Central Japan’s Fukui Prefecture feels far removed from the frenzied pace of life in the nation’s cities. Life in the northern reaches of the prefecture, in particular, appears to move to the calmer rhythms set by a close proximity to both mountains and sea.
Using the area’s rich natural resources local chefs create healthy, sustainable cuisine, serving dishes that include Japan’s finest and freshest crab to those showcasing the zero-mileage ingredients grown on the mountainsides.
Away from the dining table, local people infuse their heritage with creative energy, offering cultural workshops to visitors to the region’s retro townscapes. Deep in the mountains, things get far more zen at the revered Eiheiji Temple.
Add to this menu life-affirming views of the sun setting over the Sea of Japan and it’s easy to see why this corner of Fukui Prefecture is quietly becoming the destination of choice for people looking to press reset, mentally and physically, on their busy lives.
Modern and convenient Fukui Station is the region’s transportation hub and the logical point of departure for a Fukui wellness experience. Nextdoor, delightfully retro Echizen Testudo trains depart from Echizen Tetsudo Fukui Station for Eiheijiguchi. From here buses connect to Daihonzan Eiheiji.
Experience True Zen in the Mountains
(Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple)
After founding a monastery at Eiheiji, Dōgen is reported to have said that it was not important that he has many disciples, and that it would be sufficient if there was even just one practitioner who could truly carry on his teachings.
Even the casual visitor, though, will find much to feel well about at Eiheiji. Following the approach alongside the tumbling waters of the Eiheiji River, walks around the beautiful outer grounds of the temple, under towering trees and beside stone walls covered in ancient moss, lead to Jakkoen, a small park of sorts, home to the graves of each former head of Eiheiji. Visitors can ring the large bell at the Shorodo (bell tower). Another Shorodo bell inside the temple precincts is rung by trainee monks to announce the day’s schedule from morning zazen to bedtime.
A walking course takes visitors around 14 of Eiheiji’s temples and structures which climb up the mountainside. Gazing up at the ceiling of the Sanshokaku reception hall to take in the 230 paintings of birds and flowers is a particularly beautiful experience. Heading up a series of staircases and deeper into the temple precincts leads to the Hatto, or “Dharma Hall,” where one might have a quiet moment to sit and contemplate the altar which features an image of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.
(Sanshokaku reception hall and staircase, Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple.)
As much as it leaves a lingering impression, it can be hard to put into words the Eiheiji experience, even when experienced at face value by the casual visitor. Perhaps a word or two from its founder then.
“But do not calculate with your mind and do not speak with words. Just let go and forget about both your body and mind. Throw yourself into the house of the Buddha.” (From Dogen Zenji’s Shoji - translated by Soto Zen Translation Project.)
And maybe keep quiet about the gâteau chocolat and sake you’re about to have with lunch!
Enjoy Flavors of the Satoyama
A dining experience at la clarté might make for the perfect reward, or indulgence, after the zazen experience at Eiheiji.
“Including daikon radish, soba noodles, and rice, there are various products being grown around us. The local farmers will often say, ‘Would you like to use this?’ or 'You can pick this.’” said la clarté owner and chef, Hikari Matsushita. “So, we want to try and make this a restaurant with zero food mileage.”
Chef Matsushita, who established la clarté after returning to her hometown of Takeda to raise a family, uses the fresh ingredients of the satoyama along with other fruits of Fukui’s mountains and sea. The chef’s commitment to zero food mileage, along with a reduction of food waste and plastics saw Matsushita and the la clarté team awarded a Michelin Green Star (along with a Bib Gourmand award) in May 2021.
At the time of visiting, Matsushita served a lunch course at la clarté which started with the “Mikuni amaebi bagna càuda”- the Italian “hot bath” dipping sauce serving as the perfectly creamy complement to a lineup of local favorites and flavors providing a satisfying crunch, including Kamisho satoimo taro root, koushin daikon watermelon radish, and classics such as cucumber, carrot, and paprika. Even in the foothills of the satoyama though, Matsushita can easily make good use of ingredients from the Sea of Japan, as evidenced in this dish by servings of amaebi sweet shrimp.
“When we started our family I felt that the children liked sausages but I didn’t really want them eating those that are sold in the stores. I thought it would be better to make my own,” she explained.
Jikasei homemade sausage, made with Fukui Arashima pork, and a nama ham salad are key elements of la clarté’s “keyaki plate.” The plate also includes an indulgent slice of quiche flavored with konka saba pickled mackerel which Matsushita likened to the local favorite heshiko - mackerel fermented in bran and brine.
