしたよ！

(Translated by Google) The lotus flowers are magnificent. Even though it's a hot season, there is an air-conditioned rest area that you can use for free. You can also try out the free elephant trunk cup, where you can drink juice or tea from the lotus flowers. (Original) 花はすが見事です。 暑い時期ですが、冷房の利いた無料の休憩所もあります。 花はすでジュースやお茶が飲める象鼻杯も無料で体験できます。

(Translated by Google) I went there around 9am. The flowers were very beautiful. There is no shade when walking around looking at the flowers, so it's important to take measures against the heat. (Original) 9時頃に行きました。 花はとっても綺麗でした。 花を観て回るときは日差しを遮るところがないので暑さ対策は必要です。

(Translated by Google) The beautiful scenery is a big difference from the lotus flowers in the city. Since it is hot to view the lotus flowers, it is a good idea to take precautions to avoid it. (Original) 景観が良いのが都会の蓮と大きく違うこと。蓮の観賞は暑い中なのでその対策をしっかりして楽しむと良いと思います。

(Translated by Google) It may have been the end of the season, but it was a weekday so there weren't many people and I was able to take my time looking around. There were so many different types of lotus flowers that it was worth seeing. (Original) 時期的には終わりかけなのかもしれませんが、平日で人も少なく、のんびり見ることが出来ました。かなり蓮の種類が多かったので見応えがありました。

(Translated by Google) This was my first time there. It's a very nice place. I didn't expect there to be so many lotus flowers. I was hoping for some raindrops after the rain, but unfortunately, it was a shame. (Original) 初めて行きました　とても良いところです　こんなにたくさんのハスの花があるとは思いませんでした　雨の後の雨垂れを期待しましたが残念でした

Lovely gardens! Be sure to check out the seasonal festivals for all your pottery needs

Its a educational place

(Translated by Google) We enjoyed delicious coffee in a relaxing space. Some of the trees had colored leaves and were beautiful. It is also attractive that you can drink coffee in an Echizen ware cup. I would like to see the ceramic lights next time. (Original) ゆったりとした空間で美味しい珈琲を楽しみました。一部の木々が紅葉してきれいでした。越前焼のカップで珈琲を飲めるのも魅力ですね。次回は陶あかりも見たいですね。

(Translated by Google) I went there during the Tanabata event. It was quite interesting to write your wishes on strips of paper and see the displays of Tanabata-related pottery. I didn't use it, but they also had a service where you could drink coffee and other drinks from cups made by a ceramic artist, which looked interesting. I think it would be fun to find your favorite one. (Original) 七夕のイベントの時に行ってきました。 短冊に願い事を書いたり、七夕に関する焼き物の展示などなかなか見ていて面白かったです。 利用はしませんでしたが、陶芸家の作ったコップでコーヒーなどが飲めるサービスもあり面白そうでした。 お気に入りを見つけるのも楽しいと思います。

(Translated by Google) I was going to eat soba at Daikonsha next door, but I left my car in the general parking lot and took a walk~🎶 On this day, the Echizen Ware Thanksgiving Festival was held, and the works of all the artists were available for purchase at discounted prices. Originally it was a concert hall, but it was well displayed and sold on the spot, making it easy to see and understand. It was fun to be able to enjoy coffee in my favorite cup and have a ceramic speaker. As expected, the nursing room in the photo is also neat. (Original) 隣のだいこん舎にお蕎麦を食べに行くのに総合駐車場に車を置かさせて頂き散策〜🎶 この日は越前焼感謝祭が開かれており、作家の皆さんの作品が放出価格で購入出来ました。 本来はコンサートホールですが、上手に展示、即売をされていて見やすくわかりやすかったです。 お気に入りのカップでコーヒーを頂けたり、何気に陶器のスピーカーがあったり楽しかったですよ。 さすが、写真の授乳室もキチンとあったりします。

(Translated by Google) The inside is sometimes used for events such as Tanabata, and there are various works of art available for purchase inside. There is a coffee corner on the right side of the entrance, where you can drink coffee with your favorite work, and if you like it, you can also purchase it. (Original) 七夕等のイベントで中が使われている時あります、館内は色々な作品もあり購入可能です。入口右手には珈琲コーナーがあり気に入った方の作品で珈琲を飲む事もできます、気に入ったら購入も出来ます、

(Translated by Google) On the last day of July 18, 2021, I watched “Ceramic Coolness 2021 ~Towards the Future~”. The light overflowing from the simple and gentle pottery was wonderful. I purchased one piece of cute size and light. (Original) 2021.7.18最終日に「陶の涼感2021～未来へ～」を見てきました。 素朴で優しい陶器から溢れる明かりが素敵でした。 可愛らしい大きさと明かりの作品を一つ購入して来ました。

Not really much there so unless you are REALLY into Sengoku period history it's probably not all that interesting. The restored buildings on the other side of the road are a bit more interesting though, and this area is free so not really a lot to lose if you are in the area, but I don't feel like it's essential if you are not near or are pushed for time.

