Ichijodani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
About This Destination
For about a hundred years and five generations, the Asakura ruled Echizen from this narrow valley southeast of Fukui, and the town that grew up here was one of the larger ones in Sengoku Japan. In 1573 Asakura Yoshikage lost to Oda Nobunaga, and the town was burned. The fields covered it. Digging began in 1967, and what came out of the ground is the reason to come: house plots, wells, stone-lined streets, and more than 15 gardens, four of them now a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. Start at the prefectural museum by Ichijodani Station, opened in 2022, which has a full-size reconstruction of part of Yoshikage's residence and finds from over 1.7 million excavated items, then head about 1.7 km up the valley. The Karamon gate at the residence ruins is an Edo-period rebuild, but the garden behind it is original stonework, and the Suwa-yakata garden has a standing stone over 4 metres tall. The rebuilt street, opened in 1995, recreates about 200 metres of townhouses and samurai homes. Trains on the Kuzuryu Line are sparse, so check the timetable before you go.
Location
Prefecture: Fukui
Address: Fukui, Japan
Nearest Station: Ichijodani Station
Opening hours: Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00
Closed: The museum is closed on Mondays and over the year-end and New Year holidays; closures can change, so check the opening calendar on the official site. The outdoor ruins themselves have no gate.
Hours note: Museum hours; last entry is at 16:30. The reconstructed townscape has its own ticket and hours.
Best time to visit: April to November, when the free weekend loop bus runs; autumn for the valley colours. Winter brings snow to the paths
Visitor Information
Credit Cards: Unknown
Access
Fukui, Japan
Get DirectionsFrequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to visit Ichijodani?
The museum's main exhibition is 700 yen for adults, 400 yen for high school students, 200 yen for elementary and junior high students, and 350 yen for those 70 and over. The reconstructed townscape charges its own admission, and a discounted combined ticket is sold. Walking the open ruins and gardens is free.
How long should I allow?
Half a day: about an hour in the museum, then the 1.7 km walk up the valley to the residence ruins, gardens and rebuilt street. Climbing to the mountain castle site above adds about an hour each way.
Can I get there by public transport?
Yes. The JR Kuzuryu Line stops at Ichijodani Station next to the museum, though trains are infrequent. Buses from Fukui Station (Keifuku route 62, about 25 minutes, or the Asakura-Eiheiji direct bus, about 16 minutes) run more often.
Can I combine Ichijodani with Eiheiji?
Yes. The Asakura-Eiheiji direct bus links Fukui Station, the museum and Eiheiji; the ride from Eiheiji to the museum takes about 24 minutes.
Nearby Destinations
More in Fukui Inland
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