is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

located in

Fukui Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 737,229 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,190 Square kilometre, km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture border ...

, Japan. , the city had an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 83,078 in 20,341 households and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of 360 persons per km². The total area of the city was . The modern city of Echizen was established on October 1, 2005, from the merger of the city of

Takefu is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 83,078 in 20,341 households and a population density of 360 persons per km². The total area of the city was . The modern city of Echizen was establishe ...

and the town of Imadate (from Imadate District); although the Echizen Basin has been an important regional center for over 1,500 years. The city is home to the largest number of cultural assets in Fukui Prefecture and has many former castle sites and prehistoric archeological sites.

Geography

Echizen is located in central Fukui Prefecture, bordered by mountains on three sides.

Neighbouring municipalities

*Fukui Prefecture ** Echizen (town) ** Fukui ** Ikeda ** Minamiechizen **

Sabae is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 69,338 in 24,167 households and the population density of 820 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Sabae is located in central Fukui ...

Climate

Echizen has a humid climate (Köppen ''Cfa'') influenced by its proximity to the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it ...

, and is characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Echizen is 13.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2325 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.1 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

History

Pre-modern history

Echizen is part of ancient

Echizen Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Echizen bordered on Kaga Province, Kaga, Wakasa Province, Wakasa, Hida Province, Hida, and Ōmi Provin ...

, and was the location of the

provincial capital A capital city, or just capital, is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, department, or other subnational division, usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a city that physically encomp ...

and

provincial temple The are Buddhist temples in Japan, Buddhist temples established in each of the provinces of Japan by Emperor Shōmu during the Nara period (710 – 794). The official name for each temple was Konkomyo Shitenno Gokoku-ji (Konkōmyō Shitennō ...

of the province from the

Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capita ...

onwards. During the

Nanboku-chō period The , also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period, was a period in Japanese history between 1336-1392 CE, during the formative years of the Ashikaga shogunate, Muromachi (Ashikaga) shogunate. Ideologically, the two courts fought for 50 ...

, a number of battles were fought, and numerous castles were built during this time.

Shiba Takatsune was the Constable (''shugo'') of Echizen Province during the 14th century Nanboku-chō Wars in Japan. He acted to block the northward progress of Nitta Yoshisada, who supported the Emperor's Southern Court against the ''shōgun''s Northern Cou ...

, who supported the

Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...

during the war, fought with

Yoshisada Nitta also known as Minamoto no Yoshisada was a samurai lord of the Nanboku-chō period Japan. He was the head of the Nitta clan in the early fourteenth century, and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-chō period. He famo ...

in the

Battle of the Hino River A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...

. Shiba lost the battle, and fled north to Asuwa Castle in Fukui. Nitta pursued him but was defeated and killed at the Sieges of Kuromaru. Shiba returned to Echizen-Fuchū and conquered both

Fuchū Castle Fuchū may refer to: Current settlements *Fuchū, Tokyo, a city in Tokyo *Fuchū, Hiroshima, a city in Hiroshima Prefecture *Fuchū, Hiroshima (town), a town in Hiroshima Prefecture * , a former town (1889–2005) in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, which ...

and Ōtaki Castle. The outcome of the war between the Northern and the

Southern Court The were a set of four emperors ( Emperor Go-Daigo and his line) whose claims to sovereignty during the Nanboku-chō period spanning from 1336 through 1392 were usurped by the Northern Court. This period ended with the Southern Court definitivel ...

s was decided around Echizen. Today a plaque marking the site of Shinzenkōji Castle can be seen at Shōgaku-ji temple in Echizen, and remains of other castles can be found throughout the city. In the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

, the area prospered under the leadership of the

Asakura clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Asakura", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 3 DF 7 of 80/nowiki> retrieved 2013-5-4. ...

, based at Ichijōdani, near modern Fukui city. The Asakura were defeated by

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He was the and regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. He is sometimes referred as the "Demon Daimyō" and "Demo ...

, who divided the area among his generals

Fuwa Mitsuharu was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. Originally a retainer of Saitō Dōsan, Mitsuharu went on to serve Oda Nobunaga, he received a land in Echizen Province and became a member of the so-called Echizen Sanninshu ( ...

