Echizen Town is packed with the charm of Japan! Tourist spots in Echizen Town as seen by foreigners In July 2024, the number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a single-month record of 3,292,500. The number of foreigners visiting Japan rises each year. Japan offers seasonal nature, traditional crafts, and cuisine that many foreigners find appealing. Many more visitors are likely to come to experience Japanese culture in the future. With mountains and sea, Echizen Town is a treasure trove for tourists. It especially offers many attractions that interest foreign visitors. This time, we interviewed travelers from overseas about the places in Echizen Town they would like to visit. We spread out a map of Echizen Town and, while checking online, each person planned their own Echizen sightseeing route. They want to eat delicious food and enjoy nature First is an American backpacker. This is his second trip to Japan. He travels around Asia while working as an online English teacher. What he wants to do in Japan is eat great food and enjoy nature. Places he picked to enjoy nature include Kochomon (Kochomon Gate) Hindani Waterfall (Hindani no Taki) Ochi-yama Observation Deck He selected spots that caught his eye in photos. He likes hiking, so Mount Ochi would appeal to him. For meals, he wants something affordable but authentic Japanese. Umi no Sachi Shokudou Echizen Echizen is a great choice for reasonably priced seafood. Many visitors want sashimi and sushi when they come to Japan, and seasonal flavors are worth trying. He also loves hot springs. He paused at a beautiful photo with an ocean view. Echizen Onsen Open-Air Bath “Sea of Japan” On a backpacking budget now, he can’t splurge, but if he had more money he would try diving. A rental car is essential to tour Echizen Town; he also admires the idea of touring by motorcycle. All of these are experiences available in Echizen Town. It’s rare to find so many things to enjoy in one town. Checking places to go on Google Maps He finds travel spots using Google Maps. He opens Google Maps and chooses places from pins with photos. He uses actual reviews and price ranges to decide. He rarely opens tourist pamphlets. Echizen Town’s brochure is clear and photo-rich and useful, but he relies on Google Maps and reads reviews carefully. He didn’t expect it would be so convenient to use while traveling. He wants to enjoy varied landscapes A cyclist from France is traveling Japan by bike from Hokkaido to Kyushu, enjoying different natural scenes. He said the landscapes with mountains and fields remind him of France, and he likes that Japan has both mountains and sea. Echizen Pottery Village’s Enan Kiln He’s interested in traditional Japanese crafts, so the pottery village appealed to him. He prefers quiet countryside spots to crowded places. He wants to visit shrines and temples and enjoy hiking. He also said buying vegetables at a local farmers’ market is fun. Basically, he prefers places with few tourists Many foreigners prefer places with almost no tourists to busy cities like Tokyo or Kyoto. A French chef came to Japan wanting to join Takefu Knife Village. He came to Japan seeking nature and quiet places rather than crowded tourist spots. He said he is more interested in a worn, ordinary shrine that feels like real life than a picturesque shrine for photos. It makes him feel a living culture. He recommended spots like Kotohirayama-gu, which are uncrowded and worth seeing. He was intrigued by Yukyuu Roman no Mori (Eternal Romance Forest) The waterwheel there caught his eye, and he liked the thatched-roof lodging. Traditional crafts are famously popular when people think of Japan. He was keen to try pottery workshops. He also loves nature. He thought walking from town to the shoreline would be enjoyable—people seem to love walking. He most wanted to try Echizen crab. He hoped to return during the crab season to taste this luxury. They want to experience real Japan We also spoke with young travelers spending long periods in Japan. A girl from the Netherlands Nashikodaira Senmaida Daffodil Garden She was interested in the daffodil fields. She liked flower landscapes and wanted to see waterfalls and other rich natural scenery. She was very interested in pottery workshops and hot springs. A young man from Germany said he wanted to experience seasonal events. Echizen Town has many traditional festivals, so any season should offer something to enjoy. Both said they want to experience for themselves whether Japanese life, culture, and daily routines they’ve heard about are truly real. Nashikodaira Senmaida Daffodil Garden Location: Nashikodaira, Echizen Town, Nyu District, Fukui Prefecture Echizen Town is easy to recommend to foreigners Talking with five foreigners made clear that Echizen Town is a highly recommendable place. Many common points emerged. They want to enjoy rich nature They are interested in traditional crafts They prefer places with few tourists Everyone agreed they prefer authentic daily life and walking through mountain-framed Japanese scenery over major tourist sites. Echizen Town offers mountains and sea and many places where visitors can stroll and enjoy nature at a relaxed pace. There are many easy-to-recommend spots, for hiking and for coastal walks, which surprised us as we explained them. The most popular spot is Echizen Pottery Village The chance to try Echizen-yaki pottery is a major draw. Experiencing traditional Japanese crafts interests almost everyone. Echizen-yaki offers many types of experiences, so visitors can choose according to their travel plans. Visiting during pottery festivals and events can also be fun. There are many other attractive spots to explore. Next time, we will actually visit the Echizen Town spots that caught the interest of foreign visitors.

