Japan’s Quiet Castle Town: A Day in Echizen Ono

Looking for somewhere quiet and scenic? An old castle town with an artistic flair, perhaps? Eager to shop sake and quirky novelties before soaking your feet after a long walk? Eichizen Ono envelops visitors in its authentic “olden days” atmosphere and delights with its small town charm.

Where exactly is Eichizen Ono? It’s in Fukui Prefecture. Not only have you never heard of a place in Japan called Fukui, but you’re probably not eager to say its name out loud in public. (Don’t worry. It’s pronounced “foo-koo-ee.” Perfectly PG.) Fukui is an up-and-coming destination for visitors, but unlike many other “must-see” small towns in Japan, Eichizen Ono is nearly guaranteed to be crowd-free. Here’s what to see and try while you’re in town.

Ono Castle

Rebuilt in the 1960s, this pair of lookout towers once stood as the area’s main line of defence. 

Today, Ono Castle is a museum that houses feudal-era artefacts from the daily lives of the local nobility, the Doi family. Everything from ceremonial wear to weapons to a lady’s lacquered lunchbox to a helmet with a leaping rabbit figurine on the front of it. It’s a bit of a hike up the winding paved path to the top of the mountain, but the view of the surrounding valley and hills from the top balcony cannot be beat.

My personal favorite historical tidbit from the castle’s exhibits is a tiny blurb about the one time the feudal lord, who resided and ruled at the bottom of the mountain, decided to make the trek up to the summit to inspect some recent repairs. This visit was apparently a first in generations and it threw all the samurai warriors stationed at the castle into a tizzy, cleaning and sprucing the place up. (I wonder how we know about it all these years later… Someone must have written it down, perhaps complaining in a letter to Mom?)

Uchiyama Brothers Samurai House

If you enjoy poking around old houses, the family home of the Uchiyama Brothers is worth a visit. It’s a blend of the typical samurai home and 19th century innovation: as you’d expect, there are bamboo mats and hanging scrolls and a long veranda stretching the length of the landscaped garden, but architecture aficionados will appreciate the curved arches of the hallway that connects the main house to the annex.

But the home’s most impressive feature is the bowed “ship’s-hull” ceiling in the second floor of the annex itself.

You’re unlikely to see another samurai house like this. You’re equally unlikely to walk in the ghostly footsteps of such an interesting pair of brothers. In their lifetime, the local economy was floundering in bankruptcy. With the family fortune, the elder brother started up a chain of stores in Japan that stocked products produced locally in Eichizen Ono, which were a big hit.

The younger brother landed himself in hot water in Tokyo and was “asked to leave” the town. (But that’s another story.) Upon returning to his hometown, he set sail to stake a claim on Sakhalin, one of the small (but oil rich) islands between Japan and Russia. From one of the pages that remain from his diary, it’s clear he was a driven and fearless individual. Might he have faced down Russian forces and claimed an entire island for his hometown if he hadn’t died so young? The world will never know.

What we do know is that these two brothers pulled their community out of its economic slump. They’re not just local heroes but legends.

Where’s the Art?

The town’s local art space, Cocono, is housed in a gorgeously modern version of the traditional Japanese building. All jazzed up with spotlights and high ceilings, you’ll enjoy browsing through the galleries and museum store. There’s also a workshop space for events held on weekends.

Art can be spotted in lots of places around Eichizen Ono, from the manhole covers to the etching-like illustrations on street lampposts. At the time of writing this, the Takamura samurai house was host to a colorful display of pinwheels. Hundreds and hundreds of pinwheels.

These on the screen – and hundreds more on the garden wall – were a fun, candy-bright addition to the solemn natural colors of the stately home.

Surprisingly, the Buddhist temples in the old “Temple Town” neighborhood were also getting into the art groove. It’s an event called “Art at the Temple” and it’s held in several cities around Japan, but with the temples clustered together so conveniently here in Eichizen Ono, I didn’t have to worry about getting lost before I’d seen everything.

Even if you arrive too late in the year to see the art, take a stroll down the picturesque, stone-paved lane of “Temple Town” that’s been more or less unchanged for centuries.

No Water, No Life

Eichizen Ono is a small town, but you’ll probably be doing a lot of walking nonetheless. Proud of its pure, underground water supply, various springs can be spotted on just about every street. One in particular is meant for soothing aching feet.

This outdoor footbath is called Oshozu. You’re welcome to take off your shoes, strip off your socks, roll up your pant legs, and enjoy the natural mineral water of the area here. Maybe do a little people watching while your sore soles rejoice.

Given the top-notch quality of the groundwater, it’s no surprise that there are several Japanese sake breweries nearby and quite a few sake shops in town. Most stores will let you taste before you buy and all have product descriptions on the displays, but don’t worry. Everything is amazing. So try the milky-white, creamy “nigori” sake or get something bold and fruity or crisp and refreshing. Whatever you choose, you won’t regret it.

A day trip to Eichizen Ono is a great way to savor a bite-sized portion of Japan’s long, proud, and complicated history. It’s also a fantastic destination if you’re interested in getting a taste of castle town life.

About Keri Yazawa

Keri Yazawa, a resident of Kanazawa City since 2005, guides bicycle tours specializing in good food, quirky history, local craft making, and gorgeous landscapes.

Article photos and written content © 2025 Keri Yazawa. All rights reserved.