Immerse Yourself in Japan's Excellence: The Fukui Wellness Tour - Food, Sake, Zen, Hot Springs, and Culture (day 2)

Update-Date: Jun 3, 2025

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Immerse Yourself in Japan's Excellence: The Fukui Wellness Tour - Food, Sake, Zen, Hot Springs, and Culture (day 2)

Fukui Prefecture has been gaining attention from Japan and the world at large before the opening of the new Fukui Shinkansen in spring 2024. More and more overseas tourists can be seen here. In the Wellness Tour that tours Zen, food, and hot springs, interpretation guide services and English menus are being prepared to warmly welcome these guests. The highlights of Fukui, with its warm and welcoming atmosphere, are introduced here in this 1-night, 2-day model course.

Circular Awara Hot Spring Morning Yoga Experience: guests can rest their bodies, adjusted by yoga, in a hot spring.

Guests stayed in Awara Hot Spring, a hot spring town that is the pride of Fukui. This hot spring town features rich and expensive rural scenery. However, in the past, a hot spring suddenly gushed up when people were digging wells in the rice paddies, and in 1884, the land was reclaimed. It draws water from up to 74 sources. One feature of this town is that each ryokan inn has its own private hot spring source.

Day 2: Food, Sake, Zen, Hot Springs, Culture. Fully experience the excellence of Japan - Fukui Wellness Tour

A person's body, stiffened by the cold, will loosen up with time while practicing yoga.

Guests can experience yoga at the traditional crafts building in front of Awara-Yunomachi Station on mornings when they wake up early. For 30 minutes, guests can spend luxurious time facing their inner selves.

Lessons are offered in English and Japanese.

After loosening up their bodies with yoga, guests can soak in the footbaths and circulate the inside of their bodies. Ashiyu in front of the plaza can be used by anyone free of charge, and the hot springs directly flow from water sources. There are 5 varieties of bathtubs, all made with Japanese cypress, that each have different water temperatures, letting guests find a suitable temperature for themselves.

Ashiyu

Address: 1-203 Onsen, Awara-shi, Fukui

Oshima Island - an island of the gods that still has untouched nature.

Oshima Bridge, with its vivid and beautiful reds. Oshima Island can be seen in the distance.

On the second day, visitors will go to experience the grand nature of the Sea of Japan. Oshima is an uninhabited island that is around 2km in circumference. It is located on the Echizen Coast, just a little ways from the coast of Tojinbo. Locals call Oshima the "island of the gods," and it is a place that has been well-loved since old times.

Guides that interpret the Japanese explanations by the head shrine priest.

Go through the large torii gate at the entrance of Oshima Island and ascend the stone stairs to find the Ominato Shrine, constructed in Japan's Asuka Period. While people have lived in this region receiving the blessings of the sea since old times, it is also fraught with danger, such as bad weather when fishing, and many people have lost their lives here. Ominato is a shrine where visitors pray for safety in the sea.

The island, which can be gone around in about 40 minutes, features highlights such as the naturally created "tabular joint" rocks, uriwari water, with clear water gushing out, and the "magnet rock," which is said to make compasses go crazy. It also has a lot of untouched nature remaining, and guests can feel the energy of the earth with every step forward they take on the ground.

Oshima
Address: Anto, Mikuni-cho, Sakai-shi, Fukui

Mikuni Port - a retro townscape where history lives.

Gaze at the Mikuni Port from the Kuzuryu River.

Boats supported distribution in Japan during the Edo Period. Among these ships were the Kitamaebune, trade ships in the Sea of Japan that connected Hokkaido to Osaka. These ships entered Mikuni Port, giving the town the name "Mikuni Minato" (Minato in Japanese means port). It was a prosperous town with many people.

Old Kishina Residence, a distinctive townhouse of the period built in the Kagura style.

The Old Kishina Residence is a must-see, famous tourist spot. It is the remains of the residence of Mr. Sosuke Kishina, who managed a lumber dealing business. Here, visitors can feel the breathing of merchants who lived at the time through items such as the beautiful Seto ware toilets and the boat chests made to float to the water surface even if the boat sinks.

The corridor, which goes on vertically from the entrance, connects to the Kuzuryu River.

The indoor rooms are elegant constructions with low ceilings; the pillars and construction materials are painted Indian red; and the walls are colored clay. In this 2-story construction, 1F has the account room, tatami room, and kitchen for the store, and 2F has displayed materials by intellectuals connected to Mikuni. In addition, they have resident volunteer guides who will guide visitors to the Old Kishina Residence and Mikuni Town. Highly recommended for visiting as a base for walking around the city.

Continuous simultaneous interpretation guidance in English.

Old Kishina Residence
TEL: +81-776-82-0947
Address: 4-6-54, Kitahonmachi, Mikuni-cho, Sakai-shi, Fukui

Completed in 1920. Has an elegant exterior and interior.

The former Morita Bank Head Office, a registered tangible cultural property, is not to be missed. This reinforced concrete construction is the oldest building existing in Fukui. It was designed by the architect, Mr. Shichigoro Yamada, and the interior, based on wood and white lime plaster engravings, as well as the spacious atrium, are both truly impressive. The magnificent appearance of this building tells the story of the prosperity of the Mikuni port during this period.

Former Morita Bank Head Office

TEL: +81-776-82-0299
Address: 3-3-26, Minamihonmachi, Mikuni-cho, Sakai-shi, Fukui

A large parade float, around 6.5 meters, goes around during the Mikuni Festival, an intangible folk cultural property and one of the three major festivals in the Hokuriku region. Six of these floats are stored in the town.

Mikunien Mikuni Minato Store sells a wide range of bonsai plants, from small ones to full-blown plants. The atmosphere of the store, built in the Kagura style of the late Edo Period, which the owner personally worked on, has a real character to it.

Old House Renovated Restaurant Enjoy Mikuni French cuisine at S'A Muser.

This restaurant is located on Mikuniminato-Kitamaedori Street and was renovated from an old large wooden tools store.

A good meal is the perfect way to end a trip. S'A Muser lets guests enjoy Mikuni French cuisine, which uses copious amounts of local ingredients, mainly Mikuni's rich seafood. This restaurant is in a two-story wooden building that has the impressive atmosphere of an old shop. They also offer vegetarian options (you must consult with the restaurant 10 days before visiting).

5,500 JPY Lunch Course Example

The colorful appetizers include several foods that draw out the wonderful flavors of the ingredients themselves, including onion and bacon quiche, marinated red cabbage and lotus roots, pate de campagne, and marinated yellowtail. The main fish dish, sauteed sea bass and cod, goes well with the celeriac sauce, and the main meat dish, the meaty beef tenderloin roast, is made with red wine sauce.

Guests can enjoy soup, bread, and desserts.

S'A muser

TEL: +81-776-97-9237
Address: 4-5-31, Kitahonmachi, Mikuni-cho, Sakai-shi, Fukui

Culture and traditions were conveyed long ago. Deep and rich nature and hot springs. Wonderful food is cultivated by this nature. Visit and experience Fukui, which has many amazing things that Japan can boast to the world.

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.

Thank you for reading our article.

Our goal is to take your culinary journey to the next level by helping you find the best restaurant. With SAVOR JAPAN, you can search and make reservations for

the restaurants found in and around Fukui that fill your needs.