Sassa Narimasa was a Japanese samurai lord of the Sengoku through Azuchi–Momoyama periods. He entered Oda Nobunaga's service at the age of 14 and remained in his service throughout Nobunaga's rise to power. He was a member of the so-called Echizen Sannin ...

, and

Maeda Toshiie was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi–Momoyama period. His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as "Yari no Mataza" (槍の又左), Matazaemon (又左 ...

. Part of Sassa Narimasa's castle,

Komaru Castle was a Japanese castle located in what is now the city of Echizen Fukui Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Built in the Sengoku period by Sassa Narimasa, the ruins are now a Fukui Prefectural Historic Site. History Komaru Castle w ...

, still stands today. Maeda Toshiie took residence in Echizen-Fuchū Castle, on the current location of the Echizen city hall. Fuwa Mitsuharu took charge of Ryūmon-ji Castle, whose stone foundations and parts of the moat can be seen today at Ryūmon-ji temple. After the

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...

, the victorious

Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...

awarded all of Echizen Province to his second son,

Yūki Hideyasu was a Japanese samurai who lived during the Azuchi–Momoyama period, Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods. He was the ''daimyō'' of Fukui Domain in Echizen Province, Echizen. Early life Hideyasu was born as in 1574, the second son of To ...

, who ruled what became

Fukui Domain The , also known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1601 to 1871. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003). The ...

from

Fukui Castle is a flatland-style castle located in what is now the city of Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. During the Edo period, it was the headquarters of a branch of the Matsudaira clan, who were hereditary ''daimyō'' of Fukui domain under the Tokugawa ...

. He changed his name to

Matsudaira The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of the ...

, and the Matsudaira remained in control of the area until the end of the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

. At the start of Fukui Domain,

Honda Tomimasa commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer si ...

, highly trusted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, was appointed as Hideyasu's ''

karō were top-ranking samurai officials and advisors in service to the ''daimyōs'' of feudal Japan. Overview In the Edo period, the policy of ''sankin-kōtai'' (alternate attendance) required each ''daimyō'' to place a ''karō'' in Edo and anothe ...

''. Honda received a small piece of land and became governor of Echizen-Fuchū. Devastated by years of war, Echizen-Fuchū had lost its castles, roads, and buildings, and Honda is responsible for a major reconstruction of the area. He rebuilt the roads, walls, and buildings, as well as irrigation systems connected to the

Hino river The is a major river in the western part of Tottori Prefecture. The river flows east-northeast for , and is the longest river in the prefecture. The Hino River emerges from the Chūgoku Mountains. The source of the river is at an elevation of i ...

. Honda started the industries that still make up Echizen's base economy: blades, textiles, and industrial machinery. The Honda clan ruled the Echizen-Fuchū area for nine generations, until the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

. Their graves can be seen at the temple of Ryūsen-ji in Echizen.

Modern Echizen city

Following the

, the area of present-day Echizen city was organised into Nanjō District within Fukui Prefecture. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the town of

was created. It was named after an ancient

Min'yō , ''Nihon min'yō'', Japanese ''min'yō'' or Japanese folk music is a genre of traditional Music of Japan, Japanese music. Characteristics Styles Many ''min'yō'' are connected to forms of work or to specific trades and were originally su ...

(folk song) called "

Saibara () is a genre of accompanied vocal Japanese court music that existed during the Heian period in the Nara and Kyoto regions. It draws from traditional folk music () of the Nara period and is accompanied by '' togaku'' instruments, with the except ...

", in the area of Echizen-Fuchū was known as "Takefu" during the Nara and Heian periods. After the Meiji Restoration, the ''daimyō'' system was abolished and the former ''daimyō'' were merged into the new ''

kazoku The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan, which existed between 1869 and 1947. It was formed by merging the feudal lords (''Daimyo, daimyō'') and court nobles (''kuge'') into one system modelled after the British peerage. Distin ...

'' peerage. However, the Honda clan, being only a samurai retainer of the Matsudaira and not a ''daimyō'', was moved into the ''

shizoku The was a social class in Japan composed of former ''samurai'' after the Meiji Restoration from 1869 to 1947. ''Shizoku'' was a distinct class between the ''kazoku'' (a merger of the former ''kuge'' and ''daimyō'' classes) and ''heimin'' ( comm ...

