Which Fukui attractions should I visit?
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.
Attraction fees, hours and access
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
福井県立恐竜博物館
Give the Dinosaur Museum a day if you want a close look at large dinosaur skeletons and fossils. The permanent exhibitions also explore Earth and the history of life. Buy a dated, timed ticket in advance and plan your rail and bus connections around it.
- Admission, excluding special exhibitionsGeneral exhibitions cost 1,000 yen for adults, 800 for high-school/university students, 500 for elementary/junior-high students and visitors aged 70+. Preschool children enter free. Special exhibitions and the outdoor museum are separate.
- Hours, closures and ticketsOpen 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Normally closed on the second/fourth Wednesday and 31 December–1 January; check the calendar for public-holiday, summer and other exceptions. Book your visit date and entry slot in advance.
- Rail, bus and 2026 faresFrom Fukui, take the Echizen Railway Katsuyama Eiheiji Line to its Katsuyama terminus, then transfer to a museum-bound bus. Official journey times of about one hour by rail and 15 minutes by bus exclude waits and transfers. The D Line in the 1 April 2026 bus timetable runs on museum opening days. Katsuyama–museum buses cost 300 yen one way for adults and 200 for children; Echizen Railway Fukui–Katsuyama costs 820 yen one way for adults. The C Line has different operating conditions and stops, so check your chosen service.
- October and November park access restrictionsPark traffic restrictions and temporary shuttles are announced for 11 October and 22 November 2026. Check temporary shuttle and car-park access guidance first if visiting on either date.
- What to seePermanent exhibitions feature dinosaur skeletons, fossils and the history of Earth and life.
Museum fees and opening informationEntry slots and feesBus and car-park accessRail and bus connectionsCurrent Katsuyama rail faresDinosaur Museum permanent exhibitions
Eiheiji
Eiheiji Temple永平寺
Choose Eiheiji for a leisurely visit through temple buildings and grounds. Follow the worship route through buildings linked by corridors. There are indoor stairs; experiences such as zazen have separate conditions and fees.
- Worship admissionOrdinary admission costs 700 yen for adults and 300 yen for elementary and junior-high students; preschool children enter free. Zazen and overnight experiences have separate conditions and fees, so check their own guidance.
- Worship hoursOpen 08:30–16:30, with arrival advised by 16:00. Check any event-related restrictions for your visit date.
- Stairs and strollersThere are indoor stairs, and guidance says strollers cannot be brought inside. Ask the temple about accessible visiting areas if anyone in your party has difficulty with stairs.
- Eiheiji Liner: 2026 fares and entranceTake the Eiheiji Liner from Fukui’s east-side stand 1 to Eiheiji. Fares revised on 1 October 2026 are 1,000 yen one way for adults and 500 for children. It runs daily without seat reservations; full buses cannot take more passengers. Fukui’s official tourism guidance gives about a five-minute walk from the stop to the worship entrance.
- What to seeFollow the worship route through corridor-linked temple buildings and grounds. It does not give access to every training area.
Official temple visiting guidanceLiner timetable and faresWalking directions to the templeOfficial Fukui guide to the Eiheiji worship route
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 to learn about life in the former castle town. Walking the reconstructed townscape requires travelling to a different location, so plan it separately from the museum exhibitions.
- Admission, excluding special exhibitionsOrdinary admission is 700 yen for adults, 400 for high-school students, 200 for elementary/junior-high students and 350 for visitors aged 70+. Special exhibitions are extra. A combined museum/townscape ticket is also listed; check its price, validity and whether it can be used on different days before buying. Trip-length costs use ordinary individual admission.
- Hours and closuresOpen 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Check the visit-date calendar for Monday, New Year and temporary closures.
- JR and the walk from the stationFrom Fukui, take the JR Etsumi-Hoku (Kuzuryu) Line to Ichijodani and walk to the museum. Official guidance gives about 15 minutes by rail and three minutes on foot. Check Fukui-bound trains for your return.
- 2026 weekend/public-holiday shuttleA free Karamon-bound shuttle is listed for Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 4 April to 29 November 2026. Check official museum access guidance separately for weekday transport.
- What to seeExcavated objects and reconstructed exhibits illustrate life in the former castle town.
