Despite Echizen being located along the Sea of Japan, it has convenient access to the surrounding major cities.

From Kyoto
Board the Thunderbird Limited Express from Kyoto Station that travels directly to Takefu Station, taking approximately one hour and 13 minutes (4,700 yen o/w).

From Tokyo
Board the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo Station and get off at Maibara Station, taking approximately two hours. Change lines to the Shirasagi Limited Express and get off at Takefu Station, taking a further hour. The total journey costs 14,890 yen o/w.

From Nagoya
Board the Shirasagi Limited Express from Nagoya Station, which will take you directly to Takefu Station, taking just over two hours (5,810 yen o/w).

The day started by arriving at Echizen at 11 a.m. However, before we started exploring the area, we indulged in one of Echizen’s most well-known local foods, Echizen soba - a unique buckwheat noodle traditionally served with grated radish. The region's ideal climate and water conditions make it perfect for growing buckwheat, often ground on traditional millstones to preserve its rich flavor. This results in a darker color and a more robust taste.

Over 160 years ago, primarily as a lacquer-making enterprise, Urushiya began serving soba after the owner, influenced by a complaint from a visiting Kabuki actor, decided to craft delicious soba at home. Notably, the restaurant gained popularity in 1947 when Emperor Showa dined there during his visit to Fukui, prompting the rising fame of Echizen soba. With a reservation, you can dine in this same room.

Urushiya takes pride in its homemade flour, handcrafted soba, and locally sourced ingredients, emphasizing its commitment to Echizen's produce. Alongside soba, the restaurant offers Kaiseki dishes and various a la carte options, all amidst a decor showcasing Echizen's cultural legacy through washi paper, Kawada lacquerware, and Echizen ceramics.

A boxed lunch (3,500 yen tax incl.) from Urushiya includes an assortment of delectable dishes, such as Sesame Tofu, Nanbanzuke (grilled white fish), Kabocha Somen (pumpkin somen noodles with a sashimi-like texture), Lotus Lentil with Japanese Vinegar (featuring a plum-like, refreshing flavor), Saikyo Grilled Silver Cod, Umani Shrimp, Kamisho Taro Stew (a sweet boiled fish dish), Mochifu (mochi-like in a leaf, delicately sweet), and Grilled Mackerel Sushi (a house specialty).

The Echizen soba is served with a dipping sauce made from mustard radish and sauce, offering a boldly spicy flavor, best enjoyed by dipping half the noodles at a time.

One of Echizen’s most famous monozukuri (manufacturing) traditions is Echizen washi - a type of paper made from inner bark and plant fibers (we’ll get more into the crafting process later on). Its superior quality, beauty, and versatility means that it is used for much more than just writing paper, such as arts and crafts, traditional sliding doors, and furnishings for houses and temples. Echizen is currently among the largest producers of washi in Japan, with approximately 67 paper mills in use.

To get an insight into the origins of Echizen washi, we visited Okata Otaki Shrine. Legend has it that 1500 years ago, Princess Kawakami Gozen, descended from the mountains and taught the villagers how to make Japanese washi paper from plants called Kozo (mulberry).

According to local folklore, she mysteriously disappeared in the Okamoto River, birthing her name Kawa (river) and Kami (god), and was never to be seen again. She was subsequently enshrined as the Goddess of Paper at Okamoto Shrine, which was built in 1843 by Okubo Kanzaemon and is now designated as an Important Cultural Property.

Originally, Okamoto Shrine coexisted with Otakiji Temple, but in 1868, the government announced Shinbutsu Bunri, a decree to separate Shinto from Buddhism. Otakiji was renamed Otaki Shrine and is now referred to as Okamoto-Otaki Shrine.

Today, the shrine hosts various significant events, including the Shikinen Grand Festival, held every 33 years; the Goshinki Festival, held once every 50 years; and the spring festival known as the God and Paper Festival, a tribute aiming to safeguard the spiritual essence of the artisans in the region, held annually in May.

