The City of Fukui became important when the Asakura Clan built their castle in the city. Fukui has a long and rich history that is evident in the surroundings. It is also in a place of great natural beauty. The Port of Fukui surrounds the Asuwa River which is lined with about 600 beautiful cherry trees that are in full bloom from early to mid-April. Visitors to the Port of Fukui will not want to miss these sights.

The Eiheiji Temple was founded in 1244 by Zen Master Dogen. About 15 kilometers outside the Port of Fukui, the Eiheiji Temple is home for training in the Soto Zen tradition, and the building is a wonderful example of the blending of architecture and nature. Visitors can tour the monastery and stay overnight for a fee of from eight- to three-thousand yen.

The Port of Fukui’s Maruoka Castle is one of the oldest existing castles in Japan. Built in 1576, only the central tower remains. The grounds are used by city residents for festivals and parades. The keep was leveled by the 1948 earthquake, but it was rebuilt in 1955 using mostly original materials. The keep is a three-story structure of wood with a stone tile roof. At the bottom of the hill is a history museum that tells the story of the castle and the lords who lived there. It is also called the Mist Castle after a legend that says a thick mist appears to hide the castle when an enemy approaches. The Maruoka Castle can be found near the cherry trees.

Tojinbo is a wonderful natural setting in the Echizen Kaga Coastline Quasi-National Park. This rugged high 30-meter high cliff is about a kilometer long. The cliff is columnar jointing, a rare geological form of huge hexagonal and pentagonal columns of rock formed by waves. These formations exist in only three places in the world (the other two are in Korea and Norway). Tojinbo has been designated a national Natural Monument.

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