Museum hours and admissionMuseum accessIchijodani museum exhibitions
Ichijodani reconstructed townscape
Reconstructed Townscape of Ichijodani一乗谷朝倉氏遺跡 復原町並
Walk between samurai residences and artisans’ houses reconstructed from excavated stone walls and building foundations. Displays inside recreate daily life using excavated evidence. This is a different location from the Site Museum; the free shuttle runs on specified weekends/public holidays.
- Museum or reconstructed townscape?The reconstructed houses and streets are separate from the museum galleries. Choose transport between them if visiting both.
- Ordinary admissionAdmission costs 330 yen for ages 15+. Check visit-date guidance for group rates, concessions and temporary restrictions.
- Hours and closed datesOpen 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Closed 28 December–4 January.
- Weekend shuttle and your stopOne option is the free shuttle on weekends/public holidays from 4 April to 29 November 2026; get off at the reconstructed townscape stop (復原町並). Capacity is 24, with guided-tour participants prioritised; check on-site instructions. Follow entrance signs from the stop and allow time for tickets and queues. This shuttle does not run on weekdays.
- What to seeSamurai residences and artisans’ houses were reconstructed from excavated stone walls and foundations. Indoor displays recreate life at the time based on excavated objects.
Fukui City townscape guidanceCurrent townscape hours and fees2026 free Ichijodani weekend shuttle timetable
Tojinbo
Tojinbo Cliffs東尋坊
See column-like rocky cliffs and sea views at Tojinbo. Walk along the coast according to weather and on-site access guidance. Transfer to a bus at Mikuni; check sightseeing-boat operation separately on the day.
- Rail, bus and the coastal walkTake the Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line from Fukui towards Mikuni and get off there. Transfer to a Tojinbo-bound Keifuku bus, then walk about five minutes from Tojinbo stop. Official tourism guidance gives about 50 minutes by rail and 10 minutes by bus, excluding waits.
- Coastal walk, boats and distinct stationsCoastal walks are separate from paid boats and viewing facilities. Boat services depend on weather and sea conditions; check operation on the day before choosing a trip. Mikuni, Mikuni-Minato and Awara Onsen stations are different boarding points.
- Posted timetable revision and section faresThe currently posted weekday connection timetable was revised on 1 October 2024. Adult one-way fares are 780 yen for Fukui–Mikuni rail, 280 for Mikuni Station–Tojinbo bus and 570 for Tojinbo–Awara-Yunomachi bus. Check your departure station and bus direction. Use the separate weekend/public-holiday timetable and check visit-date service changes.
- Coastal scenerySee column-like rocky cliffs and the sea. Follow weather and on-site access guidance when walking.
Official Fukui tourism transport guidanceBoat operator access guidanceCurrent operator list for the Tojinbo LineRail operator weekday return connectionsOfficial Mikuni station fare tableTojinbo Line section faresTojinbo Line weekday timetable
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit the Dinosaur Museum without booking?
The normal procedure is to buy a dated, timed ticket in advance. Museum ticket machines sell same-day tickets only when capacity remains, so do not set out relying on buying there. Special exhibitions, fossil research activities and the outdoor museum have different ticket types and purchase deadlines.
Are the Dinosaur Museum and Tojinbo on the same railway line?
The museum uses the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line; Tojinbo uses the Mikuni Awara Line. Check separate return connections for each direction if visiting both.
Rail and bus connectionsOfficial Fukui tourism transport guidance
Sources and check dates
- Liner timetable and fares ·
- Walking directions to the temple ·
- Rail and bus connections ·
- Entry slots and fees ·
- Bus and car-park access ·
- Museum access ·
- Museum hours and admission ·
- Museum fees and opening information ·
- Official temple visiting guidance ·
- Fukui City townscape guidance ·
- Official Fukui tourism transport guidance ·
- Boat operator access guidance ·
- Current operator list for the Tojinbo Line ·
- Rail operator weekday return connections ·
- Official Mikuni station fare table ·
- Current Katsuyama rail fares ·
- Current townscape hours and fees ·
- 2026 free Ichijodani weekend shuttle timetable ·
- Tojinbo Line section fares ·
- Tojinbo Line weekday timetable ·
- Dinosaur Museum permanent exhibitions ·
- Official Fukui guide to the Eiheiji worship route ·
- Ichijodani museum exhibitions ·