\The last special sale market of the year! ／ This weekend, December 21 (Saturday) and 22 (Sunday), the "Echizen Morning Market" will be Held in in Roadside Station Echizen in Echizen Town! At the last special sale market of the year, this is your last chance to buy Seiko crabs, whose fishing season ends in December, at a great price! Go to the Echizen morning market where you can enjoy the rough Sea of Japan in winter and delicious Echizen snow crab & seafood gourmet! ◎ Roadside Station Echizen "Echizen Morning Market" #Echizen Snow Crab #Echizen Morning Market #Echizen Town #Snow Crab #Seiko Crab #Echizen Kani Festival #Crab Festival #Crab lover #Fukui Prefecture #Hokuriku Shinkansen #Fukui Prefecture Tourism #Hokuriku Tourism #Japan Shun Hokuriku #My favorite Fukui Prefecture 2024 #Fukui Ne #Echizen #Fukui Camera Club #Fukui Tourism #Fukui Travel #Superb view #I want Gari to connect with people who like photography #Instagrammable #Tokyo Camera Club #ptk_japan #japantravel #fukui #enjoyfukui

Gokase Highland Ski Resort Reopens After Two Seasons 🎉 Today, December 20, Gokase Highland Ski Resort resumed operations for the first time in two seasons 😭👏✨ The road to the resort collapsed during the 2022 typhoon, making passage impossible and forcing a prolonged closure, but today it has safely reopened 🥹❤️‍🔥 A long-awaited grand opening saw the mayor’s remarks and a ribbon-cutting by honored guests, including Minami-chan, who returned to join the celebration, officially opening the slopes ⛷️✨ Eager skiers and snowboarders who had been waiting for the resort to reopen began to glide down the runs with style, and the landscape of old seemed to be restored once more 😭✨ It’s a deeply moving moment… We hope the resort, a winter symbol of Gokase, will continue to regain its bustle and flourish even more from now on 😌🙏 The season has only just begun! Please come visit Gokase Highland Ski Resort and enjoy the slopes 🤩💫 Gokase Highland Ski Resort Official Website http://www.gokase.co.jp/ski/#...

Photographed 12/16/24. This is CAFE ANDON's Andon chicken curry. I often visit them for a walk in Kawagoe or before work.

It's 🤤 almost Christmas Christmas market 🎄 Held in in Saitama New Central Tokyo It is up to 25 days, but it is decorated with a nice tree

Here’s tourist information for Nagiso town! Tenpaku Azalea Colony (Town Natural Monument) A vast colony of mitsuba azalea blooms in Tenpaku Park. About six varieties and roughly 400 azalea shrubs grow in the garden, and among them the Nagiso mitsuba azalea is a rare species found mainly around Nagiso town as its name suggests. Bloom times shift slightly each year depending on the weather, but the best viewing period is generally from early to mid-April. Perched on a hill in Tenpaku Park, the site offers excellent views of Momosuke Bridge and Mt. Kiso-Komagatake. At the Nagiso Station side entrance to the wooden suspension bridge over the Kiso River, Momosuke Bridge, cherry blossoms also come into full bloom around early April, making it a recommended time to visit! ► Access - By car: Immediately off National Route 19. Tenpaku Park has free parking (about 30 spaces). - By train: About a 10-minute walk from JR Nagiso Station (closer if you cross Momosuke Bridge). ► Other information - It is a five-minute uphill walk from the parking area to the azalea garden. Please avoid parking in front of the garden as it blocks residents’ passage. Visitors with mobility difficulties may be dropped off near the garden, but please park the vehicle in the parking lot. - The parking area has restrooms and vending machines. - The park includes the Momosuke Fukuzawa Memorial Museum and the Mountain History Museum, where you can learn about the history of Momosuke Bridge and its builder, Momosuke Fukuzawa. - For current blooming conditions, please refer to the Nagiso Town Tourism Association website. Enjoy the vivid purple blossoms carpeting the garden!

