1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Fukui's Stunning Cliffs, Spiritual Island and Historical Port

The Coast of the Sea of Japan has so much variety, from the beautiful golden beaches to beautifully treacherous cliffs. Tojinbo and the northwest area of Fukui is widely known for its dramatic cliffs, interesting rock formations and its sacred island. On this tour you will get a chance to fully experience this area as well as go to a historically prosperous port, Mikuni Port. Enjoy walking along the coast, exploring an uninhabited island, seeing the great cliffs and visiting National Heritage Site temples and shrines. Connect with the sea in this dive into the beauty of the scenery of the coast.

Highlights

• Walk around Echizen Matsushima and the unique rock formations that include a hidden temples in the surrounded by the rough ocean waves

• Explore Oshima, an island that has been seen as a spiritual center for over a thousand year, by crossing the Oshima Bridge that stretches grandly for about a kilometer

• See the stunning Tojinbo Cliffs that often appear in older Japanese movies, and climb them in certain areas if you like

• Discover Mikuni Port, the former bustling port of Fukui prefecture with many Japan Heritage Sites such as beautiful temples and a wealthy merchant’s impressive home

*For those looking to join the tour from Tokyo, please see the FAQ Section below

Description

This tour will start at Kanazawa Station at 9:00 A.M., where your guide will meet you in front of the Information Center near the Shinkansen Ticket Gates. You will have the opportunity to put your belongings in a coin locker at the station as well if you feel the need.

Once we everyone is together we will get on the Shinkansen and head to Awara Onsen Station. After arriving we will hop on a short bus to the first stop of the day, Echizen Matsushima.

This is the start of some of the best rock formations. We will head down some stairs to get to sea level where you can walk around the area. The sound of the crashing waves as you search for the hidden shrine among the rocks creates the perfect mood for the beginning of our adventure. 

After enjoying the many small islands and the walkway that connects them we will walk along the coastline as we head towards the next destination. There are places to stop and have more interesting views of the area where we just came from and where we are headed.

The giant red bridge is easy to see from any direction and it is the entryway to Oshima, the sacred island. Oshima is also called the island of the gods. Long ago, in the distant past, it was seen as a special and mythical place. It was protected from development and has always been much like it is now. There are only a few buildings on the island: the shrine, the lighthouse and the former home for the lighthouse worker. Feel the magic as you cross the 224m bridge onto this island and walk through the large wild cinnamon tree grove in the center.

We’ll hop on a short bus to give our legs a rest before arriving at the Tojinbo area. This is a popular tourist spot for Japanese tourists and is fairly well built up. Shortly following arrival we’ll break for lunch. Feel free to find your food or ask your guide for recommendations. Once lunch is finished we will meet up and walk around the area to see the Tojinbo Cliffs. These tower over the rough Sea of Japan water, with waves constantly crashing in the tough rocks. There are places to descend to near the water’s edge and get a different point of view of the area. Feel free to walk around and find all the interesting angles of the rocks, ocean and surrounding natural beauty.

Mikuni Port was the most important port for Echizen, northern Fukui, for over 300 years. All the rivers in this large region flow through this port, making it a connection point for everyone in the area. In the more modern area, it is still used as a port but maintains many of the old buildings and culture that it had during its most thriving period in the late 1800’s. There are wealthy merchant homes, temples and shrines that are all registered as National Heritage Sites. There are surprisingly a lot of hidden gems in the once bustling port. 

After really exploring Mikuni Port, we will get on a local train and begin our journey back. But, before heading all the way back, there is some time during the transfer at Awara-no-yu Station to get a nice footbath. This area is a popular onsen town so this is only a taste of what it offers. Come back if you do the onsen in this town for real! There will be a short bus ride to Awara Onsen Station before heading to back to where it all started, Kanazawa Station. If there is anything you have a question about or just want recommendations, don’t hesitate to ask your guide!

TOUR MEETUP POINT

1 / KANAZAWA STATION @ 8:45 A.M.

The meetup point is outside of the Shinkansen ticket gates, in front of the information center. If you are heading out from the gates, look forward and to the right and you will see a large ‘?’ inside of a circle, which is the sign under which we will be meeting. For those coming from outside the station, you will find this sign immediately inside of the East Entrance of Kanazawa Station. You may wait nearby there until the tour begins at 8:45 A.M. Be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag.

NOTES

Included

• English speaking guide
• Transportation to and from all places during the tour

Excluded

• Lunch
• Accommodation

Other Information

• This tour involves several hours of walking in the outdoors. We recommend that you wear shoes and clothes which are easy to walk in. Please check the weather forecast before you head to the meetup point and prepare an umbrella or rain coat if necessary.

• In winter the temperatures will be below 10℃ at the high , and in the morning and evening may be close to or below 0℃. Please wear warm clothing and footwear appropriate for snowy and cold conditions. There may also be snow and ice on the road/sidewalk, and so you should take care to not slip by preparing the correct shoes for such conditions.

• There will be free time along the way for guests to enjoy the locations at their own pace. However, please make sure that you are at the respective meetup points at the time stated by your guide. If you get lost or need assistance, feel free to call the number which is listed on your tour pass, and our staff will assist you immediately.