Awara Onsen
あわら温泉
A famous hot-spring resort on the Hokuriku coast, known as the 'inner parlour' of Kansai, packed with inns and reached directly by the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
Awara Onsen began in 1883, when hot water welled up from an irrigation well in farmland. It then grew into a hot-spring district with around twenty inns. Its waters are mainly chloride springs, which retain heat well. The spa street has a free foot bath called Ashi-yu and a public bath called Seiiri-yu, and in winter many inns offer Echizen crab kaiseki meals. Since the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension in 2024, you can travel from Tokyo to Awara Onsen Station in about 3 hours, followed by a 10-minute bus ride. It is a good base for Tojinbo, Maruoka Castle and Mikuni. Rooms should be booked in advance on weekends during the Echizen crab season.
Opening hours
Open all day (foot bath approx. 07:00–22:00)
Nearby sights
- Shibamasa World
- Mikuni-minato Old Town
- Echizen Matsushima Aquarium
- Tojinbo Cliffs
- Oshima Island
- Maruoka Castle
- Yōkōkan Garden
- Fukui Castle Ruins