Hello! This is the Wakasa Mihama Tourism Association.
We will share recommended sightseeing information about Mihama Town, Mikata-gun, Fukui Prefecture on Cool Japan Video, and we appreciate your support!

◆What is Mihama Town, Fukui Prefecture?◆
Mihama Town in Fukui Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan and, true to its name, boasts beautiful beaches.
The population is about 8,600 people (as of 2024). The town’s grand natural scenery and many local specialties found only in Mihama attract visiting tourists.
With the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to neighboring Tsuruga City, access from the Kanto region has become very smooth.

◆The appeal of Mikata Five Lakes, Mihama Town’s top sightseeing spot◆
The most popular sightseeing spot in Mihama Town is Mikata Five Lakes, a wetland registered under the Ramsar Convention and recognized as part of the Japan Agricultural Heritage.
“Mikata Five Lakes” is the collective name for five lakes spanning Mihama Town and Wakasa Town in Fukui Prefecture.
Lake Kugushi
Lake Hiruga
Lake Mikata
Lake Suigetsu
Lake Suga

The Mihama Town Lake Center is recommended as a base for fully enjoying Mikata Five Lakes tourism.
The facility includes a stylish cafe, food outlets such as hot dogs made with venison franks, and an outdoor terrace where you can relax while gazing at the lakes.

For those who want to enjoy Mikata Five Lakes from the water, sightseeing boats are recommended.
These lake vessels are battery-powered sightseeing boats driven by renewable energy stored from solar panels. They are the first in Japan to operate solely on renewable energy. You can enjoy a guided round-trip cruise of about 50 minutes.

Mihama Station rental bicycles are recommended for those who want to enjoy the lakeshore and Mikata Five Lakes.
The full five-lake loop, called Goko-ichu, is a cycling course of about 33 kilometers that takes roughly four hours to complete.
Feel the breeze of Mikata Five Lakes and savor the different scenery each lake offers.

For those who want to enjoy Mikata Five Lakes from the sky, the Mikata Goko Rainbow Line offers spectacular aerial views of all five lakes.
This roughly 11-kilometer drive course leads to Rainbow Line Summit Park, which you can reach by lift or cable car.
At the summit you can enjoy five different sky terraces featuring panoramic 360-degree views of Mikata Five Lakes and the Sea of Japan, including footbaths and sofa terraces, and you can enjoy sweets and special lunch boxes.

You can fully savor Mikata Five Lakes from different perspectives: from the sky (Rainbow Line), from the lake surface (battery-powered sightseeing boat), and around the lakes (cycling)!

◆Introduction to Mihama Town’s sightseeing spots◆
• Shoishohama Beach
Mihama Town has seven beaches, and one of the most popular is Shoishohama Beach, selected as one of Japan’s 88 Best Beaches.
Its shoreline of fine, shining white sand and emerald-green shallow waters make it a beautiful beach, attracting more than 150,000 beachgoers each year.

• Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle History Museum
This museum lets you learn about the mountain fortress of the Sengoku period, Kuniyoshi Castle Ruins, and the castle town that once surrounded it.
A terrain model around Kuniyoshi Castle Ruins introduces the historical townscape.

• Roadside Station Wakasa Mihama Hamabiyori
Opened in 2023, this roadside station is packed with fresh vegetables, fruits, and local gourmet items from Mihama Town in Fukui Prefecture that can only be enjoyed here.
It also serves as a tourist information center and a rest stop, making it ideal for a break during your travels.

◆Local specialties of Mihama Town, Fukui Prefecture◆
• Heshiko
Heshiko is a traditional fermented local food of Fukui, made by pickling mackerel in rice bran for one year.
Its rich flavor is beloved at local dining tables and makes an excellent souvenir.

• Seafood
Yellowtail, crab, and fugu dishes are recommended winter specialties of Mihama Town.
Freshly landed seafood delights many visitors’ palates.
Mihama Town has many ryokan and minshuku accommodations where you can enjoy these seasonal fresh seafood for dinner.

◆Events in Mihama Town, Fukui Prefecture◆
• Hinata Underwater Tug-of-War
Held every January, the underwater tug-of-war is a nationally selected Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property with a history of nearly 400 years. A massive rope 30 cm thick and 40 meters long is stretched across the canal connecting Lake Hiruga and the Sea of Japan. Men wearing headbands pull the rope with great force, praying for a bountiful catch and maritime safety for the year.

• Munakata Shrine Benten Festival
Held every July, the Munakata Shrine Benten Festival features boats with vivid banners carrying portable shrines; on those boats young men wrestle and roughly toss each other into the sea.

◆We will share recommended sightseeing information for Mihama Town, Fukui Prefecture◆
Mihama Town in Fukui Prefecture is a town blessed with rich nature and history.
We will continue to share useful recommendations so you can fully enjoy sightseeing in Mihama Town, Fukui Prefecture. Thank you for your support!