'' class with lower ranking samurai. In 1870 the outraged Honda clan rebelled against the Meiji government against this perceived demotion. This riot is known as the

Takefu Sōdō is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 83,078 in 20,341 households and a population density of 360 persons per km². The total area of the city was . The modern city of Echiz ...

, which ended in 1879, and Honda Sukemoto was promoted ''danshaku'' in the ''kazoku'' system in 1884. Take was raised to city status on April 1, 1948. On September 20, 1949, an incident known as the Takefu Jiken took place. At around 5 am the District Court and the District Public Prosecutor's Office caught fire. Within an hour, all of the court records and documents were destroyed. The fire was blamed on arson related to gang activity, and scenes from the movie

Battles Without Honor and Humanity , also known in the West as ''The Yakuza Papers'', is a Japanese yakuza film series produced by Toei Company. Inspired by a series of magazine articles by journalist Kōichi Iiboshi that are based on memoirs originally written by real-life ya ...

are said to be reminiscent of this incident. During the next 11 years, Takefu absorbed seven neighbouring villages and greatly increased in size and population. On October 1, 2005, Takefu and the neighbouring town of Imadate were merged to create the city of Echizen City.

Government

Echizen has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly ...

city legislature of 22 members.

Economy

Echizen has several large electronics and apparel factories, but it is known for its large number of flourishing small businesses. The area is traditionally known for its production of Echizen

washi is traditional Japanese paper processed by hand using fibers from the inner bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub (''Edgeworthia chrysantha''), or the paper mulberry (''kōzo'') bush. ''Washi'' is generally tougher than ordinary ...

paper, and for cutlery. Agricultural production is centered on rice, with

watermelon The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a Glossary of botanical terms#scandent, scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is plant breeding ...

s also being a major crop.

Education

Echizen has 17 public elementary schools and seven middle schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Fukui Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school. The private Jin-ai University is located in Echizen.

Transport

Railway

Takefu StationShinkansen service began on 16 March 2024. * Shinkansen jrw

JR West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, ...

Hokuriku Shinkansen The Hokuriku Shinkansen () is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo with Tsuruga, Fukui, Tsuruga in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It is jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR ...

** *

Hapi-line Fukui is a Japanese third-sector railway company established in 2019 that operates passenger railway services on the section of the former JR West Hokuriku Main Line that lay within Fukui Prefecture. This section of the Hokuriku Main Line was separ ...

(Former JR West Hokuriku Main Line) ** , * Fukutetsu Logomark

Fukui Railway is a bus and railway company located in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. It owns and operates the Fukubu Line between Tawaramachi Station in Fukui and Takefu-shin Station in Echizen. Overview Although Fukui Railway's name refers to its fou ...

- Fukubu Line ** , , ,

Bus

Regular services are provided primarily by

Highway

* 25px

Hokuriku Expressway The , (abbreviated as , is a 4-laned national Expressways of Japan, expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company. Overview The first section was opened in 1972 by Japan ...

* * *

Local attractions

Shinto shrines

* Ajimano Shrine (味真野神社) * Hino Shrine (日野神社) * Okafuto Shrine and

Ōtaki Shrine Otaki or Ōtaki may refer to: Places *Ōtaki, New Zealand **Ōtaki (New Zealand electorate) * Ōtaki River, New Zealand *Ōtaki, Chiba, Japan *Ōtaki, Saitama, Japan * Ōtaki, Hokkaido, Japan *Ōtaki, Nagano, Japan * Otaki, California, U.S. Surna ...

(岡太神社、大瀧神社) * Omushi Shrine (大虫神社) * Ōshio Hachiman Shrine (大塩八幡宮): A national Important Cultural Property. * Soja Shrine (総社大神宮)

Temples

*Gekkō-ji (月光寺) *Gōshō-ji (豪摂寺) *Hoyama-ji (帆山寺) *Inshō-ji (引接寺) *Jōfuku-ji Garden (浄福寺庭園) *Kongō-in (金剛院) *Reisen-ji (霊泉寺) *Ryūmon-ji (龍門寺) *Ryūsen-ji (龍泉寺)

Parks

*Ajimano Park (味真野苑) *Echizen no Sato (越前の里), in which are found: **Man'yōkan (万葉館) **Chrysanthemum Exhibition Hall (万葉菊花園) *Kakyō Park (花匡公園) *Kojirō Park (小次郎公園) *Murasaki Shikibu Park (紫式部公園): Built in honor of

Murasaki Shikibu was a Japanese novelist, Japanese poetry#Age of Nyobo or court ladies, poet and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Court in Kyoto, Imperial court in the Heian period. She was best known as the author of ''The Tale of Genji'', widely considered t ...