Ruin grounds themselves not much to see. Perhaps interesting for historians and purveyors of rocks, otherwise not worth visiting. The surrounding grassy area seemed to have the beginnings of a festival, which was cool though.

Seems that they're making this place into something. There's lots of construction/ preservation going on which is a good thing. It really is a beautiful place. Calm, peaceful, amazing fresh air. Very tranquil place to while away some time. You could easily spend a day here, take a picnic, but we were 'touristing' so we spent a few hours before heading to Eiheiji by bus. Possibly my favourite place in this area.

Asakura Ruisns is one of the landmarks in Fukui prefecture that you cannot miss, this historical place is surrounded by beautiful nature and old buildings where you can experience how was the life of Samurai 500 years ago.

I very unique excavation site with a captivating samurai past. The gates to the ruins are particularly beautiful. There are many pretty streams and very large koi you can feed for 100 yen. The samurai village really got my imagination flowing. The town itself is beautiful. A Fukui must see.

Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins is one of the most worthwhile attractions in Fukui. Due to the inconvenient transportation of the ruins, we took a bus to the Ichijōdani Asakura Family museum and borrowed bicycles from the museum. The deposit for each bicycle was 1000 yen, and would be refunded after the bicycle was returned. In fact, museum also provided free shuttle service. The staffs of the museum were very kind and patiently guided us to the ruins.Then, we rode the bicycles among the fields and enjoyed the beautiful country scenery. We spended about 10 minutes to reach the ruins. The gate of the ruins was very elegant, and many tourists stop at the front of the door to take pictures. After entering the gate, we saw that many ruins of wells, walls, gardens and palaces were preserved on the ground. Following the stone steps, there was a platform with ruins of water and a bridge. It was said that when the castle was attacked, the castle owner bridge can destroy the bridge to prevent the enemies entering, which is the same as the design of Hikone Castle. Otherwise, there were some photographers taked pictures here.If you have enough time, I will suggest you to spend 2 to 3 hours to enjoy everything here. 一乘谷朝倉氏遺跡絕對是福井最值得一遊的景點。由於遺跡的交通不便，因此我們搭巴士到朝倉氏資料館，向館方借腳踏車，每台腳踏車押金1000日幣，還車後會退還。事實上，資料館也有提供接駁服務。館方人員非常和善，耐心地指引我們路線。接著，我們騎著腳踏車，漫遊在田野中，欣賞著漂亮的景色。約莫10分鐘就抵達遺跡。遺跡的大門非常雅緻，許多遊客停在門前不斷拍照。進大門後，我們看到地上保存著許多井、城牆、庭園和宮殿的遺跡，循著石階上去，有一個平台，上面存有水榭的遺跡，還有一座橋，據說當城堡遭受攻擊時，堡主可以將橋毀棄，這和彥根城的設計如出一轍。若您有時間，那麼我建議您花個2至3小時，在這裡慢慢欣賞。

Town area is well reconstructed. You can experience how people lived in the past. The castle and other buildings are but ruins with gardens around them. In the stream there are lots of beautiful Koi carps that you can feed. Nice visit to daydream about the time in the past, surrounded by green mountains.

Nice layout and nice amount of stores within Fukui Station. Good amount of restaurants are around as well. I love how Fukui really owns the dinosaur theme and some statues are in and around the station as well. Not particularly busy on a Monday evening either. Trains are easy to navigate and the station is conveniently located.

Dinosaurs in a station? Of course! This station is amazing. Check out the dinos front and back too.

The station features dinosaur statues both inside and outside, which are the signature of the place. I really love the cozy atmosphere here.

Fukui station is largely dinosaur themed. It is newly opened and just now serves the HokurikU Shinkansen line for Tokyo and Tsuruga. It is the hub for the Hapi Fukui line serving most of the prefecture. A few Shinkansen trains take a stop here. Many department stores line the square, such as CuruF. A park outside has built in dinosaur animatronics.

A nice station overall with plenty of food options and a very cool entrance with Animatronic dinosaurs. The station is relatively small and well laid out. Very hard to get lost in this station.

