Fascinating Fukui

Enter Jurassic World

A visit to Fukui isn’t complete without a trip to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum in Katsuyama city. From the moment you walk in, you’ll immediately understand why the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is ranked among the top three dinosaur museums in the world.

The most impressive exhibition hall of all has to be Dinosaur World, located in the basement. With 42 mounted reconstructed life-sized dinosaur skeletons on display, a few of them even contain original bones. Learn more about dinosaurs that have so far been only found in Japan and Asia,including reconstructed skeletons of dinos that have been named after dinosaurs found in Katsuyama city in Fukui — the Fukuisaurus, Fukuiraptor and Fukuititan.

With detailed signs in English explaining more about the origins of the dinosaurs, don’t be surprised if you find yourself spending a full day at the museum learning more about these fascinating creatures.

Reset Your Balance at Eiheiji Temple

Get a crash course on Zen Buddhism, right here.An impressive temple by any measure, Eihei-ji is made up of seven structures, including the main gate, the Buddha hall, the Dharma hall, the Priests’ hall, kitchen, bath, and toilets. Some of the cedar trees on the temple grounds are over 500 years old!Join a monk-led tour of the temple to get a glimpse into how monks lead their everyday lives, as well as to learn about fascinating facts and trivia about the temple.
One thing you’ll notice, despite the number of tourists that visit the temple every day, is just how peaceful it is, as monks and tourists alike are expected to go about their daily business as silently and purposefully as possible.
While you’re visiting the temple, do take the opportunity to experience zazen. Zazen means “seated Zen”: The practice of simply sitting in the correct posture, being still, and letting body and mind return to their original condition.