, author of ''

The Tale of Genji is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...

'', who lived in Echizen for a year with her father, Tametoki Fukuwara, the governor of Echizen. The park was modeled after a nobleman's residence in the Heian period. A statue of Murasaki Shikibu stands in the park, gazing in the direction of

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

. *Rozan Park (廬山公園): Built on top of Murakuni mountain, this park overlooks the entire plain from Takefu to Fukui city. Mt. Hakusan can easily be seen from here on a clear day. This vantage point also provides a night view of Echizen, Sabae, and Fukui cities.

Castles and forts

As an important military center for centuries, Echizen contains the sites of a number of former castles. Some remains, including former gates, sections of moats, and mounds, can be seen in the city. Archaeological digs have also uncovered roof tiles, tools, weapons, and other artifacts at these sites. *

(府中城) * Gyōjidake Castle (行事岳城) * Honpo Jin'ya (本保陣屋) *

(小丸城) * Kongōin Castle (金剛院城) * Kuratani Castle (鞍谷御所) * Mount Buei Castle (武衛山城) * Ōtaki Castle (大滝城) * Ryūmonji Castle (龍門寺城) * Shimomagara Magara Yakata (真柄館) * Shinzenkōji Castle (新善光寺城) * Shirosaki Jin'ya (白崎陣屋) * Tokuma Magara Yakata (真柄館)

Other

*Kura-no-Tsuji (蔵の辻): Echizen's historic area in central Takefu is full of old warehouses with white painted walls. Outdoor concerts and festivals often take place in the open square in the center of this neighborhood. *Takefu Town Hall Museum (武生公会堂記念館) *Teramachi-dōri (寺町通り) *Birthplace of

Chihiro Iwasaki was a Japanese artist and illustrator best known for her Watercolor painting, water-colored illustrations of flowers and children, the theme of which was "peace and happiness for children". Life Chihiro Iwasaki was born the first daughter of Ma ...

(いわさきちひろの生家) *Takefu Knife Village (タケフナイフヴィレッジ) *Usuzumi Cherry Tree (薄墨桜) *Ōjigaike (皇子ケ池) *Washi no Sato (和紙の里): This neighborhood is dedicated to the traditional craft of Japanese papermaking. **Japanese Paper Plaza (和紙の広場) **Papyrus Center (パピルス館): This building holds information and a workshop about the art of traditional Echizen paper. **Cultural Museum of Paper (紙の文化博物館) **Udatsu Craftsman's Studio (卯立の工芸館) *Yanagi Falls (柳の滝) *Minowaki no Tokimizu (蓑脇の時水): This waterfall was selected as one of Japan's 100 best scenic views. *Uno Tea Ceremony Museum

Festivals (''matsuri'') and events

*Echizen ''Kami'' (paper) Festival: This festival is held annually at the Echizen ''Washi no Sato'' (paper village) to celebrate the local ''washi'' and the papermaking deity, Kawakami Gozen. *Takefu ''Kikuningyo'' (chrysanthemum doll) Festival: This festival is held annually at Takefu Central Park. *Echizen ''Kani'' (crab) Festival *Echizen ''Togei'' (pottery) Festival: This festival is held annually in May at the Echizen ''Togei Mura'' (pottery village). 200px, alt=A pagoda covered in chrysanthemums, Kikuningyo Festival's chrysanthemum pagoda

Specialty products

Local foods

*Buckwheat noodles ''

soba Soba ( or , "buckwheat") are Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour, with a small amount of wheat flour mixed in. It has an ashen brown color, and a slightly grainy texture. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sau ...

'' and ''oroshisoba'' (with grated ''

daikon Daikon 大根 (だいこん) or mooli, (مولی) ''Raphanus sativus'' var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia ...

'') * Echizen crab *''Habutae maki'': sweet bean paste and ''

mochi A mochi ( ; Japanese ) is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain Japonica rice, japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the ...