After learning about the origins of washi, it was time to get up close and learn about how to make the prestigious paper. The Udatsu Paper & Craft Museum provides an immersive journey into the traditional process, showcasing the dedicated artistry behind the revered Japanese paper.

To enter the museum, there is an entrance fee of 300 yen for adults and 200 yen for children. The house is said to be built in 1748 and used to belong to the family of Nishino Heiemon, a paper maker who lived and worked in what is now Echizen City.

In more recent times, the museum has started offering a hands-on workshop making washi, under the guidance of the local artisans. For 8,800 yen (tax incl.) you can learn and practice the washi making process and then make your own to take home.

The craftswoman showed us how to make washi paper using traditional ingredients and methods.

The main materials used are kozo, mitsumata Japanese honeywort, and gampi (a type of deciduous shrub), which grows naturally but is difficult to cultivate.

The inner bark of the trees is used and depending on what you want to make, cook the white or green bark for two to three hours to soften it.

Remove any debris or dust and pound with a wooden stick or mallet to loosen. This will separate the fibers and make them stringy.

The fibers are added to water and thickened with a liquid called tororo aoi, an okra-based root.

The wooden frame is then dipped in the water mixture three times to make the washi paper.

The paper is then spread out on a ginkgo board to dry.

The next stop was a local washi factory to get a further insight into the artisanal paper. Haruo Yanase took over his father’s washi business, Yanase Washi, which has been a long-established business in Echizen. He is an integral part of Echizen’s washi industry and is often involved in the annual festivals for Kawakami Gozen throughout the town.

The family run business creates a wide range of washi for all different kinds of uses, from fusuma and shoji sliding doors to tapestries and various accessories.

Yanase Washi has no physical shop where you can buy their items so you have to order online. To get an experience of how their products are made, you can visit their shop and watch how the washi is made. You can also take part in a workshop, where you can make an A3 washi for 4,000 yen (tax incl.). It takes approximately 30 minutes to dry so you can take it home with you on the same day.

For dinner, we dined at Sushi Toyo, a renowned family-owned restaurant highly regarded in Echizen. The current head chef, now in the second generation, is currently training his 24-year-old son in the meticulous art of sushi preparation. They shared insights into the time-intensive journey of mastering sushi, highlighting that it takes around two to three years to learn the art, with an additional apprenticeship of seven to eight years focusing on fish preparation.

Fukui prefecture has access to some of Japan’s finest seafood due to its natural surroundings. Its location, near the center of the sea of Japan coast, along with four major fishing ports means that seafood can be caught, prepared and eaten, all in a few hours. The harsh waves in the Sea of Japan also help the fish to develop firm meat with delicious fat.

The initial course presented to us was a stunning box brimming with a variety of Fukui’s and Japan’s finest seafood. It included kazunoko (herring roe), ara (sawedged perch) in ponzu sauce, uni (sea urchin) from Hokkaido that is said to be enjoyable even for those who don't favor urchin, otoro (fatty tuna) that was incredibly creamy, and thick soy-marinated tuna.

On to the sushi, first was shrimp, topped with sweetly simmered minced shiitake mushrooms, adding a deep umami flavor so soy sauce was not needed.

Next was the ara but this time with a refreshing sudachi citrus flavor and a light brush of homemade sauce.

A whole host of other mesmerizing pieces of sushi came our way, including a medium fatty tuna called Modori-gatsuo. We indulge in some snow crab and unagi (eel), with the meal climaxing with a nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) rice bowl. It was served as ochazuke (rice with green tea) but used their housemade dashi instead. The fish was grilled till the skin was crispy and the flesh was glistening and tender. It was all topped with a mix of carrots, red koji, spinach, paprika and seaweed, in the style of furikake (rice seasoning).

Around the grounds of Eiheiji Temple, Echizen's most notorious temple, is Hakujukan, an inn that inspires you to be “intimate with zen.” At Hakujukan, there are 18 rooms, each offering views over the Eiheiji River and the lively city around the gates.

