Fukui Prefecture, Prefecture on Japan Sea coast in Chubu region, Japan.
This prefecture sits along the western coast of Honshu, stretching from the Japan Sea shore through rolling countryside to mountain ranges inland. The region includes several coastal towns, rice paddies in the lowlands, and forested slopes toward the interior, with the Kuzuryu River running through the central valley.
During the Edo period, the Matsudaira family controlled this territory from a castle in the current capital, which was later demolished. The prefecture took its modern shape after the Meiji Restoration, when the old feudal domains were reorganized into administrative units.
Workshops across the Echizen district still produce washi paper using methods handed down over centuries, crafting sheets by hand from mulberry bark. Many small studios welcome visitors who want to watch the slow process of forming and drying each sheet on wooden frames.
The region is best reached by train, with the Hokuriku line running along the coast and connecting several main towns. Winter brings frequent snow along the coast, while summer months tend to be warmer and more humid.
Near Katsuyama, a quarry has yielded several dinosaur species, including two named after this prefecture. Visitors can tour the excavation site and see fossilized bones that were laid down more than 100 million years ago.
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