Where should I stay and what should I see in Fukui?
See large dinosaur skeletons and fossils at the Dinosaur Museum, or corridor-linked temple buildings at Eiheiji. In Ichijodani, explore excavated objects or walk reconstructed houses and streets. Base yourself near Fukui Station and visit on separate days. For Tojinbo’s rocky coast and an onsen hotel rest, add nights near Awara-Yunomachi. Plan around museum entry slots and closures, coastal buses and townscape shuttle days.
Should I choose dinosaurs, temple or coast?
Choose the Dinosaur Museum for a close look at large skeletons and fossils, or Eiheiji for a leisurely walk through temple corridors. For castle-town life, explore excavated objects and reconstructed exhibits at Ichijodani Site Museum, then travel to the townscape to walk between samurai residences and artisans’ houses. Choose Tojinbo for rocky cliffs and sea views. You can move to Awara Onsen for rest after the coastal walk.
Itineraries by trip length
Base yourself at Fukui Station for museums, temple and historic sites on separate days, or move to Awara Onsen after Tojinbo. Museum entry slots and townscape shuttle days affect your course choice.
2 days / 1 night
If you can arrive on the first morning for the Eiheiji Liner, visit the temple and stay one night in Fukui. On Day 2, choose a full Dinosaur Museum day or Ichijodani Site Museum. Leave time after sightseeing for your onward service.
3 days / 2 nights
Stay two Fukui nights, giving Eiheiji and the Site Museum separate days. Add the Dinosaur Museum for dinosaur exhibitions or Tojinbo for a coastal walk. Choose around museum booking dates and coastal bus services.
4 days / 3 nights
Stay three Fukui nights to see two museums, temple and townscape without moving hotels. Match the final townscape visit to the free weekend shuttle. For onsen rest, stay one Fukui night, visit Tojinbo, then spend two nights in Awara Onsen.
5 days / 4 nights
With four Fukui nights, give two museums, temple, coast and townscape a day each. For a full onsen rest day, split the stay into one Fukui night, two onsen nights and another Fukui night. Check time left between the final-day Dinosaur Museum return and long-distance departure.
Where to stay
Around Fukui Station
Staying near Fukui Station makes it easy to give museums, the temple and historic sites separate days. JR Kuzuryu Line, Echizen Railway and the Eiheiji Liner on the east side board in different places. On the final day, check your sightseeing return alongside your onward train.
Katsuyama
Compare Katsuyama hotels for a longer museum visit. Museum buses leave Katsuyama Station; check walking routes from your hotel to the station/museum and any transfer service separately.
Around Awara-Yunomachi
Choose this base for onsen and Tojinbo. Check whether hotel access names Awara Onsen or Awara-Yunomachi Station and ask about pickup conditions.
Official Fukui tourism transport guidanceRail operator weekday return connections
Before travel and booking
Check timetables and closures for your travel dates
Book your preferred Dinosaur Museum entry slot first, then match trains and buses. The Eiheiji Liner runs daily with first-come boarding; Tojinbo has separate weekday and weekend/public-holiday connections.
The free Ichijodani townscape shuttle runs on weekends/public holidays from 4 April to 29 November 2026. Check official alternative access for weekdays or dates outside this season. If dates change, compare return train/bus services and facility closure calendars again.
Official JR timetable and fare searchOutbound JR Etsumi-Hoku LineLiner timetable and fares2026 free Ichijodani weekend shuttle timetableOfficial JR return timetable/fare search for 14 October 2026Official JR return timetable/fare search for 15 October 2026Two nights B: rechecked weekday Tojinbo rail/bus connectionsOfficial JR return timetable/fare search for 18 October 2026Three nights A: free shuttle timetable for both directionsOfficial JR date-specific return search for 16 October 2026Echizen Railway 1 April 2026 timetable: onsen to FukuiEchizen Railway station coin-locker locations, sizes and feesOfficial Awara Grand Hotel accessOfficial Awara Grand Hotel check-in/check-out guidanceOfficial JR date-specific return search for 3 November 2026Official JR date-specific return search for 7 November 2026Dinosaur Museum November calendar: checked next-month viewFour nights A: weekend shuttle timetable for 7 NovemberFour nights A: weekday Tojinbo return connections for 6 November
What to check when moving hotels
JR, Echizen Railway and the east-side stand 1 Eiheiji Liner board in different places. On the final day, check both your sightseeing return and the time needed for your onward train.