It has a mixture of a traditional ryokan (Japanese inn) style mixed with contemporary influences.

In collaboration with Fukui Prefecture, Eiheiji Temple built Hakujukan for the reconstruction of the temple town (as the shops were old, and there weren't many places to stay). They perceive it as a second ground for proselytizing (serving as an entrance for those who find Eiheiji Temple itself a bit daunting).

To start off the day, we indulged in Hakujukan’s Breakfast, which is inspired by Shojin Ryori - the traditional dining style of Buddhist monks in Japan. Dogen, a Buddhist scholar who introduced Soto Zen to Japan after practicing in China, established the neighboring Eiheiji Temple and Shojin Ryori. Buddhist tradition states that it is forbidden to eat animals as it is said to cloud the mind.

At Hakujukan, they carry this tradition forward by creating a plant based meal, respecting all ingredients as life and treated with the utmost respect. For example, the dashi is made from vegetable waste scraps, making sure nothing goes to waste.

The kobachi (small bowls), consisted of sesame tofu topped with miso sauce, spicy radish, sweet and spicy boiled eggplant, sesame dressed turnip, sauteed and simmered kelp, simmered hijiki seaweed and Japanese pickles. Each bowl was simple in terms of the ingredients but the way they were prepared and cooked allowed their natural flavors to shine.

On the side, there were two daimono (larger dishes) of simmered Atsuage Tofu and Awa-fu daikon and carrot. These warmer dishes contrasted beautifully with the kobachi and added a deeper and richer flavor from the dashi.

Finally, no meal is complete without some rice. We had okayu (rice poridge), which came with an (sweet red bean paste), adding a slight sweetness and earthiness.

After returning to the room, it was time to relax and unwind with some calligraphy with the fude (brush) pen and paper provided in the hotel room.

We also had just enough time to explore the surrounding area around Hakujukan.

With still plenty left to explore of Echizen’s cultural and artisanal history, we checked out of the hotel at 10 AM and started exploring the neighboring Eiheiji Temple.

Eiheiji Temple features a symbolic layout representing the meditating Shakyamuni Buddha. The temple complex includes the Hodo (lecture hall), symbolizing the Buddha's head; the Sodo (meal and sleeping hall) as the heart; the Daikuin (kitchen and treasury) on the east; and the Yokushitsu and Tosu (baths and toilets) on the west. The Butsudo (Buddha hall) acts as the heart.

Visitors can admire the complex's harmonious blend of stunning architecture and nature, especially during October and November when the autumn leaves create a colorful spectacle.

Eiheiji Temple hosts 88 practicing monks and 31 guides, with training durations determined by the master's acknowledgment. Prospective trainees need a letter of introduction or recommendation, with occasional individuals from overseas temples or sent by Japanese masters to Eiheiji.

After exploring Echizen’s most famous temple, it was time for some lunch. Around a 40 minute drive from Eiheiji Temple is Bistro Un run by owner Taiga Takada. Before moving to Fukui, Takada was working in the food and beverage industry in Tokyo as a manager of a bistro and tempura restaurant. During his numerous trips to the area, he became fascinated by the traditional crafts, stunning array of ingredients, and bountiful nature. All of this combined, with his newborn son, convinced him to move, before opening Bistro Un in May 2020.

His goal was to tackle the issue of Fukui’s low popularity as a tourist destination and to create a place that can only be experienced in Fukui.

Utilizing local Fukui vegetables and seafood, Takada has created an environment where you can live, breathe, and eat Fukui.

While the menu changes depending on the season and ingredients available, we were able to enjoy some Thai carpaccio and beef harami (skirt steak), with roasted onion and red wine sauce.

One of the highlights was the arrabbiata, with handmade pasty, creating a delightful, chewy texture.

Finally, the meal concluded with an indulgent dark, gateau chocolat with a cup of coffee.

