What you need to know in anticipation of the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruga in one year (Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture)
This is the eighth installment of the series, "Good Travel ⇌ Communication from the Locals". This time, we received a contribution from Mr. Sano of the Tsuruga City Tourism Association in Fukui Prefecture, which will be a topic of conversation for tourists in the Tokyo metropolitan area for the next one or two years.
Next spring, the Hokuriku Shinkansen Fukui-Tsuruga extension will open. Originally, it was scheduled to open this spring, but it was postponed by one year due to construction delays. As a result, the feelings of the community must be strong.
The reporter visited Tsuruga six years ago. At that time, I will never forget the taste of the one cup of Echizen crab that I ate while stretching out. There were also stunning landscapes and inspiring international stories. After reading this article, it will be easier to understand the topic of bullet trains in the future. Please take an interest in Tsuruga (Editorial Department). (Photo: Tsuruga Port and Tsuruga Peninsula from the Mt. Tentsu Observatory)
Nice to meet you all. My name is Sano from the Tsuruga Tourism Association. I am (almost) a genuine Tsuruga person. I lived in Tsuruga for many years, but it was not flattering to say that it was a city. However, with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruga about a year away, the atmosphere in the city is beginning to change drastically. With the desire to let you know more about Tsuruga City, where new bustles are appearing one after another, we will introduce the latest information and this and that in Tsuruga. Please look forward to Tsuruga City, which is steadily preparing for its opening.
Fukui Prefecture. I think that most of the people who read this article are "I know the name" ... However, in Fukui, there are still many crafts woven by good old traditions, culture, and craftsmanship. The catch phrase of Fukui Prefecture is " Soberly amazing, Fukui 」。
A total of 18 motifs such as dinosaurs, glasses, and crabs are tightly condensed into the logo. Now, prefectural municipalities and corporate groups in Fukui Prefecture are united in their efforts to promote the local area using this logo. By all means, try to guess what the illustration is.
Tsuruga City is located in the center of Fukui Prefecture. To the north, the Sea of Japan, Tsuruga Bay, and mountains on three sides are surrounded by a terrain rich in nature. In addition, the four seasons are very clear, and you can enjoy the scenery of the four seasons, such as cherry blossoms in spring, swimming in the summer, autumn leaves in autumn, and snowy scenery in winter.
Each of the four seasons has an event that represents Tsuruga.
Vines, discoveries!
Tsuruga City has prospered as a natural harbor since ancient times, and has developed as a base for trade with other countries, as well as a domestic trading base as a berth for Kitamae ships. Also, when the government began to focus on railways instead of shipping routes in the Meiji era, plans to lay a railway to Tsuruga were promoted from the beginning, and it can be seen from the government's movements how Tsuruga was a trading hub. Thanks to this, access to each city from Tsuruga is very convenient, and you can go to Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka within 2 hours. In addition, the Hokuriku Shinkansen will open to Tsuruga next year, so you can go to Tokyo in about 3 hours without changing trains, making access to the city center even more convenient! Tsuruga has developed as a logistics base so far, but I think it will develop as a tourist base in the future ... I hope so.
Here are some of the main tourist attractions in Tsuruga City.
First of all, you can't miss the "Kihi Jingu", which is the general guardian of the Hokuriku Highway in Echizen Province.
This is a shrine built in 702 and has a history and prestige, but it is deeply attached to the locals and is called "Keisan". The best spot of Kihi Jingu is the large torii gate in front. With a height of about 11 meters, it is designated as an important cultural property of Japan as one of the three largest wooden torii gates in Japan. It is a beautiful vermilion-colored large torii gate and a symbol of Tsuruga. In autumn, the "Tsuruga Festival", which is an event for all Tsuruga citizens, is sometimes held around Kihi Jingu Shrine, and it is a place that 99% of Tsuruga citizens know.
As an aside, there is also an annual "haunted house" stall at the Tsuruga Festival (it is unclear if there will be future stalls because the festival has not been held for the past 4 years...). When he was a child, he sometimes went to festivals with his family, and every time he passed by the haunted house, he would cry. Perhaps because of that, I have never been in a haunted house at the Tsuruga Festival until now. (I'm a little scared to enter) If you've ever been in, please let me know what you think. cry
Next is "Kibi no Matsubara", which is designated as a national scenic spot.
