All the Charms of Fukui Prefecture in One City
Sakai City is a gourmet paradise home to many of Fukui Prefecture's culinary pleasures. This includes delicacies like Echizen crab from Mikuni Minato which is served to people like the Imperial Household, along with Wakasa beef, Maruoka soba noodles, deep-fried tofu, momi wakame seaweed, and lots of local sake. The city is also one of Fukui Prefecture's top tourist destinations, boasting attractions like the dynamic columnar cliffs of Tojinbo, a National Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument of Japan; Maruoka Castle, the site of one of Japan’s 12 original castle towers; and Mikuni Minato, which prospered as a port of call on the Kitamaebune shipping route, and hosting events like the Mikuni Festival in May, one of the region's three biggest festivals. In addition, Sakai City is a convenient base to explore the charms of Fukui Prefecture. It’s close to both Fukui City, the prefectural capital, and Awara Onsen, a famous hot spring town. It also offers smooth access to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, one of the world's top three dinosaur museums, and Daihonzan Eiheiji, a renowned Buddhist temple with a history of more than 700 years. Access to Sakai City from the Kanto and Koshinetsu regions also improved dramatically with the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train to Fukui Prefecture in the spring of 2024. Sakai is a warm, welcoming city promising extraordinary experiences. It’s a place that you’ll want to return to time and time again!
The Charms of Sakai City
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Tojinbo and Oshima
The view of the precipitous Tojinbo cliffs will surely take your breath away. As for Oshima, it has been revered as the island where divinity sleeps since ancient times.
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Mikuni Minato
A charming area with a retro townscape, complete with attractive townhouses and historical buildings that contain faint traces of wealthy merchants of the past.
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Maruoka Castle
Maruoka Castle is home to one of twelve castle towers across Japan that have remained intact over the years. The castle’s restoration was considered almost miraculous by many.
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Takeda
A quiet mountain village located in the easternmost part of Sakai City. In spring, this village is home to around 650 weeping cherry trees in full bloom.
Travel Itineraries
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2 Days/1 Night
Tojinbo and Mikuni Minato Course
This 2-day itinerary takes visitors to Tojinbo, one of Fukui Prefecture’s most popular tourist destinations; and Mikuni Minato, a retro town that once prospered as a port of call on the Kitamaebune trading route; along with several other fantastic spots in the area.
Couples -
2 Days/1 Night
Maruoka Castle and Eiheiji Temple Course
This course is recommended for those who want to enjoy the history and nature of Fukui Prefecture, as well as the culinary delights unique to Sakai City.
Seniors -
2 Days/1 Night
Takeda, Dinosaur Museum, Shibamasa World, and Echizen Matsushima Aquarium Course
There are many places around Sakai City that adults and children can enjoy together. Here, you can play, learn, and make lots of wonderful memories!
Families
Access
Sakai City is located in northern Fukui Prefecture, sitting between Fukui Station and Awaraonsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train, with easy access from both. Apart from trains operated by Hapi-Line Fukui and Echizen Railway that run through the city center, there are buses that regularly depart from the Maruoka Bus Terminal near Maruoka Castle, letting visitors get around the city without trouble. Sakai City is also perfect for those traveling Japan by car, with the Maruoka Interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway located in the city’s east. Komatsu Airport is also less than an hour’s drive away, as are the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and Daihonzan Eiheiji, two of Fukui’s most visited attractions.
How to Get to Sakai City
