Fukui in Hokuriku: Experience the Boundless Elegance of Japanese Traditional Beauty

Braving the piercing cold wind, we stepped into Mitsugoshi-za, and despite wearing thick coats, we felt as if we had suddenly arrived in the sunny southern hemisphere. Mitsugoshi-za can be considered the cultural birthplace of the Mitsugoshi area in Sakai City. This small theater offers various performance opportunities, but the most recommended thing here is their delicious hamburgers. The "Mitsugoshi Burger" served on the plate resembles a small tower—crafted from a perfectly proportioned blend of locally raised Fukui beef and domestic pork, topped with the area’s signature spicy leeks, juicy fresh vegetables, and drenched in a generous homemade BBQ sauce. Just looking at it makes your mouth water, let alone tasting it when all these flavors meld perfectly in your mouth. Another must-try is the shrimp paste cream croquette burger made with live shrimp from the area.

After happily filling our stomachs, it’s inevitable to take a post-meal stroll and admire the nostalgic charm of old-town Mitsugoshi. Located at the mouth of the Kuzuryu River, Mitsugoshi was a key transportation hub in the Echizen region, especially with the flourishing cargo shipping trade that contributed to the prosperity of this commercial center and led to the rise of many affluent merchant families—one of them being the Morita family. Originally in the shipping business, the Moritas successfully transitioned into banking and finance in the mid-Meiji era. The former head office of Morita Bank, built in 1920 (Taisho 9), is a Western-style reinforced concrete building designed in classical European architecture. It is not only the oldest surviving building of its kind in Fukui Prefecture but was also designated as a tangible cultural property by the national government in 1999 (Heisei 11). The intricate plaster ceiling carvings and ivory inlays inside are truly breathtaking, and the 7-meter-long solid beech wood counter hints at the family's opulence.

 

Mitsugoshi also offers another fashionable café where you can leisurely enjoy afternoon tea—Mitsugoshi-za Café. A blend of rustic traditional Japanese architecture with colorful pop-style chairs creates an oddly unique and beautiful aesthetic. The wooden window looks out onto the Echizen Railway Mitsugoshi Port Station, where just two single-car trains pass by each hour. Since opening last year, it has attracted many train enthusiasts who come just to admire the trains up close. The café manager recommends the corner upstairs as the best spot with the widest view and perfect photo angles. Here, you can sip a steaming cup of delicious coffee, savor exquisitely crafted fruit desserts, and enjoy the wait as trains glide by.

Stepping out of Mitsugoshi-za Café, you’ll discover another hidden gem—a seafood shop and restaurant specializing in Echizen seafood called “Kaneno-bo.” Bright red Echizen crabs are seen crawling aggressively on the second floor, easily noticeable even from afar. The main reason for the incredible freshness and flavor is the live fish delivered daily from fishing boats returning to Mitsugoshi Port at night. The sharp-eyed owner always picks out the highest quality catch, making the Echizen crabs, sweet shrimp, sea urchins, and even dried fish at Kaneno-bo incredibly delicious.

 

The business-savvy owner also runs a ryokan (Japanese inn) where you can enjoy Echizen crabs and soak in hot springs—“Bouyourou.” Nestled beside the famous natural beauty of Tojinbo Cliffs, the inn has just 10 rooms, and its small yet refined size is its greatest charm. Adorable dolls, ornaments, and antiques are placed throughout the property. Both the private open-air baths in the guest rooms and the large public bath allow you to listen to the roaring waves of the Sea of Japan crashing against the rocks. Soaking in the “bijin-tou” (beauty hot spring), which has a slightly salty taste that relieves muscle fatigue and enhances skin beauty, is the ultimate indulgence. The multi-layered experience of delicious food, stunning scenery, and therapeutic baths is no wonder it attracted Matsudaira Shungaku, the lord of the Fukui Domain, who frequented the best room, “Matsukaze,” to entertain guests.

The Echizen Washi Village, composed of the “Utsuwa Craft Museum” and the “Papyrus Museum,” allows you to explore the 1,500-year history of washi (traditional Japanese paper) with your eyes and hands. Especially at the Utsuwa Craft Museum, master artisans demonstrate the process live—removing dust and impurities from boiled tree bark fibers, repeatedly beating them, and then adding liquid from the roots of hibiscus manihot, which acts like glue, to create the basic pulp. But turning this into delicate and soft washi paper involves several more complex hand processes such as couching to set the paper, pressing to remove excess moisture, and air-drying naturally. These washi papers, made using traditional methods, do not fade, tear, or get damaged by insects even after a hundred years. As a result, before the digitization of stocks in 2009, 95% of publicly listed stocks in Japan were printed on Echizen washi. At the Papyrus Museum, under the guidance of artisans, you can make your own washi paper—from couching the pulp to designing patterns and rapid drying. In just half an hour, you can take home a one-of-a-kind Echizen washi creation. Precisely because ancient paper was so hard to come by, a Japanese gift shop called “Kyomise” was born. The cheerful 18th-generation shop owner, Mr. Hashimoto, explained that while his ancestors originally made mirrors, they later became involved in high-end paper-related businesses and gradually developed into a specialty store selling items for betrothal gifts, celebrations, and festive occasions. Upon inquiry, he revealed that Japanese red envelopes (for money gifts) are quite surprising—white envelopes tied with gold, silver, or colored threads in auspicious patterns like pine, bamboo, plum, turtle, and crane. You can instantly tell how much money is inside just by looking at the knot decorations.