Kamani Besso is originally a ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurant) founded in 1873. Here they use Kyoto cuisine techniques combined with local Fukui ingredients, creating a luxurious dining experience. To provide a deeper and unique Japanese experience to its guests, Kamani Besso has announced plans to expand its services and sell Japanese cultural experiences.

The plan is to operate as a small auberge, with two small rooms, with an anticipated range of 100,000 yen per night. Included are special activities such as a tea ceremony and many other cultural activities. Further information is set to be announced in the spring of 2024 but we were allowed early access to their proposed tea ceremony experience.

The tea ceremony experience involves a thin tea known as usucha, which is commonly used for tea ceremonies. The tea ceremony originated during the era of the samurai and acted as a way of proving that there was no poison in the tea and was drinkable.

During the ceremony, a fukusa (cloth) tucked into the obi belt is used for cleaning utensils and is believed to purify the mind. Different colors are used by women (red or orange) and men (purple), signifying ranks, with purple indicating the highest nobility according to the Twelve Levels of Cap Rank by Prince Shotoku.

The traditional tea gathering lasts around four hours and might incorporate a meal, with the usucha served at the end. The way of tea, resembling seated meditation in Buddhism (zazen), is performed by tea practitioners. This connection is echoed in the room through scroll paintings adorned with Zen phrases written in exquisite calligraphy.

While Echizen is most famous for its washi, the knives of Ryusen Hamono have gained global recognition, even having been awarded the “Good Design Award” on numerous occasions, amongst numerous other accolades.

The family business, marking its 70th anniversary in 2023, began as a blade manufacturer and now produces complete knives. With eight artisans overseeing 25 production steps, they source steel from the historic Takefu Steel, renowned for 700 years in knife making.

Each blade is hand-forged using stainless steel at an ideal temperature (around 900°C) to prevent steel deformation. Employing a technique from Echizen, they then layer two knives to halve the thickness.

Next, they carefully control the steel's quenching in a salt bath, managing heating time, retention, cooling rate, and temperature.

Drawing from generational knowledge, the artisans follow precise methods for blade polishing, a tradition passed down from the late Hiroshi Masutani, a 65-year veteran blade polisher. This process creates distinctive patterns like Damascus steel and Ryusen's elegant ripples.

Finally, the handles are individually crafted to ensure ergonomic design, enhancing ease of use, hygiene, and durability.

You can find the knives made at Ryusen Hamono at various overseas stores, which you can find on their website.

The final stop on our two-day adventure was Shitsurindo, a lacquerware shop that was established in 1794 and is currently in its eighth generation.

Echizen is renowned for its lacquerware, a tradition dating back 1,500 years, initially focused on crafting arms and Buddhist tools but now primarily centered on tableware. Urushi (lacquer) necessitates high humidity for setting, prompting many production sites to be located on the rainy Japan Sea side.

Japanese utensils and tableware often feature patterns and artwork, considered an integral part of the dining experience, reflecting the season and surrounding environment. Black bowls signify Buddhist elements, while red tableware is reserved for celebrations. The inclusion of lids in lacquerware adds an element of surprise and helps in maintaining content temperature.

Utilizing brushes made from stiff hair and costing around 100,000 yen each, artisans use these brushes, which have a lifespan of about 20 years due to annual hair trimming. Interestingly, only two Edo craftsmen in Tokyo produce these brushes.

During the lacquering process, a broad brush applies the initial coat, followed by a thinner brush reaching closer to the bottom due to the bowl's parabolic shape. After the interior is finished in red, the rim is meticulously wiped to reveal a neat black border.

Echizen’s artisans and traditions date back to over a thousand years ago and have since made it a core city in Japan’s monozukuri production. The two-day trip was fascinating and offered a deep insight into the area’s history, culture and lifestyle. If you are interested in learning and experiencing firsthand about traditional Japanese craftsmanship and artisanal goods, then Echizen is well worth a visit.