When moving from Tojinbo to Awara Onsen, you do not return to Mikuni. Check the station named by your onsen hotel, directions, pickup and meal times.
Luggage storage guidanceHotel accessRail transfer guidanceLiner timetable and faresTojinbo Line section faresOfficial Awara Grand Hotel accessOfficial Awara Grand Hotel check-in/check-out guidance
When should I compare Echizen Railway passes?
The Echizen Railway one-day pass costs 1,200 yen for junior-high age and above, valid only on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and 29 December–3 January. It covers all Echizen Railway lines on the stamped day; JR, Keifuku buses and admission are extra. Do not apply this weekend pass to the weekday Tojinbo example.
The dinosaur transport set costs 1,700 yen for adults on museum opening days, covering Echizen Railway and eligible Daifuku Kotsu buses. Museum admission is excluded: reserve and pay for your entry slot separately. Check that your bus is eligible before buying.
The Awara Onsen accommodation pass costs 2,500 yen for two days of Echizen Railway travel: purchase day and the next day. Check that your hotel is on the operator’s eligible list. Get the hotel confirmation stamp at first-day check-in to use the pass on Day 2. If staying two onsen nights and leaving on Day 3, your return falls outside the first pass’s validity. Compare buses and return rail separately. Course costs use ordinary tickets.
Echizen Railway day pass, dinosaur transport set and onsen accommodation pass
Explore further
Fukui food and restaurant guide
Check opening hours, prices and reservation conditions for your chosen restaurant.
Fukui food and restaurant guide →Fukui transport map and timetables
Choose stations on the transport map with Fukui selected to find timetables. Check travel-date services, delays and ticket coverage with operators.
Fukui transport map and timetables →Fukui camera list
Use camera locations and current views to get an idea of the area you plan to visit. Check facility opening and reservation availability with each facility.
Fukui camera list →How should I divide dinosaurs, temple, historic sites and coast?
Visit the Dinosaur Museum for large skeletons and fossils, or Ichijodani Site Museum for excavated objects and reconstructed exhibits of castle-town life. Follow Eiheiji’s corridor-linked worship route. After Tojinbo’s rocky coast, take an Awara-Yunomachi-bound bus if moving to the onsen. Visit the townscape on a free shuttle operating day.
Dinosaur Museum: plan a day around your entry slot
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum · 福井県立恐竜博物館
See large dinosaur skeletons, fossils and exhibitions on Earth and life. Transfer at Katsuyama to a museum bus. Reserve an entry slot first, then choose rail/bus services. Ordinary adult return transport from Fukui plus general exhibitions totals 3,240 yen. Special exhibitions, outdoor museum, activities and meals are extra.
Entry slots and feesRail and bus connectionsCurrent Katsuyama rail faresMuseum fees and opening informationDinosaur Museum permanent exhibitions
Eiheiji: temple worship and lunch nearby
Eiheiji Temple · 永平寺
Follow the worship route through corridor-linked temple buildings. Take the direct Liner from Fukui’s east side, then walk about five minutes from the stop to reception according to official guidance. Have lunch and rest at nearby restaurants afterwards. There are indoor stairs; ask about any assistance you need and visiting scope before going.
Liner timetable and faresOfficial temple visiting guidanceWalking directions to the templeOfficial Fukui guide to the Eiheiji worship route
Ichijodani: museum and townscape are separate visits
Ichijodani Asakura Family Site Museum · 福井県立一乗谷朝倉氏遺跡博物館
Explore excavated objects and reconstructed exhibits of castle-town life.