'' covered in sponge cake *''Satsukigase'': a Japanese sweet *'' Mizuyōkan'': a firm sweet made from ''azuki'' beans *''Kenkera'': an old-fashioned Japanese sweet *''Baigetsu

senbei , also spelled ''sembei'', is a type of Japanese rice cracker. They come in various shapes, sizes, and flavors, usually savory but sometimes sweet. Senbei are often eaten with green tea as a casual snack and offered to visiting house guests as ...

'': a rice cracker dusted with sugar *''Manshō'' beans

Traditional crafts

*Chrysanthemum dolls *Echizen cutlery *Echizen ''

tansu are traditional Japanese mobile storage cabinets. are commonly used for the storage of clothing, particularly kimono. were first recorded in the Genroku era (1688–1704) of the Edo period (1603–1867). The two characters, and , appear to ...

'' *Echizen ''

'' *Traditional

roof tiles Roof tiles are overlapping tiles designed mainly to keep out precipitation such as rain or snow, and are traditionally made from locally available materials such as clay or slate. Later tiles have been made from materials such as concrete, glass ...

Notable people from Echizen

Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for '' Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and ''Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...

, manga artist *

Tomomi Inada is a Japanese lawyer and politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the 1st Fukui Prefecture since September 2005. She previously served as Minister of Defense from August 2016 to July 2017, resigning in respons ...

, lawyer,

Minister of Defense (Japan) The , or , is a member of the Cabinet of Japan, Japanese cabinet and is the leader of the Ministry of Defense (Japan), Ministry of Defense, the executive department of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Japanese Armed Forces. The minister of defe ...

* Ichibei Iwano, a paper maker and Living National Treasure *

, children's book illustrator *

Keizan Keizan Jōkin (, 1268–1325), also known as Taiso Jōsai Daishi, is considered to be the second great founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. While Dōgen, as founder of Japanese Sōtō, is known as , Keizan is often referred to as . Keiz ...

, one of the founders of

Sōtō Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai school, Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Caodong school, Cáodòng school, which was founded during the ...

Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

Sasaki Kojirō was a Japanese swordsman who may have lived during the Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods and is known primarily for the story of his duel with Miyamoto Musashi in 1612, where Sasaki was killed. Although suffering from defeat as wel ...

, swordsman * Kinya Machimura, businessman and statesman *

Akihisa Makida Akihisa Makida (牧田明久, born June 3, 1982) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder and currently second squad coach for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played for the Golden Eagle ...

, professional baseball player for the

Rakuten Golden Eagles The , often shortened as the , are a baseball team based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It has played in Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League since the team's formation in November 2004. The team is owned by the Internet shopping c ...

* Masatoki Minami (Fumitoshi Koshinaka), travel writer and railway photographer *

Makara Naotaka was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Asakura clan. He was also known as . Magara was a big man with a height of 7 shaku () and was famed for his skill with the .

, samurai *

Michiko Neya is a Japanese voice actress. She was affiliated with Arts VisionAffiliation with Arts Vision in the 1990s:* 1998 profile: * Roster as of January 1998: * Roster as of May 1998: and is currently freelancing. Some of her major roles in anime inc ...

, voice actress *

, novelist, poet, author of one of the earliest novels in human history *

Machi Tawara is a contemporary Japanese writer, translator and poet. Tawara is most famous as a contemporary poet. She is credited with revitalizing the tanka for modern Japanese audiences. Her skill as a translator consist of translating classical Japanes ...

, writer, translator, and poet * Akiyama Tokuzō, imperial chef * Hiromoto Watanabe, governor of Tokyo and founder of

Tokyo University The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several pre-westernisation era ins ...

Cityscape

Sister cities

* Takayama, Japan *

Motosu Usuzumizakura is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 34,453 in 12, 464 households, and a population density of 390 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Motosu is located in western Gifu ...

, Japan *

Montevallo, Alabama Montevallo is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. A college town, it is the home of the University of Montevallo, a public liberal arts university with approximately 3,000 students. As of the 2020 census, the population of the ci ...

, United States

References

External links

* *
Information for visitors of Echizen city
(Echizen City)

(Echizen City)

(Echizen City)
Castle Sites
{{Authority control Cities in Fukui Prefecture