[Notice] Akindo Market♪ Today (20th) and tomorrow (21st) — two days only!! At Roadside Station Iwanai, local Iwanai town sake at special prices! Yama 720 ml ¥2,640 ⇒ ¥2,376 Umi 300 ml ¥990 ⇒ ¥891 The flyer lists Yama 300 ml, but we ran out of stock. We apologize. Also, Asahi Super Dry Clear Asahi Kodawari Sakaba Lemon Sour are on sale too♪ Please come by and check them out 🙏 This is a monthly event where you can shop great deals at stores in Iwanai town~

Photographed 12/16/24. CAFE ANDON's Cafe Latte and Strawberry Shortcake. ☕️🍰 Congratulations on your first anniversary. ㊗️🎉 It is a very nice café. 😊

Short anyo ❤️ (The appeal is 😍 too cute)

Hina dolls prayed to ward off misfortune from children and bring good fortune in life. On the Izu Peninsula, hina dolls are displayed with various wishes tied into hanging decorations on both sides of the tiered doll platform. This is a long-standing custom. The 28th Hanging Hina Decorations Exhibition 🌞 January 20 (Monday) – March 31 (Monday) 🌞 🍑 In the Inatori area of Higashiizucho, there has been a custom since the Edo period of hanging a pair of suspended decorations on either side of the hina platform for the Girls’ Festival. 🍑 The Inatori Onsen hanging decorations have been passed down through generations. A charming sight unfolds as many types of hangings—such as crawling-baby dolls modeled on infants, sanbaso performers, and rabbits—link together and drape down. This scene, a winter-to-spring specialty of Inatori Onsen, invites you with a parent’s loving thoughts for their child. Venue Information Main venue / Cultural Park Hina Museum [Admission: 500 yen] Sponsored exhibition venue / Naburatoto (February 15 – March 9) [Admission: 100 yen] Futatsubori [Free admission] Hachiman Shrine [Free admission] Details Address: 1729 Inatori, Higashiizu Town, Kamo District, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0411 Phone: 0557-95-2901 Access: 20-minute walk from Izu-Inatori Station Hours: 9:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30) Parking: Cultural Park parking lot / flat rate 500 yen Organizer: Inatori Onsen Ryokan Association Event start date: 2025/01/20 Event end date: 2025/03/31

Photographed 12/16/24. It is Mr. 168's breakfast (early supper). Taiwanese burger and black tea soy milk. It is a collaboration menu with Sankai Touka. The Taiwanese burger is very tasty, with tamagoyaki and beef hamburger steak. Thank you very much for opening from early in the morning. 😊

Sapporo night view in winter I have been photographing the night view of Sapporo with snow piling up in a world of -7°C While the accumulated snow created a sense of loneliness somewhere, I felt the warmth of the cityscape that gradually lit up

Photographed 12/15/24. It is Hanachozu of Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin.

[Notice] IWANAI RESORT Open ⛷️ This Saturday, December 21, IWANAI RESORT, a ski area in Iwanai-cho, Hokkaido, is scheduled to open for the season!

Bungoono City in Oita Prefecture on Kyushu. [Notice of No Entry to Yujaku Park] Shinji Pond's revetment in Yujaku Park in Asaji Town, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture will undergo repair work. Entry to Yujaku Park is prohibited during the construction period. Please take note if you are considering visiting Yujaku Park for tourism or other purposes. Location Yujaku Park (Kamiozuka, Asaji Town, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture) No-Entry Period January 6, 2025 – Around summer 2025 * All entrances will be closed during the no-entry period. * The no-entry period may shift earlier or later depending on construction progress. Contact Bungoono City Hall, Commerce and Tourism Division, Tourism Promotion Section Phone: 0974-22-1117 ■■■ Access to central Bungoono City ■■■ About a 3-hour drive from JR Hakata Station, Fukuoka Prefecture About a 2-hour drive from JR Kumamoto Station, Kumamoto Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Beppu Station, Oita Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Yufuin Station, Oita Prefecture ■■■■■■■■■■■■ On Instagram we share recommended sightseeing, food, and accommodation spots in Bungoono City ⬇ Bungoono City Tourism Association @satonotabiii We would be happy if you follow us. The Bungoono City Tourism Association website is linked from the profile. ■■■■■■■■■■■■

Photographed 12/15/24. It is a new Torii (shrine gate) gate of Kawagoe Hachimangu.

It is an icicle of thirty hammers in Saitama prefecture. I was fascinated by the sight of ice art.

Photographed 12/15/24. It is a limited time Hanachozu of Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. For the first time in a long time, yellowtail attended the festival of the Zenarai Benten Itsukushima Shrine.

