Echizen Ono Castle [越前大野城]

Echizen-Ono is a small city located about 30 km east of Fukui city.
The formal name is simply Ono city.
The first "o" is pronuonced long, so it is read as "Ôno".

There are many places with the name of "Ôno" in Japan.
So this city is often called as "Echizen-Ôno" for distinguishing.

The city is on the Ôno Basin, and several springs with clean and tasty water are dotted in the city.

This town was built by Kanamori Nagachika (1524-1608, a warlord).

He built Ôno Castle on the top of Mount Kameyama (亀山) in 1575.
Then he built the town like Kyoto at the eastern foot of the mountain.

This town has still many old residences or houses, so Echizen-Ono is called Little Kyoto in Hokuriku.

The castle tower was destroyed by fire in 1759 and it didn't rebuilt after that.
And Ôno Castle was demolished in the late 19th century by Meiji Government.
Only the stone walls and a few moat remained.

In 1968, current castle tower was restored as a historical museum.
Articles of the lords of this castle are exhibited in the museum.

The top of Mount Kameyama that the castle tower stands on is at an altitude of 249 meters, and is located about 1.3 km west of JR Echizen-Ono station.

The height is about 90 meters from the town, so the mountain is like a small hill in the basin.

This castle is known as "Castle in the Sky".

Fog enveloped the basin, but only the top of Mount Kameyama and the castle appeared on the sea of fog.
In most case, the increasing fog hides the castle after some minutes.

But the view appeares in early morning only once or twice a month from October to April.
The condition is that the humidity is high the previous day, the temperarure falls largely in the night and no wind blows on that day.

To see the view, you must go to on the top of Mount Inuyama located about 1 km est-southwest of the castle.

The altitude is 324 meters and the place is higher than Kameyama.
You must walk the mountain path to the observatory.
If you can see the view, you are very lucky.

Echizen Ono Castle

Echizen-Ono castle town

The main area of the castle town is about 1 km from east to west and about 1.5 km from north to south between JR Echizen-Ono station and Mount Kameyama with Ono Castle.

In the center of the town, some streets are formed in a grid.

The former eastern side is located about 400 meters from Echizen-Ono station.
The street running from north to southe is called Teramachi street (寺町通り)

16 Buddhist temples are placed along this street.
This is the most historic street in the town.

A street running in the center of the town from east to west is Shichiken Street (七間通り).

Morning market is held in this street every day from the Spring Equinox to December 31.
The farmers around the town sell fresh vegetables and fruits.

There are a few springs in the southwestern part of the town.

Oshôzu (御清水) is an spring which has used as the daily life water since the foundation of Ono Castle.

Hongan-shozu Itoyo no Sato (本願清水イトヨの里) is a facility for nature observation by a clean river.
Itoyo is a kind of fresh-water fish and is called as three-spined stickleback in English.
It is an endangered species and is seen in this facility.

In addition, there is a new popular food Shoyu Katsudon in Ono city.

It is a bowl of rice topped with tonkatsu (Japanese pork cutlet) and chopped vegetables.
It is eaten after pouring shoyu (soy sauce).

How to get here

By JR Etsumi-hokusen (Kuzuryu Line), about 1 hours from Fukui to Echizen-Ono.
(The train is operated every 2 to 4 hours.)

Or, by route bus, about 1 hours from Fukui station to Echizen-Ono station.
(The bus is operated every 1 or 2 hours.)

Other Tourist Attractions in Fukui Prefecture

Return to Fukui Prefecture Return to Hokuriku Region