Roof floor dinosaurs so cute!! 🥺 💖💖💖

I need to explore Fukui more. The JR and Echizen Railway station is pretty amazing. It was busy, but the staff were so friendly. The animatronics of the Dinosaurs... amazing. It is a pretty fun station!

Good place to visit if you like castle ruins and history sites. A good place for a walk in the early morning or early evening. Opening hours are daily from 7am - 5pm.

You can see the wonderful stone walls and outer moat. Unfortunately, the prefectural office building is located on the castle ruins. There is a parking lot in the basement of this building. If you present your parking ticket at the information desk at the entrance on the first floor of the prefectural office building, it is free of charge.

Posting because I hadn't seen it mentioned yet, If you are looking for the castle stamp it is inside the main government building. If you are looking for the castle gojoin (similar to but different from the goSHUin) that can be found at the nearby Fukui city museum. If you are on a castle hunt, try to come when the offices are open. There is no castle; just a moat and some signs along with the government buildings but the park is a very nice walk.

The place was good, but not much things so explore.

Beautiful and full of historical information, great place to visit and enjoy all his surroundings, and is just a couple of blocks from Fukui Station.

They’ve built 2 ugly buildings with antennas in the middle of what used to be the castle, not worth going.

not much left of the castle but the channel and walls protecting are still there.

It is a huge dam where you can get panoramic views from the surface of the lake during power plant tours and water patrols. They have small exhibit of history of construction as well as explanation of how things work around the dame There are plenty of things to do for everyone, from children to adults, to learn more about and enjoy the dam.

(Translated by Google) There is a large amount of water, so it must be possible to generate electricity stably. In autumn, the contrast between the water surface and the autumn leaves at Lake Kuzuryu creates a beautiful color scheme. (Original) 水量もあり安定した発電ができるんでしょうね。九頭竜湖は秋には水面と紅葉のコントラストが綺麗な色彩を出してますね。

(Translated by Google) November 2, 2025 (My usual) Meiho🍁Shikisai ⇒ (My first) trip to Echizen🌊~(^3^) Just a few minutes from Shibasudanibashi👈️ (I love it lol), we arrived at Kuzuryu Dam. Despite complaining about how chaotic it was, we made the effort to go see it. I asked for a dam card over the intercom, and they brought it to me on a tray, which I gratefully accepted🤣 (Original) 2025/11/2 (いつもの)明宝🍁四季彩さん⇒(初めて)越前🌊の旅〜(^3^) しばすだにばし👈️(気に入ってるw)から数分で九頭竜ダムに到着ぅ。ちゃむいちゃむいと言いながらも頑張って見に行きました。ダムカードを内線でお願いしたらしずしずとお盆に乗せてお持ち頂きありがたく頂戴しました🤣

(Translated by Google) The autumn leaves were still a little ways from peak viewing, but the blue of the lake, the trees starting to change color, the trees already turning red, the blue of the sky, and the beautiful reflections in the lake made for a spectacular view that stretched into the distance. The dam's rockfill construction, which is not the usual huge concrete wall, blended in with the natural surroundings and was refreshing. It's a place you can't get to without a car, but it's well worth a visit. If you have a motorcycle, I recommend stopping by on a tour. (Original) 紅葉は見頃まであともう少しという感じだったが、湖の碧と色付き始めた木々、紅葉している木々、空の青さに加え、湖の反射が綺麗で、遠くまで見通せる景色が圧巻だった。ダムのロックフィルという石積みで、よく見るコンクリートの巨大な壁ではないところも、自然に溶け込んでいて清々しかった。車がなければ来られないところだが、来てみる価値は十二分にある。オートバイならツーリングで寄ってみるのもお勧めだ。

(Translated by Google) It's huge. When you come up from the bottom, you can see the scale of the Rock File Dam. The dam lake is also large. (Original) 凄く大きい。下から上がってくると、ロックファイルダムの規模間が分かります。ダム湖も広いです。

