A Full-Day of Visits with Traditional Artisans

Artisans, brewers, and chefs: the Echizen heritage lives on

On this full-day immersive tour, you’ll visit a number of artisans that represent the Echizen heritage of fine arts and crafts. Your day begins with a visit to the Ryusengama     , where potters make highly prized sake cups. Here, you’ll make your own cup under the guidance of the kiln master, choosing the glaze and the shape. (The finished cup will be sent to your home later, after firing.) At a local soba shop, you dine on your choice of hand-made noodle dishes. 

Also on the itinerary are visits to a local sake brewery founded in the eighteenth century for a tasting, and a chest maker shop that makes luxury paulownia chests. Here, you’ll learn to make a small wooden box with the decorative metal fittings that mark their luxurious design, once prized by wealthy merchants (also mailed to your home at a later date). You’ll hear tales and learn about the history of the crafts while heading to your next destination: a bar serving local delicacies as snacks along with sake from the brewery. You’ll have a chat with the sommelier-proprietress to learn about the local cuisine, making it a great place to end your day.
 

Access: From Tokyo Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Fukui Station (three hours).      

From Kyoto Station, take the Thunderbird to Tsuruga Station (one hour), then take the Hapi Line Fukui to Fukui Station (one hour).

The meeting spot for the tour is just outside the East Exit of Fukui Station.
 

Echizen Pottery and Chest Craft Tour with Sake Tasting （General Incorporated Association SOE）