Frozen-like illumination 📸 This is "Marigold Hill" in Honjo City, Saitama Prefecture. Squid with marigolds 🤤🤤 that can be enjoyed until winter

We are looking for participants for the "39th Yubetsu Wilderness Okhotsk Cross Country Skiing Tournament"! A major winter Events "Yubetsu Wilderness Okhotsk Cross Country Skiing Tournament" will be held in for people who are fascinated by the Yubetsu Wilderness. In the competition, we have prepared 6 individual courses, such as the Yubetsu Wilderness Course, which runs 80 km, the longest course in Japan, and the 5 km Course, which even those who are not confident in their physical strength can easily participate in, and an ekiden in which one team of 5 people runs 95 km. Enjoy cross-country skiing surrounded by the majestic location of Kitadaisetsu. < Held in and Course > Engaru Town, Yubetsu Town Yubetsu River Basin Special Course ~ From Engaru Town Shirataki Tengudaira (Kita Daisetsu Cross Country Course) to Yubetsu Town Nakayubetsu Naka Towns (Yubetsu Town Cultural Center TOM) < For inquiries, please contact> Yubetsu Wilderness Okhotsk Cross Country Skiing Tournament Executive Committee Secretariat Yubetsu Town Kamiyubetsu Government Building Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division Phone: 01586-2-5866

The poster for Tomakomai City's major winter Events "Tomakomai Skate Festival" has been completed! We are looking forward to welcoming you to the "Tomakomai Skate Festival", which is "good to eat and good to play" and "Shibareyaki" that is baked and eaten in a drum under the cold winter sky, and the "Little Slide" about 4 meters high made of snow!

【Snow-covered Yatsugatake】 I took a picture from Fujikawa Town Station Street!

Photographed 12/15/24. After the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine Monthly Festival, I relaxed at the Starbucks Bell Ring Street store. On Sundays, it is crowded. It's a gingerbread latte and a chocolate cake.

Kit wishes come true — we have put up ema plaques 😍 A few years ago we collaborated with KitKat on the Kito Line and installed ema plaques then; we have installed those same ema again this year‼️ If you visit Takaharacho, please stop by Takahara Station and write your wish on one‼️😝 We will properly dedicate the ema at the shrine ⛩️! About ema — we looked into them a bit! ⭐︎Unlike omikuji, ema are things you “dedicate” ⭐︎You can write vertically or horizontally—either is fine ⭐︎Since you are asking the kami (gods), it’s good to write phrases like “May 〇〇 come true” or “I hope 〇〇 is granted.” ⭐︎You may sign with either your initials or your full name—both are OK! In fact, it used to be recommended to include your address and date of birth, but many people avoid that now to prevent personal information from leaking. ⭐︎You can write several wishes on a single ema, but it’s better to separate different prayers by using different ema. ⭐︎It seems acceptable to dedicate the same wish on ema at several different shrines or temples. This is what we found in our research, so we can’t say it’s definitive, but remembering these guidelines might help your wishes come true even more! 😍 Please drop by Takahara Station to write an ema — they are free of charge‼️🤩 Place: Takaharu Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Takahara Station) Address: 473-6 Nishifumoto, Takaharacho, Nishimorokata District, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan Parking available (free)

It seems that it is 🐻 fashionable to wear ice accessories on the front paws again this year

Kanto's largest Ginkgo 🍁 This one is located in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture 　　　　　　　　　　　　"Jozoji" It is one of the largest Ginkgo trees in the Kanto region. The best time to see it is now and be sure to 🤤 visit it at the end of autumn

Photographed 12/12/24. It is an orange annual sea bream lottery.

Today, I attended the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine Monthly Festival. Preparations for the New Year 🎍 had begun, and Shichi-Go-San's shooting spots were moving.

We are pleased to announce the annual “First Sunrise Cruise,” a refined way to welcome the New Year aboard a ship. Enjoy an exquisitely luxurious moment as you watch the first sunrise rise from the horizon in the special, unobstructed setting of the open sea. A geopark guide will once again provide commentary about the Izu Peninsula! This event requires reservations, so please book below as soon as possible if you wish to join. [From Atami Port: First Sunrise Cruise] Boarding location / Atami Port (regular ferry terminal for Atami–Hatsushima service) Date / Wednesday, January 1, 2025 6:00 Ticket sales begin (Atami Port counter) Around 6:30 Depart Atami Port for a sightseeing cruise; the ship will stop so passengers can watch the first sunrise from on board (sunrise around 6:50) Around 7:15 Return to Atami Port ※Cruise time approximately 45 minutes Vessel / Ile de Vacances Premiere or Ile de Vacances III Capacity / 250 passengers Reservations / Required by phone: 0557-81-0541 ※Reservations open from December 2, 2024 ※If cancellations occur on the day, those seats will be released for general sale. Fees / Adults ¥2,600; elementary school students ¥1,300 (preschool children free); pets ¥1,300 ※Depending on weather, the first sunrise or Mt. Fuji may not be visible; refunds cannot be issued in such cases. ※The cruise may be canceled due to poor sea conditions. ※The above information may change without notice for weather or other reasons. Thank you for your understanding. https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/spot/181...

Photographed 12/11/24. This is Hanatetsu's Hanachozu.