Reconstructed Townscape of Ichijodani · 一乗谷朝倉氏遺跡 復原町並
Travel to the townscape to walk among samurai residences and artisans’ houses. Compare separate admission and combined tickets in official museum guidance. The three-night Fukui course visits the two facilities on different days, with the final townscape day matched to the free weekend shuttle.
Museum hours and admissionCurrent townscape hours and fees2026 free Ichijodani weekend shuttle timetableIchijodani museum exhibitions
Tojinbo and Awara Onsen: coast, then an onsen stay
Tojinbo Cliffs · 東尋坊
After rocky cliffs and sea views, choose whether to return to Fukui or move to an onsen hotel for rest.
Awara Onsen · あわら温泉
The buses back to Fukui accommodation and onwards to Awara run in different directions. The onsen course takes an Awara-Yunomachi-bound bus from the coast instead of returning to Mikuni. Set coastal visiting time around hotel pickup and dinner.
Tojinbo Line section faresOfficial Awara Grand Hotel accessOfficial Awara Grand Hotel check-in/check-out guidanceBoat operator access guidance
Which trains and buses leave Fukui Station?
JR, Echizen Railway and the east-side Liner board in different places. Transfers need time for tickets, walking through the station and waiting for the next service.
Dinosaur Museum: Echizen Railway, Katsuyama, then D Line
From Echizen Railway Fukui, take a Katsuyama train to its terminus. Transfer to the D Line bus on museum opening days, get off at Geoterminal and go to the main building’s third-floor general entry gate. Choose your museum bus and Katsuyama–Fukui return train together. The final museum bus and final train are different services.
Rail and bus connectionsMuseum entry procedureBus and car-park access
Eiheiji: Liner from east-side stand 1
Take the Eiheiji Liner from Fukui’s east-side stand 1 to the terminus. This daily bus boards first come, first served; check return services too. Walk about five minutes from the temple stop to reception. Allow for full buses and road delays when choosing your return.
Ichijodani: JR Kuzuryu Line, then museum
From JR Fukui, take the Etsumi-Hoku (Kuzuryu) Line to Ichijodani and walk about three minutes to the main museum building. Ichijodani does not support ICOCA, so prepare a ticket. For the townscape, the free shuttle outside the museum runs on weekends/public holidays from 4 April to 29 November 2026, with capacity 24 and guided-tour participants prioritised. It does not run on weekdays.
Ichijodani station facilitiesMuseum access2026 free Ichijodani weekend shuttle timetable
What is Echizen soba?
A typical way to eat Echizen soba is oroshi soba: cooked, chilled buckwheat noodles with cold broth, grated radish, bonito flakes and spring onion. Look for it on menus if you would like noodles with radish. Flavour varies with the radish and serving style.
On museum day, allow time between lunch during your visit and the return bus. After Eiheiji worship, choose an open restaurant near the temple. If your onsen stay includes meals, check dinner time. Food is outside the transport/admission subtotals below.
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: eating Echizen/oroshi sobaWalking directions to the templeMuseum fees and opening informationOfficial Awara Grand Hotel check-in/check-out guidance
Costs for museum, temple and coast visits
Costs assume one ordinary adult departing Fukui. Accommodation, meals, long-distance travel to/from Fukui, special exhibitions, boats and extra activities are separate; no pass discounts are applied. See the transport/booking guidance above for pass coverage and eligible days.
