Echizen Ono castle, town and clear spring water, Fukui Pref.

Either way you look at it, Echizen Ono sure is pretty -- be it from the castle atop Mt. Kameyama and its views over the city and the Ono Basin to the Hakusan mountains beyond, or from street level among the historic facades of Shichiken-dori in the center of the old castle town of the same name. 

You’ve probably seen images of Fukui Prefecture’s Echizen Ono Castle rising above an ethereal layer of mist that covers much of its Mt. Kameyama perch and the town below to give it the moniker, “castle in the sky.” The conditions have to be just right for that though (typically between autumn and spring). Not to worry, the castle is a little stunner in its own right.

(Echizen Ono Castle, Fukui Prefecture)

Echizen Ono Castle, in its original guise, was the brainchild of the samurai Kanamori Nagachika who had the castle built over a five year period leading up to around 1575. Nagachika was a retainer of Japan’s 16th century “unifier” Oda Nobunaga. The structure you see today is a 1960’s remake, of sorts.  

Put the loose history aside for now though and instead make the short (but potentially stiff) hike up the mountain for some splendid views.

(View from Echizen Ono Castle, Fukui Prefecture)

At street level Echizen Ono “the castle town” spreads out east of the castle maintaining much of its original grid of avenues which centers on the atmospheric Shichiken-dori.

While Shichiken-dori appears to run straight as an arrow, east-west, the old buildings that line it tumble alongside in a delightful parade of old-time atmosphere basking in the rich glow of their wooden construction. Tourist literature (and us, it seems) will be quick to tell you that Shichiken-dori has been hosting morning markets for some 400 years.

Echizen Ono’s appeals even reach below street level. The city is surrounded by mountains (some reaching over 1000m in altitude) from which rainwater and melting snow filter through the ground becoming the source of spring water which is itself a source of industry, economy, tourist appeal and, well, hydration for the city. 

(One of the oshozu water springs in the city of Ono)

Stop by one of the springs dotted around the old town and you might see locals (and not-so locals) squat with containers, funnels and ladles stocking up on the water -- called “oshozu” -- from what is regarded, nay recognized, as one of Japan’s finest water supplies. Bring a thermos!  

In Japan, where there’s access to a clean, natural water source (and space to grow rice) there’s likely to be a sake brewery or two.  

On Shichiken-dori, Nambu Sake Brewery has been producing its Hanagaki sake since 1901 from a beautiful collection of buildings registered as tangible cultural properties in Japan in 2001. The coming together of Echizen Ono’s oshozu, locally grown rice, and the traditional brewing techniques employed by Nambu’s toji (chief brewer) has produced sake that has won awards both domestic and international for the brewery. Pop into the on-site store to see the impressive line-up of award winners.  

(Nambu Sake Brewery on Ono's Shichiken-dori)

(Junmai Nigori from Nambu Sake Brewery)

Soba noodles are the order of the day when it comes to dining in Echizen Ono’s castle town. Similar to the sake, it’s the combination of the oshozu with, this time, buckwheat that helps the city serve up some of the finest soba noodles in Fukui Prefecture. 

Locals favor the oroshi soba -- soba noodles with grated daikon, chopped leek, bonito flakes and dashi stock. You’ll likely see it on menus as “Echizen oroshi soba” on accounts of a 1947 visit to Fukui Prefecture by Emperor Hirohito who apparently remarked that the soba noodles he dined on in Echizen during his visit were delicious.  

Following Shichiken-dori east and over the railway tracks brings you to the restaurant Sobadokoro Bairin. Here cooks use buckwheat seeds native to Ono for their homemade soba flour. The soba flour is then combined with a special binder of wheat flour and water containing egg and yams to create noodles with an especially smooth texture.

(Oroshi soba, Sobadokoro Bairin)

(Sobadokoro Bairin, Ono City)

See if you can grab a seat by the restaurant’s atmospheric old hearth … and tuck in! 

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Echizen Ono Castle