Referred to as the ‘Castle in the Sky’, Echizen Ono is a 20^th century reconstruction of the original structure dating from the 16^th century. Sitting on a hilltop around 250 meters above the ground, when the weather conditions are right, mist and fog lie on the surrounding plain, creating the illusion that he castle is floating in the clouds. Not to be mistaken with Hyogo’s Takeda Castle – Japan’s most famous Castle in the Sky – visiting Echizen Ono is well-worth it, especially if you get lucky and can witness the castle perform its morning trick and float in the clouds above. And there isn’t just the castle, the castle town has many traditional and historical buildings where you can relive the Edo period through learning about its history or eating traditional foods. Nearby are also great sights such as Hakusan-Heisenji Shrine and the Echizen Big Buddha which can make for a full day of excitement, learning and spirituality.

For visitors hoping to see the castle floating in the sky, weather conditions from October to April are most advantageous, especially from dawn until around 09:00. November is considered the month with the most optimal weather conditions. It is perfect for producing clouds and fog in the morning, which you can view from a hill/mountain behind the castle. The castle is open to explore afterwards for 300 yen but it closes during the winter from December to mid-March. The weather conditions that create the mist only occurs about 10-20 times a season(October to April) so don’t get your expectations up too high when coming unless you are planning a long trip to the area.

Around the castle is small castle town that has thrived since the original castle was built in 1576. Today there are a couple reconstructed or moved samurai homes near the castle. Leading up to the castle is a market street that has prospered for over 400 years and also a street lined with 16 temples. Many of the buildings that were reconstructed or built more recently embrace color. There are lanterns hanging over a famous fresh water spring, a wall of windmills inside one of the samurai homes and a hallway full of beautifully died hand tea towels. This entire city is a hidden gem that sits in the middle of other historical sights and beautiful nature.

Fukui City is a great base to discover the Ono! It is a close bus ride with regular direct buses and also a train that stops in town, although it runs only a few times a day. If you are staying in the city and want to explore more of the region, join us for a tour of Fukui City and the famous Zen Buddhist Head Temple of Eiheiji! It is a full day of learning about the history of the area and feeling the spirituality of the Japanese mountains. See below for more information.

EIHEIJI & FUKUI CITY FROM KANAZAWA / all year round

1 Day Tour

1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Eiheiji Temple and Fukui City Castle Town
Period	All Year Round
Time	08:30 – 18:00
Meeting Place	Kanazawa Station Fukui Station
Adult Rate	¥25,300 / 17,800
Child Rate	¥14,500 / 11,000

As one of the head temples of the world famous Japanese Zen Buddhist sect, Eiheiji Temple is a place where you can feel the mystery and beauty of traditional architecture hidden in a natural paradise. On this tour you can choose start from either Kanazawa Station or Fukui Station. After grouping up at Fukui Station, we will take a tour of the city in the morning, seeing the castle walls, the “rainbow” shrine, and views of the city from the Atagozaka Slope. We will eat in the city before heading out on a direct bus to Eiheiji Temple. The ride into the mountains is about 30 minutes and we will arrive near the temple grounds. This area has had groupings of temples for over 500 hundred years and at its peak had thousands of monks living in the area. We will walk through the temple and learn about the history as we climb up deeper into the temple. There are many excellent photo spots to discover, too. The are so many interesting angles that catch the intertwining of nature and architecture all over the complex. Try to find the one that touches you the most!