[Fukui ]4 recommended day trip spots

entrance

▲Museum Entrance

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum reopened in July 2023.
The museum exhibits a powerful dinosaur robot and a full-body skeleton of a dinosaur, which is rare in Japan, and offers an experience as if you were transported back in time to ancient times.

Children and adults alike will be very satisfied with this natural history museum where they can see, touch, and learn about the age of dinosaurs.

Dinosaur Museum Area MAP

It is no wonder, then, that the area site is really large and the contents of the museum are also superfluous.
The facility is so impressive that it is considered one of the world's three great dinosaur museums, along with the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Canada and the Drikung Dinosaur Museum in China.

Permanent Display

History of Life Zone, where a Tyrannosaurus robot can be seen

Upon entering the museum, visitors are greeted by a powerful Tyrannosaurus as they descend a long three-story escalator. Many of you may have seen the Tyrannosaurus before, as videos of it are often posted on social networking sites.

This Tyrannosaurus robot actually moves, and its body, eye movements, and cries are truly full of reality.
In fact, the Tyrannosaurus actually moves as if it were talking to you eye-to-eye, so this is a spot where you can experience a realistic feeling as if it were really alive.

There was even a situation where a small child got a little scared and cried, which means that the movements are so realistic that you would never think it was a robot.
This spot is so good that it is worth the trip just to see this Tyrannosaurus robot!

Dinosaur Robot Exhibit Area

In addition, there are various robot dinosaurs on display, and a full-body skeleton model exhibit using actual fossils, so visitors can learn about dinosaurs' diet, behavior, and history while having fun!

Once again, seeing the life-size bones allows visitors to experience firsthand the greatness of dinosaurs and the length of the earth's history.

Special Showcase

▲Shared life projected on a giant screen

This special exhibition is being held in the new building, which was renovated during the reopening.
The contents of the event vary depending on the time of year, so you can enjoy it no matter how many times you visit.

In this new museum, visitors can also experience fossil excavation, fossil cleaning, and fossil observation using an X-ray CT. This is an optional experience that requires advance reservations and an extra fee, but there are not many places where you can experience fossil research while using authentic machines, so why not give it a try at this dinosaur museum?


"Facility Information "
Name: Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
Address: Katsuyama Dinosaur Forest, 51-11 Terao, Muraoka-cho, Katsuyama-shi, Fukui 911-8601
Telephone: 0779-88-0001 (representative)
ＵＲＬ：https://www.dinosaur.pref.fukui.jp/

Water soft drink

At the food court, there were hamburgers with dinosaur motifs and, for a limited time, Fukui Prefecture's famous mizuyokan soft serve.

I am ashamed to admit that I first learned here that mizuyokan is a specialty of Fukui's winter season, since I have an image of summer, but it is said to be a food culture unique to Fukui residents, who generally eat mizuyokan in a kotatsu during the cold, snowy season!

Fukui's mizu-yokan, like most kneaded yokans, is made by hardening sugar and candy with agar (agar) and reducing the amount of agar to reduce the sweetness and give it a light, refreshing taste!

Benches installed at a roadside station

Watching the children playing happily at times while looking at the chapu-chapu pond and the shared head,
Enjoy Fukui specialties such as dinosaur burgers and mizuyokan soft serve at the food court.

Corridor in the precincts of Eiheiji Temple
The tour route inside the hall is clockwise and on the left side of the road, so please visit the hall in the order prescribed. Please remember that this is a training hall, and refrain from private conversation.

Experience of the training is also available.
Zazen is available at 10:00, 11:00, 13:30, 14:30, and 15:30, and sutra copying is available at any time. Please note that the schedule is subject to change depending on the morning Gyomochi, so please confirm in advance if you wish to experience this service.

There are not many places where you can experience Zen practice, so there has been a lot of talk about it on social networking sites and TV programs!

View of Eiheiji Temple grounds

When you visit Eiheiji, you should also note that every corner of the temple is spotlessly clean and free of debris. This is due to the daily cleaning performed by Unsui and his staff.

Unsui life begins with getting up at 3:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. in winter) and continues throughout the day with zazen, meditation, and samu until bedtime at 9:00 p.m.

In Zen Buddhism, cleaning is one of the most important practices. When you visit the temple, please take the time to feel this aspect of the temple.

"Facility Information "
Name: Omotesando Eiheiji Temple
Address: 5-15 Shibi, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui 910-1228
Phone: 0776-63-3102
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
*Times are subject to change depending on the circumstances of the event.
ＵＲＬ：https://daihonzan-eiheiji.com/

▲Dr. Dinosaur

Dr. Dinosaur, wearing these underwater goggles, is also located around the station, but in a slightly obscure location, so if you find him, sit next to him and take a picture with him, posing as if you were studying fossils together!

The space, typical of the dinosaur kingdom of Fukui, is a popular spot for meeting and taking commemorative photos. Many dinosaur goods are also sold at nearby commercial facilities!

"Facility Information "
Name: JR Fukui Station
Address: 1-1-1 Chuo, Fukui-shi, Fukui 910-0006
Phone: 0570-002-486
ＵＲＬ：https://www.jr-odekake.net/eki/top?id=0541430