We have created a short itinerary for a one-day road trip in Fukui prefecture from Kumagawa, Wakasa, to Obama city!
Travel Style: Peaceful, relaxing
Transportation: Rental Car
Duration: 1-day
Ideally, you will want to stay somewhere around Obama or even drive back to Kumagawa. Here are our stay recommendations:
Yao-Kumagawa (kumagawa-Juku)
Sea-Auberge Shitsumi (Shitsumi, Obama)
Note:
You may find that you have some time left if you strictly follow the three main stops we suggested, but do not worry, the countryside will find a way to steal some of your time! The time you spent driving is also a part of the itinerary! Along the way, there will be places to see, and places you can stop by. What seemingly feels like a normal local shop and stores can be more interesting than you might think! We highly encourage you to open Google Maps and stop by any place you find even mildly amusing.
First stop: 10 AM ~ 12 PM
Kumagawa-Juku: take a stroll along the post town (best on weekends!)
Kumagawa-Juku
Wakasa-cho, Mikatakaminaka-gun,
Fukui Prefecture
919-1532
Immerse yourself in the charismatic walk into the past in a post town district from the late 1500s, an hour and a half away from Kyoto by car.
The town is located along an alley parallel to the main road, stretching for around a kilometer and a half, and both sides are surrounded by traditional Japanese houses and structures, where a good number of them are shops and diners run by the locals.
The town retains a peaceful environment, to a certain extent, and gives a unique flow of quiet liveliness reminiscent of that of a residential area, detaching it from being completely an attraction, an element of which we appreciate and respect.
Try the local dishes and fill your stomach!
From the local products available in the area, rice, ume (plum), mackerel, heshiko (fermented mackerel), kuzu (arrowroot), yakuzen-cha (medical tea), and more
Our Picks:
Co Neru Bakery (open Sat & Sun, 11 pm-2 pm), リサイクルうさぎ (great dango), THEE COFFEE (ジーコーヒー), Marushin (dining), Jakushuyo (pottery & experience)
Extra stop: 30-45 minutes
Plant-2 grocery store: They sell everything here, from household goods, camping gear, clothing items, and groceries, so if you are interested in where the locals get their daily stuff, check this place out.
12-minute drive → Second stop: 12:30 PM ~ 1:30 PM
Wakasa Uriwari Meisui: a waterfall with wonderful taste
Tentokuji,
若狭町 Wakasa,
Mikatakaminaka District,
Fukui 919-1543
During our stay at Yao-Kumagawa, Uriwari Meisui is a name we have heard multiple times, from the water we drink to the water we use for rice cooking, and that is the reason why we have to visit the source.
The water from this fall is ranked as one of the hundred best waters in Japan and is also crowned as the number two best-tasting water, according to people’s reviews. Upon reading a piece of paper left by the hotel beside some bottles of drinking water, we decided to go visit this place.
As soon as we parked our car, we were greeted with a water refilling station, where we saw many locals filling gallons of water and bringing them home, which only costs a few yen. We learned afterwards that the water is popular among the locals for cooking rice.
The way up to the fall is only a few minutes walk up a trail covered in all directions by greenery, a pleasant walk it was. The fall is not a big, glorious one, but more of an elegant step of water flowing down the mountain; it only took us half an hour or so to complete the walk around the park and back to our car.
What about the taste? You may wonder, and well, we are no experts in water tasting, but what we can tell you is that it certainly does have a distinctive characteristic to it, most noticeably a more mineralish taste note. Not too overpoweringly strong, but strong enough that you would feel it upon taking a sip. Overall taste-wise, we would say it is certainly enjoyable to drink as you feel the taste of nature and minerals running down your throat, leaving a little hint of nutty-ish aroma in your mouth. We recommend you give it a try when you are in the area.
25-minute drive → Third stop: 2 PM - 4 PM
Explore the seaside city of Obama and visit Hashi No Furusato Museum: A Chopstick Museum Shop
Obama 小浜市,
Fukui Prefecture,
Japan
Take your time and explore the city of Obama on the way to the chopstick museum. We encourage you to go on the map and pick your place of interest, and explore the city in your own way!
Our Pick:
Kutsukiya (restaurant)
Wakasa Fisherman’s Wharf (gift shopping and dining)
Obama-Nishigumi Historical District (old town)
The Chopstick Museum
The city is the largest manufacturer of all of Japan’s chopstick production, particularly lacquered chopsticks. One of their specialties is Wakasa-nuri, a technique that embeds materials like seashells and gold leaf within its layers of lacquer, creating patterns and shapes like flowers or those resembling animals like cats or rabbits. A form of traditional art, read more…
The museum also houses the world’s largest chopstick with a Guinness World record in the building, which was quite amusing to witness, part of the ceiling carved out to accommodate its height of 8.4 meters.
Stop here for some chopsticks as a gift or for yourself!
Travel Tegami