Echizen, Fukui
Template:Infobox City Japan Echizen (越前市, Echizen-shi) is a city located in Fukui, Japan.
As of August 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 86,562 and the density of 375 persons per km². The total area is 230.75 km².
Echizen has several large electronics and apparel factories, but it is known for the large number of small businesses that flourish there; indeed, the local joke that everyone in town addresses each other as "shacho" ("company president") is almost true. Echizen is home to a small but vibrant community of Brazilians, who mostly work in a ceramic capacitor factory, and a smaller Chinese community, largely linked to the garment industry. A large contingency of foreign English teachers also lives in Echizen teaching at local High schools, middle schools,and elementary schools. These foreigners can most easily be found at their local haunts, Matsuri Sushi, Tom's Toast, and various other restaurants around town.
History
Echizen city was incorporated in its present form on October 1, 2005, when the city of Takefu and the town of Imadate (from Imadate District) merged to form the new city, although it has been an important regional center for over 1500 years. It has two former castle sites and some prehistoric archeological sites. Echizen is known for its well over 300 shrines and temples. It was the home (for a year) of Murasaki Shikibu, the celebrated author of The Tale of Genji. Her father was governor of the Heian province of Echizen.
Famous Places
- Murasaki Shikibu Park
- Echizen Village, containing the old Taniguchi house, a National Treasure
- Echizen Washi Village
- Kojirō Park
- Kakio Park
- Takefu Knife Village
- Shikibu Public Spa
- Warehouse Street
- Teramachi Street
- Takefu Memorial Hall
- Komaru Castle Ruins
- Ōtaki Shrine, a national treasure
- Ōshio Hachiman Shrine, a national treasure
- Ōmushi Shrine, a national treasure
- Okafuto Shrine
- Ryūzenji Temple
- Insetsu Temple
- Ryūmonji Temple
- Gōshōji Temple
- Jōfukuji Temple Garden
- Honpojin'ya Ruins
- Minowaki no Tokimizu, one of Japan's 100 best views
- Murakuni Mountain, one of Japan's 100 best night views
- Uno Tea Ceremony Museum
Festivals & Events
January
- 1st - New Year’s production of knives at Takefu Knife Village
- New Year’s performance of Echizen Manzai in Ajimano Shrine
- 5th - New Year’s ceremony for paper-making in Utatsu-no-Craftmen Center
- Burning festival of New Year's ornaments in Okafuto Shrine
February
- 3rd - Setsubun, the eve of the beginning of spring
- 9th - Town festival in Okafuto Shrine
- 11th - Oraishi, celebration of Keitai’s accension to emperor in Okafuto Shrine
- 17th - Gobo-ko, burdock eating meeting
April
- Hanagatami Festival, festival of cherry blossoms in Kakyo Park
- Festival of cherry blossoms in Taiyo-no-Hiroba
- 18th - Broom Festival to drive away evils in Goko Shrine
May
- 3rd - Wisteria Festival in Murasaki Shikibu Park
- Man'yo Tea Ceremony in Ajimano-en
- 3rd-4th - Man'yo Festival in Ajimano-en
- 3rd-5th - Paper-making Festival in Okafuto Shrine and Otaki Shrine
- 8th-15th - Osuna-fumi, Sand-Worshipping Ceremony in Kokubunji Temple
July
- 1st - Chi-no-wa Kuguri, ceremony of driving away evils in Sōja Shrine
- 15th - Mitama-Matsuri, festival for comforting ancestors' spirits at Kongoji Temple
- Festival of Mt. Hino in Hino Shrine
- 30th - Kawassan Fair in Hosyunji Temple
August
- 6th - Star Festival in Shinbo cho
- 14th-15th - Summer Festival in Echizen city
- 15th - Fire Festival in Mt. Onigadake
- 27th-28th - O-yori, great ceremony in Goshoji Temple
September
- International Tannan Art Festival
- Takefu International Music Festival
- Sōja Festival in Sōja Shrine
- Parade of portable shrines in downtown
- Tannan Industrial Crafts Fair in Sun Dome Fukui
- Opening of chestnut gardens in Kurokawa cho
- Shishi-gaeshi, lions' trick-or-treat in Minami Nakayama District
October
- Imadate Exhibition of Contemporary Paper Art Works
- Takefu Chrysanthemun Dolls Festival in Chuo Park, ranked among Japan's top 3 chrysanthemum doll crafts
- Kojiro Festival in Kojiro Park
- Paper-Making Festival in Otaki Shrine
- Do-no-machi, mochi parade in Otaki Shrine
- Genji Tale Academy in the city cultural center
November
- 3rd - City marathon
- 5th - Festival of Mt. Kinka
- Festival of Red Leaves in Kakyo Park
Specialty Products
Local Foods
- Echizen soba
- Echizen crab
- Habutae mochi and Habutae maki, a kind of Japanese sweet
- Satsukigase, a Japanese cookie
- Mizuyōkan, a Japanese sweet
- Kenkera, an old-fashioned Japanese sweet
- Volga rice, a pork cutlet on a rice omelet meant to look like a boat carrying packages on the Volga river
- Chrysanthemum soft cream and wine
Traditional Crafts
Famous People
- Murasaki Shikibu, novelist, poet, author of one of the earliest novels in human history
- Keizan, one of the great founders of Sōtō Zen Buddhism
- Hiromoto (Kouki) Watanabe, governor of Tokyo and founder of Tokyo University
- Kinya Machimura, businessman and statesman
- Chihiro Iwasaki, children's book illustrator
- Ichibei Iwano, a paper maker and Living National Treasure
- Ryoichi Ikegami, manga artist
- Michiko Neya, voice acress
- Makara Naotaka, samurai
- Sasaki Kojirō, swordsman
- Machi Tawara, writer, translator, and poet
- Masatoki Minami (Fumitoshi Koshinaka), travel writer and railway photographer
- Hiroki Furuichi, member of THE LOOSE DOGS
- Akihisa Makida - professional baseball player on the Rakuten Golden Eagles
- Nobutoshi Shimada, professional baseball player on the Nippon Ham Fighters
- Yuka Amaya, freelance announcer
Friendship Cities
Echizen has friendship relationships with the following cities:
Images
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A neighborhood called Kyomachi in the center of the city -
Nishitakefu Station on the Fukui Railroad -
Takefu-Shin Station on the Fukui Railroad -
Mt. Hino during cherry blossom season -
Takefu Chrysanthemum Doll Festival
External links
- Official homepage (in Japanese)
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