Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
一乗谷朝倉氏遺跡
The castle town ruins of the Sengoku-period daimyo Asakura clan, with restored streets and four famous gardens. Often called 'the Pompeii of Japan'.
The Asakura clan ruled Echizen for five generations, over about a century, until Oda Nobunaga burned the town in 1573. The ruins were then buried under fields, and excavations have revealed the complete layout of a Sengoku-period castle town. The site is designated as both a Special Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. Visitors can see the restored town street, with about 200 metres of samurai residences and merchant houses (about 330 yen), the Asakura residence's Karamon gate, and the garden ruins of the Suwa residence. At the entrance, the Fukui Prefectural Ichijōdani Asakura Family Ruins Museum (opened in 2022, about 700 yen) includes a full-scale reconstruction of the Asakura residence. Getting there: from Fukui Station, take the JR Echizen-Etsumi Line for about 15 minutes to Ichijōdani Station, or a bus for about 30 minutes. The site is long and narrow, so it is best to rent a bicycle or set aside half a day.
Opening hours
Fuyuan Town 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Eihei-ji Temple
- Fukui Station Dinosaur Plaza
- Yōkōkan Garden
- Fukui Castle Ruins
- Echizen Washi Village
- Asuwa River Cherry Blossoms
- Maruoka Castle
- Echizen-Ōno Castle