Like Miho no Matsubara in Saga Prefecture and Niji no Matsubara in Shizuoka Prefecture, Kebi no Matsubara is designated as one of the three major matsubara in Japan, with a total length of about 1 km and an area about 7 times the size of Tokyo Dome. In the summer, it is open as a beach, and many customers come not only from Tsuruga citizens but also from the Chukyo and Kansai areas. In addition, there is a promenade in the pine forest, and many people enjoy walking every morning, and it is a place that is deeply attached to the city. Matsubara is a place that I have a special place in my heart. The high school I went to was very close by, so "Matsubara Beach Running" (commonly known as "Hama Run") was the standard muscle training for club activities. Thanks to that, I was able to strengthen both physically and mentally, but I can't forget that hell ... smile
Lastly, there is the Tsuruga Museum, a port of humanity that reopened in November 2020.
From the Meiji era to the early Showa period, Tsuruga Port served as a hub for transportation to Europe, and is the only port in Japan where Polish orphans landed in the 1920s and Jewish refugees with "visas for life" in the 1940s.
Focusing on the historical facts of Polish orphans and Jewish refugees who overcame numerous hardships to land in Tsuruga, the book introduces testimonies and anecdotes from the citizens of Tsuruga at the time, as well as heartwarming exchanges with those involved that continue to this day, and conveys the importance of life and the preciousness of peace. It is an ideal facility for students to learn about peace. There is also a tourist facility called Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse nearby, which is popular as an Instagrammable spot!
So far, we have introduced famous tourist facilities in the city, but from now on, we will introduce Tsuruga's recollection that has been transformed in recent years as a bustling creation project for the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruga.
The first is the "TSURUGA POLT SQUALE "otta", which began operation in September 2022. From now on, you will get off at Tsuruga Station (West Exit) on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and it will be the first facility to welcome you.
otta is a high-class business hotel, restaurants, and retail facilities on a site of approximately 8,000 square meters, as well as "TSURUGA BOOKS &COMMONS "CHIENAMIKI", an educational and educational facility. In addition, it is easy to come and go, and each facility is connected by an eaves, creating a sense of unity. On Saturdays and Sundays, events are held in the square, and it is the place where the momentum is the most right now.
In addition, the Kanegasaki area, which is dotted with the humanitarian port Tsuruga Museum, which I mentioned earlier, is currently undergoing reform. Although construction has not started at this time, in recent years "Auberge", a restaurant with accommodation functions, is scheduled to be built. The full picture has not yet been revealed, but we are expecting it to be a new hot spot!
Also, when talking about Tsuruga today, you can't miss the "Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruga Station Building". This is the situation at the moment.
The exterior has been completed, and we are currently working on the interior. The feature of this Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruga Station is its size. The height of the station building is about 37 meters, which is the largest scale of the maintenance Shinkansen, and the width of the station building is about 55 meters. There is a conventional train platform on the first floor, a transfer concourse on the second floor, and a Shinkansen platform on the third floor, and you can overlook Tsuruga City from the Shinkansen platform. I can't wait for the interior to be completed!
So far, we have mainly introduced the facilities, but "gourmet" is important for the purpose of the trip. Surrounded by mountains and the sea, Tsuruga is famous for its abundant food. The most important thing is the fresh seafood.
In addition to the cultured fish "Tsuruga red snapper" and "Tsuruga fugu" that have been branded in recent years, including "Echizen crab", which is the king of winter flavors, the seafood bowl made with local fish caught in Tsuruga Port is exquisite.
Tsuruga brand fish Tsuruga red snapper (left) and Tsuruga fugu (right)
There are some shops where there is always a line at lunchtime, and there are many customers from outside the prefecture who come to Tsuruga for seafood.
In addition, there is "Tsuruga Ramen", which is based on tonkotsu + chicken stock, which is said to have originated from street food, and "European Katsudon / Paris Bowl", which is the soul food of the people of Fukui Prefecture. In addition, people who come from the city center will be surprised not only by the volume of katsudon in Europe, but also by the main building! If you are interested, please google it.
Lastly...
As we have introduced so far, in addition to the traditional tourist spots with history and taste, a new "Tsuruga City" is beginning to be born due to the construction of new facilities. Whether you've never been to Tsuruga before, or even if you've been to Tsuruga, you'll be able to enjoy the changes and bustle. We look forward to seeing you there! Also, if you have any questions about Tsuruga Tourism, please contact the Tsuruga Tourism Association at any time!
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Text: Ryota Sano (Tsuruga Tourism Association) Born and raised in Tsuruga, he is a genuine Tsuruga person. I left my hometown to go to university, but I made a U-turn when I got a job. I joined the Tourism Association by chance. While studying every day, he is disseminating deep information about Tsuruga both inside and outside the prefecture. Her favorite food is ramen. The goal is to conquer the local ramen. (Tsuruga ramen is delicious!) ） |