The feeling of wellness on la clarté’s menu is given a cheeky boost courtesy of a relaxed sake pairing which, at the time of visiting, saw the keyaki plate served with “sou,” a sake from Sakai-based brewers Kubota Shuzo. As a namachozo sake, sou is put through just one stage of pasteurization during the brewing process (where many types of sake are put through two), which has the effect of giving it a fresher flavor.
"It's a refreshing, light sake that I think has a similar feel to a white wine," Matsushita said.
The la clarté lunch experience is made complete with soy milk and olive oil gâteau chocolat.
Matsushita’s restaurant takes its name from the French “clarté” - clarity, light, luminosity. With its wall-to-ceiling wood-framed windows looking out to the surrounding satoyama landscape, an open kitchen counter and light emanating from the wood-fire ovens, la clarté is certainly a place of light and space worthy of its name.
What might not be immediately clear to the untrained eye though are the origins of the restaurant building, although the atmosphere of warmth and care that pervades throughout might provide a clue.
“The building was originally a pre-school but with the ongoing depopulation around here, and the number of both adults and children decreasing, the pre-school and elementary school were closed. Now children are commuting longer distances to school by bus,” Matsushita said.
Discussions between the town and local residents about how to make use of the vacant building led to Matsushita raising her hand with the proposal to turn it into a restaurant.
“The happy sound of childrens’ voices has gone but we continue our work with the hope of bringing lots of people back to the area,” she said.
Explore Retro Townscapes and Cherished Heritage
Mikuni rode a wave of growth and prosperity into the Meiji period driven by Kitamaebune shipping routes ferrying goods between Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido and Osaka in western Japan. Much of this trade has since been hauled onto trains and now lorries leaving visitors with an unhurried, easy atmosphere in which to explore the retro streetscapes and appreciate the town’s treasured past.
A stroll along Mikuniminato Kitamae-dori is a fine way to walk off lunch or build up an appetite for dinner. There’s much to explore here, from historical properties to souvenir shops and colorful eateries.
Learn from Local Artisans
Bonsai master Yoshikatsu Shimomura conducts workshops from his store and gallery space Mikunien - a beautifully renovated townhouse on Kitamae-dori, believed to date back to the late Edo period.
In 2013 Shimomura launched the brand Re:BON through which the bonsai master aims to change the perception of bonsai from being a culture and tradition that is hard to access, to one that can be enjoyed by all.
With Re:BON Shimomura uses familiar plants such as cherry trees and hydrangea to create miniature bonsai that can easily be enjoyed in the home. Pots for the bonsai come from collaborations with Fukui’s Echizen-ware ceramic artisans, among others, who create pieces that complement home interiors.
See Source-to-table in Action
November brings with it the beginning of crab season in Fukui where Japan’s celebrated Echizen-gani crabs are caught. Those crabs that are landed at Mikuni’s port are said to be among the finest and freshest in the country, in part due to the proximity of the port to the fishing grounds.
The auction bidding is fast-paced and no-nonsense. Time is of the essence when it comes to keeping things fresh. Starting with the smaller female seiko-gani crabs, bidding for each crate takes no more than 30 seconds before the action moves onto special wooden stages for the auctioning of the larger male Echizen-gani.
Market visitors can witness the auction from a special viewing room above the market floor. It’s a rare and perhaps important opportunity to gain some insight into the relationships that exist between the local people, the environment, and the traditions that help to bring our food from source to table.
Dine out on a Spectacular Sunset
In fact, the team at Salvatore seems happy to let their food, the location, and the diners do the talking. And people do talk. Ask anyone in town where to get a decent Italian, and they’ll likely be quick to recommend Salvatore, even if they might struggle to give directions. From the restaurant itself, there’s little in the way of social media marketing or easy-to-digest conceptual soundbites. Even a menu is hard to come by.
Perhaps part of achieving a state of wellness though, is to be comfortable in relinquishing control and to take things in one's stride. Take comfort in this case - whatever’s on the menu at Salvatore, it’s likely to delight.
At the time of visiting, a two-plate dinner served at Salvatore featured a pasta main of seiko-gani crab in a rich marinara sauce sitting on a base of fettuccine pasta. According to staff, half of a single seiko crab goes into one generous serving of pasta.
A further side included local Kamisho satoimo taro root topped with slices of gobou burdock and shiitake mushrooms marinated in garlic oil.
Dessert at Salvatore arrived in the form of a triple serving of wellness, the more indulgent kind - a striking purple sweet potato pudding flanked on one side by a dollop of classic pudding made with eggs and milk from local farm Okera Bokujo, and on the other, a tangy persimmon sauce.