(Translated by Google) Kuzuryu Dam (pronounced "Kuzuryu") in Ono City, Fukui Prefecture is a 128-meter-high rockfill dam constructed by damming the Kuzuryu River, a Class A river, for the purposes of flood control and power generation. It was completed in 1968. Kuzuryu Lake is famous for its dam lake. 😀 There's the Kuzuryu River, Kuzuryu Lake, and Kuzuryu Dam. The name "Kuzuryu" (Kuzuryu) is said to have been derived from the river's frequent floods, when its flow often shifted like a raging dragon, likening it to a nine-headed dragon. 😀 It's no wonder the purpose of the Kuzuryu Dam's construction was flood control. 🤗 It's great to drive up the Kuzuryu River from Fukui Prefecture, visiting Kuzuryu Dam and Kuzuryu Lake. 😀 You can also extend your trip to neighboring prefectures like Gujo Hachiman and Shiratori, or drive further up the Shogawa River to Lake Miboro and Shirakawa-go. 🤗 (Original) 福井県大野市にある九頭竜（『くずりゅう』と読みます）ダムは、洪水調整と発電を目的として、一級河川九頭竜川を堰き止めて建設された堤高１２８メートルのロックフィルダムです。 竣工は、１９６８年。 ダム湖が有名な九頭竜湖です😀 九頭竜川、九頭竜湖、九頭竜ダムとありますが、九頭竜という名称は、洪水が多発する河川で、河川の流れが竜が暴れまわるが如く移り変わることが多々あったため、９つの首を持つ竜🐉の様に例えられたと云われています😀 九頭竜ダムの建設目的が洪水調整であるのも頷けますね🤗 福井県から九頭竜川を上って、九頭竜ダム、九頭竜湖を巡るドライブはイイですね😀 隣県の郡上八幡、白鳥、へ足を伸ばすのも良いし、更に荘川を上って、御母衣湖、白川郷へのドライブは最高ですね🤗

(Translated by Google) Although it was raining, the autumn leaves were spectacular. I think the best time to visit is around November 10th. (Original) 雨模様でしたが紅葉が絶景でした １１月１０日あたりがベストシーズンと思われます

It was pretty much snowed in but I had to take a look regardless it was worth it, even through climbing those steps in 10 inch snow wasn’t easy!

Smallish reconstructed castle . Up a hill- which means a hike up 200+ steps . There is a fee to visit the interior . Looks pretty in its hilly setting

A cool rebuild of a castle It looks great from the outside and it's pretty center of oono so that's cool as it's ready to get there. The park around it was beautiful in autumn. As usual in Japan, the castle is rebuild. The inside is a museum but it's a bit of a shame that they did not try to redo the rings in the old style, too.

The castle in the Sky! Is. 400 years old magnificent castle surrounded by a beautiful town that looks like a little Kyoto, is charming place.

Pretty small compared to the Himeji and Nagoya Castles. The interior of the building was mostly renovated and was not kept in its original state, the floorings were in vinyl while the stairs has the metal edges. No taking of photos are allowed once inside the building. Ono City is pretty clean though a bit sleepy. No food stalls or stores are open especially on Sundays. No 7-11's or Family Mart as well. The train from Fukui to Ono City by way of Kuzuryu (JR Train) has an interval of 3 hrs, be sure to bring some food supplies for the long wait.

After visiting the Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins, we took the bus to Ōno-shi.After gettingt off at the Ōno bus stop, we walked toward the Ōno Castle. There were several cold springs along the road. We heard that the spring water of Ōno-shi is very famous in Japan, so we tasted some, oh! very cool and refreshing. Ōno Castle was located at Kameyama Hill, so we had to go climbing the hill to arrive at the castle. After a while, we finally arrived at Ōno Castle. There were many artifacts in the castle and visitors were not allowed to take pictures. When we went upstairs to the castle tower, we saw the beautiful scenery of the city. The Ōno-shi is far from the Fukui and the bus fee is expensive. So If you want to take the bus to the Ōno-shi, I suggest that you can buy the Holiday One-Day Pass from the Keifuku Bus counter in the Echizen Railway Fukui Station, then you can save much money. 參觀完一乘谷朝倉氏遺跡後，我們搭乘京福巴士前往大野市，到達大野巴士站下車後，就步行前往大野城。沿路我們經過了幾處泉水，據說大野市的泉水在日本相當有名，因此品嘗了一些，果然清涼爽口。由於大野城坐落在龜山上，所以要參觀大野城，得登上山。經過一段時間的努力後，我們終於抵達大野城。大野城裡展覽許多文物，但不可拍照。當我們登上天守後，放眼望去，可以看到大野市的美景。因為大野市和福井市距離甚遠，無論是搭公車或搭火車前往，都要花費不少車資。所以如果您想去大野市的話，建議您可以利用假日時間，先在越前鐵道福井站的京福巴士櫃台購買假日一日乘車券，那將會省下不少錢。

Lots of steps, good workout. Amazing view.

