[2025 Echizen Attraction] Travel Guide for Gotanjoji Temple (Updated May)

🌸First Impressions of Fukui🌸 Located in Japan's Hokuriku region, Fukui Prefecture is a place rich in history and natural beauty. With its ancient traditional crafts and breathtaking natural scenery, Fukui is a destination worth exploring! 🏞️Must-Visit Attractions 1. Yokokan Garden: This is a stroll garden built during the Edo period, with beautiful scenery all year round. We recommend taking a walk along the building and veranda to the pond, where you can enjoy the tranquility and elegance. 2. Mikuni Port: Located at the mouth of the Kuzuryu River, Fukui's largest river, this port has been a transportation hub since ancient times. Although it is no longer as prosperous as it once was, you can still feel the elegance of its ancient charm. 3. Gotanjoji Temple: A must-visit for cat lovers! The temple's Buddha statues are carved with cute cats, and there are many cats roaming freely around the temple grounds. While you're there, why not take home some adorable goshuin as a souvenir? 🛠️Traditional Craft Experiences In Fukui, you can try your hand at traditional crafts such as Echizen cutlery and Echizen washi paper. We recommend visiting Takefu Knife Village to buy authentic Echizen cutlery, or heading to the Udatsu Paper & Craft Museum to experience the process of making Echizen washi paper. 🍽️Food Recommendations Fukui's cuisine is not to be missed! While you may not be able to taste authentic local dishes here, you can try to find some local specialty restaurants and sample sushi wrapped in Echizen washi paper or other authentic dishes. 🏨Accommodation Suggestions We recommend staying at the Keifuku Hotel in front of Fukui Station. Located in the city center, it offers convenient transportation and is surrounded by various shops and restaurants. From the hotel, you can easily walk to several attractions. 💡Tips When planning your itinerary, remember to check the opening hours and transportation options for each attraction!

Fukui Prefecture is located in the Hokuriku region of Japan and is a tourist destination that combines natural scenery and cultural history. Whether you're interested in traditional Japanese culture or want to enjoy the natural beauty, Fukui can meet your needs. First, the Reihoku region of Fukui has many attractions worth visiting. Yokokan Garden is an Edo-period stroll garden with beautiful scenery all year round, making it a paradise for photography enthusiasts. Mikuni Port allows you to experience the elegance of ancient times, and walking around the port feels like traveling back to the Edo period. In addition, Gotanjoji Temple is a must-visit for cat lovers, as the temple's Buddha statues are carved with cats, and cats often stroll leisurely around the temple grounds. The Reinan region is famous for the beautiful scenery of the Five Lakes of Mikata and its rich seafood cuisine. You can visit the Rainbow Line Summit Park for a 360-degree view of the magnificent scenery of the Five Lakes of Mikata. Tasting the local seafood rice bowl is an experience not to be missed, with fresh catches paired with local specialty rice for an incredibly delicious meal. In Fukui, you can also experience traditional Japanese crafts, such as Echizen forged knives, a traditional craft with a 700-year history, mainly used for cooking and agricultural and horticultural tools. At Takefu Knife Village, you can buy authentic Echizen forged knives and watch the craftsmen forge knives. Of course, you can't miss the local specialty accommodations during your trip. The ancient houses on the Tango Road offer an immersive living experience, making you feel like you've traveled through time and space to converse with history. When traveling to Fukui, remember to plan your itinerary and transportation in advance, and follow local laws, regulations, and cultural customs. Keep quiet in attractions and museums, and respect local religious beliefs and dietary habits. This way, your trip to Fukui will be more enjoyable and smooth.

Did you know that there is a temple in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, also known as the Cat Temple? Gotanjoji Temple is a Soto Zen temple located in the quiet mountains of Shoda Town, Echizen City. It has a solemn temple atmosphere, but in fact it protects and raises more than 50 abandoned and injured cats. Of course, there are many cats, which is soothing, but what surprised me was that even the Buddha statues had cats on them. They are so cute that I couldn't stop taking photos. They also have maneki-neko fortune-telling slips, cat goshuin books, and goshuin stamps full of cats, so they are recommended as souvenirs! #Domestic Travel Record

The Hokuriku Shinkansen will be extended and opened on March 16, 2024. The original route from Tokyo to Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture will be extended to Fukui Prefecture, and the stations in Fukui Prefecture will include Awara Onsen. Fukui, Echizen Takefu and the final station Tsuruga. The fastest time from Tokyo to Fukui Station is 2 hours and 51 minutes, while the fastest time from Tokyo to Tsuruga Station is 3 hours and 8 minutes. Echizen Takefu Station is designed as a landmark station for the oriental white stork flying towards the future. The station is like a white stork flying towards Echizen City, becoming a symbol of the connection between the beautiful natural environment of Echizen City and Mikawa. The ceiling lighting in the central part of the station lobby incorporates the elements of Echizen Washi. The wave-shaped lighting inspired by the flow-sifting method of making Echizen Washi is full of dynamics. #Sign up for May hotel test sleeper #Cat Temple