The first time I went to Fukui, I wasn’t especially mindful of my itinerary. I was there somewhat unexpectedly—basically, I had a free day when I was otherwise based in Kanazawa—and decided to tick one of Japan’s least-loved prefectures off my list.
Although I enjoyed most of the places I visited, you could argue that I was somewhat careless about the way I went about seeing them. For example, I declined to watch sunset at the Tojinbo Cliffs, instead visiting in the morning.
Another oversight? I went to Daihonzan Eihei-ji Temple when all its leaves were new and deep-green, rather than in the autumn season for which the entire place is famous. (As you’ll see reading this article, I’ve now corrected that mistake!)
How I Learned of Eihei-ji
As embarrassing as it sounds, I didn’t know if I would find Eihei-ji worth visiting when I went there for the first time. I simply had an extra day to spare during a trip to Kanazawa and, after renting a car near Fukui Station during my train ride westward, decided to pack my itinerary with as many places as possible. If I’m honest, I’m not sure I even saw a picture of the temple before I turned up.
Rather, I had seen it listed somewhere, or maybe simply on Google Maps—I knew I wanted to visit the aforementioned Tojinbo Cliffs, for example, and that I wanted to end up in Katsuyama City far to its east. To some extent, Eihei-ji was simply “on the way,” and it seemed strange not to go there since I was planning to be in the neighborhood anyway.
All the Ways to Visit Eihei-ji
Day trip from Fukui
The simplest way to reach Eihei-ji is from Fukui Station, where there are regular direct buses can take you to the temple. Likewise, the drive from Fukui-shi (and, since you’d have a car, from other cities like Tsuruga and Obama) is also pretty short.
Day trip from Kanazawa or Toyama
Is Eihei-ji worth it if coming from further afield? Well, if you’re elsewhere in Hokuriku (namely, the cities of Kanazawa and Toyama), it’s certainly simple. You’ll just need to ride a Shinkansen from either of those stations to Fukui Station, and proceed as if you were taking a day trip from there.
Day trip from Kyoto
In theory, you could go by train from Kyoto Station to Fukui Station (a Thunderbird Limited Express to Tsuruga, and a Shinkansen from there) and go by bus from there to do a day trip all the way from Kyoto to Eihei-ji. For reasons I’m about to outline, however, it’s arguably better to have a car in this case.
Part of a Fukui road trip
If you have a car, then no matter where you start out, your Eihei-ji day trip doesn’t have to end there. Depending upon how much time you have, you could visit a number of other destinations in Fukui, from the Tonjinbo Cliffs and Obama in the west, to Katsuyama in the east.
Stay overnight in Eihei
Although you can’t enjoy proper shukubo accommodation at Eihei-ji as you can at, say, Koyasan or Aomori’s Osorezan Bodai-ji, you can stay overnight in Eiheiji town. My favorite place for this is Eiheiji Hakujukan, if it’s available for your dates.
When is the Best Time to Visit Eihei-ji?
As I’ve already both stated and implied during this itinerary, autumn is definitely the most beautiful time to visit Eihei-ji. Although there is a certain beauty about seeing the trees all around it in their purest verdant form, the particular variety and brilliance of the trees here simply suits the atmosphere of the temple much better. Its relatively remote location ensures that it won’t be nearly as crowded as other all attractions, either.
In parallel to this, the Eihei-ji autumn tends to come a little bit early than the season does in other parts of the Hokuriku region. On the date of my most recent visit, much of the nearby town of Obama (which is at sea level) was completely green. In spite of this, driving just over an hour to Eihei-ji revealed a temple that was completely immersed in a sea of red, orange and yellow.
Other FAQ About Visiting Eihei-ji Temple
What is the Eiheiji temple?
Eihei-ji is a gorgeous mountain zen temple in Fukui, Japan. It’s famous, among other reasons, as a training center for monks who wish to practice Shikantaza, a type of sitting meditation. Its architectural and natural beauty has made it well-known among tourists as well, though it remains relatively uncrowded as of the late 2020s.
How do I get to Eiheiji?
You can reach Eihei-ji by a combination of train and bus from Fukui Station, itself accessible by Shinkansen from Kanazawa, Toyama and Tokyo, or a pair of fast trains from Kyoto and Osaka. Alternatively, renting a car in Fukui or Kyoto can allow you not only to access Eihei-ji, but to explore it at your leisure in the context of the rest of Fukui-ken.
Is Eiheiji worth visiting?
Eihei-ji is definitely worth visiting, as an important Buddhist temple built on a heavily wooded hillside in a rural and relatively non-busy part of Japan. However, coming in the autumn (colors usually reach their peak here around November 15) can take your trip to another level, and vastly increase your ROI.
The Bottom Line
Eihei-ji Temple is astonishing, even if you aren’t able to visit during its iconic autumn season. This is especially the case if you rent a car, which will allow you visit the temple in conjunction with other attractions in surrounding Fukui and adjacent Ishikawa prefectures. To this end, coming during winter (when it’s possible for the nearby Echizen Coast could be buried in deep snow) or spring (when multiple attractions in the Hokiriku region will be pink and white with sakura) make good consolation prizes. Need personalized help incorporating Eihei-ji into the bigger picture of your Japan trip? Consider commissioning a custom Japan itinerary today!