A truly beautiful Buddhist temple, I’m so grateful I could come and be blessed with the incredible views of the nature and temple buildings. I really appreciated the Dharma teachings hung up in the corridor near the main entrance as these lessons mean a lot to me and it was so nice being in an environment with great energy as people who practice the same lessons can come together and cultivate the peaceful atmosphere. It was truly a joy for me to walk through the temple and gaze upon all the sights, plus read about the history and meaning behind certain halls on their wooden information tablets.

This is one of the most beautiful places I have been in my entire life. If this place was in Kyoto it would be absolutely overrun by tourists. The somewhat obscure location is pretty easy to get to via an hourly direct bus from Fukui station, and the town below the temple is lovely (and don't miss the soy sesame soft serve at the cafe on the highway)! Entering the temple grounds, the beautiful setting of an old growth cedar forest is breathtaking, particularly the mossy but well maintained cemetery. The interior is just as incredible. The room of gorgeous ceiling paintings was entrancing, but the highlight was probably being able to witness the mesmerizingly beautiful chanting and meditations of the monks. The thick (and enforced) silence of the monastery add to the literal zen atmosphere. The best thing I can say about Eiheiji is that it would fit right into a movie like "Baraka" or "Samsara". If you ever find yourself in this part of Japan, this is an absolute must see.

Definetely a must see place in Japan. Not only it is one of the important #temples in Japan and accomodates Zen monks trainings and practices which visitors can join some of the activities also the surrounding with beautiful tall cedar trees. Amazing view especially during winter when it is snowing. The temple has many buildings connected by covered walkways, it makes it very convenient to experience in #Fukui.

What a magnificent place. If you are a Zen practitioner and in Japan, this should absolutely be on your itinerary. We went to a number of temples while in Japan but the energy you feel at Eiheiji is unmatched. Magnificent trees, building and practice. We spent two days visiting and participating in the morning service and zazen and would have spent a third to do more hiking around the temple. Also what's really nice is because it's out of the typical tourist circuit there are a lot less visitors than any other place we went (we were there on a weekday so don't know about the weekends).

Daihonzan Eiheiji is a vast complex for zen teachings situated in Fukui. I arrived there early winter last December but was surprised to still see the moss-covered surroundings. The place is very serene although timing in terms of transportation needs to be considered because of its limited schedule.

Amazing temple! The museum at the end was also very interesting. Easy 30 min bus ride from Fukui train station. Only downside are the extra small slippers (none fit me, and I am size 10.5-11 UK)

Eiheiji Temple One-Day Monk Experience – A Peaceful and Enlightening Retreat It took me about 3.5 hours to travel from Tokyo to Fukui, but the journey was absolutely worth it. Eiheiji Temple offers a deeply peaceful and reflective atmosphere, unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. The highlight for me was learning zazen (seated meditation) the proper way. The program had English-speaking guides who were incredibly kind and respectful to us international participants. There were only six of us from abroad, while the rest were Japanese students (around 10–15). They followed a different schedule from us, and honestly, I wish I spoke Japanese to engage more deeply with the experience. We were asked to wake up at 3:50 AM, and interestingly, there was no shower the next day—which I personally found a bit uncomfortable. If given a choice, I’d rather wake at 3:30 AM just to have a quick shower and feel refreshed before starting the day. During the zazen session, the core message was clear: enlightenment comes from within, and practice should be part of daily life. I’ve done meditation before, but Soto Zen teaches you to meditate with your eyes open, which is surprisingly challenging. Even in a quiet space, thoughts and emotions constantly bubble up—nothing too serious, just random things. It feels like you’re quietly observing your own soul. And yes, sitting for 30 minutes will definitely make your legs go numb! They also taught us about mindful eating. There was a beautiful chanting ceremony before meals to express gratitude, which I found really touching. They even gave us souvenir chopsticks and a small booklet so we can continue the practice at home. One of the most powerful moments was the early morning prayer ceremony. All the monks gathered and chanted in unison—it felt sacred, healing, and almost magical. Overall, I learned so much from this one-day monk experience. It wasn’t just about meditation or rituals—it was about slowing down, being present, and finding meaning in small, everyday actions. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a meaningful escape from the busy modern world. The one-day monk experience costs ¥15,000 and must be applied for at least a month in advance. Your application also needs to be approved by the temple. I stayed in the women’s tatami room, and it was surprisingly comfortable and beautiful—it honestly felt a bit luxurious. The soft green and yellow tones were calming and well-coordinated, adding to the serene vibe. What really surprised me was the bath setup—it’s similar to a traditional public bath, where everyone bathes nude. There’s even a large shared hot tub in the center where you can soak and relax. It was an unexpected but authentic part of the experience!