| Transport or facility | Adult cost | Included and extra costs |
|---|---|---|
| Dinosaur Museum general-exhibition day | 3,240 yen | Exhibitions 1,000 yen + rail 820 yen × 2 + bus 300 yen × 2. |
| Eiheiji admission and return travel | 2,700 yen | Admission 700 yen + Liner 1,000 yen × 2. Zazen and overnight experiences are extra. |
| Ichijodani Site Museum and return travel | 1,220 yen | Basic exhibitions 700 yen + JR 260 yen × 2. Special exhibitions and townscape admission are extra. |
| Tojinbo visit returning to Fukui | 2,120 yen | Fukui–Mikuni rail 780 yen × 2 + bus 280 yen × 2. Boats and viewing facilities are extra. |
| Townscape admission | 330 yen | Ages 15+. Separate from museum admission; free shuttle has operating-day and capacity conditions. |
Current Katsuyama rail faresRail and bus connectionsMuseum fees and opening informationLiner timetable and faresOfficial temple visiting guidanceMuseum hours and admissionOfficial JR timetable and fare searchOfficial Mikuni station fare tableTojinbo Line section faresCurrent townscape hours and fees
Can I check cameras before travelling to Katsuyama?
Check camera locations and current views in Katsuyama City’s list to get an idea of the area you plan to visit. Use official museum guidance for closures, entry slots and ticket availability, and operators for rail/bus operation.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stay near Fukui Station or in Awara Onsen?
Consider Fukui Station as a base for visiting the Dinosaur Museum, Eiheiji and Ichijodani on different days. Compare Awara-Yunomachi stays if you want onsen rest alongside Tojinbo. Before choosing an onsen hotel, check the station, directions, pickup and meal times.
Rail and bus connectionsLiner timetable and faresMuseum accessRail operator weekday return connectionsOfficial Awara Grand Hotel access
Are Awara Onsen and Awara-Yunomachi the same station?
They are different stations. Awara-Yunomachi is on Echizen Railway’s Mikuni Awara Line. Check the station named in your hotel’s access guidance before choosing transport. Ask which station hotel pickup uses and whether you need to book it.
Official Awara Grand Hotel accessAwara-Yunomachi Fukui-bound timetable and fares
Sources and check dates
- Hotel access ·
- Luggage storage guidance ·
- Liner timetable and fares ·
- Walking directions to the temple ·
- Rail and bus connections ·
- Museum entry procedure ·
- Rail transfer guidance ·
- Entry slots and fees ·
- Bus and car-park access ·
- Official JR timetable and fare search ·
- Outbound JR Etsumi-Hoku Line ·
- Ichijodani station facilities ·
- Museum access ·
- Museum hours and admission ·
- Museum fees and opening information ·
- Official temple visiting guidance ·
- Official Fukui tourism transport guidance ·
- Boat operator access guidance ·
- Rail operator weekday return connections ·
- Official Mikuni station fare table ·
- Current Katsuyama rail fares ·
- Current townscape hours and fees ·
- Awara-Yunomachi Fukui-bound timetable and fares ·
- 2026 free Ichijodani weekend shuttle timetable ·
- Tojinbo Line section fares ·
- Official JR return timetable/fare search for 14 October 2026 ·
- Official JR return timetable/fare search for 15 October 2026 ·
- Two nights B: rechecked weekday Tojinbo rail/bus connections ·
- Official JR return timetable/fare search for 18 October 2026 ·
- Three nights A: free shuttle timetable for both directions ·
- Official JR date-specific return search for 16 October 2026 ·
- Echizen Railway 1 April 2026 timetable: onsen to Fukui ·
- Echizen Railway station coin-locker locations, sizes and fees ·
- Official Awara Grand Hotel access ·
- Official Awara Grand Hotel check-in/check-out guidance ·
- Official JR date-specific return search for 3 November 2026 ·
- Official JR date-specific return search for 7 November 2026 ·
- Dinosaur Museum November calendar: checked next-month view ·
- Four nights A: weekend shuttle timetable for 7 November ·
- Four nights A: weekday Tojinbo return connections for 6 November ·
- Echizen Railway day pass, dinosaur transport set and onsen accommodation pass ·
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: eating Echizen/oroshi soba ·
- Official Katsuyama camera list: detailed views unconfirmed ·
- Dinosaur Museum permanent exhibitions ·
- Official Fukui guide to the Eiheiji worship route ·
- Ichijodani museum exhibitions ·