It may have been 65 million years since a real dinosaur last wandered around Fukui, but there’s no doubt who still rules in this city.
From the giant Diplodocus who greets you at the train station to the white T-Rex statue standing in a nearby field, dinosaurs are omnipresent. That’s no surprise, as 80% of Japan’s fossils have been found in this city, which is three hours from Osaka and Tokyo (thanks to a new Shinkansen link).
It’s so famed for its fossils that several dinosaurs take their name from the city: there’s Fukuisaurus, Fukuiraptor, Fukuivenator and Fukuititan for starters.
Once you’ve arrived at the local train station and admired the Iguandadon waiting outside, the dinosaur-themed bus takes you to the enormous Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum – its domed shape is designed to look like a half-buried dino egg.
Inside is simply one of the greatest dinosaur museums in the world. Set on four levels, it houses an incredible number of specimens, displays and some impressive animated creatures. Fukui’s love with prehistoric times only started in 1989 when fossils were first unearthed. The museum opened in 2000 and has three main zones: Dinosaur World, Earth Sciences, and History of Life. As well as these vast exhibition spaces, there’s an annex that boasts a dinosaur tower featuring models of the five main beasts discovered in Fukui.
Among the incredible finds here are ‘Leonard’, a mummified dinosaur with traces of skin and muscle still visible, and a vast display of dinosaurs from Sichuan province in China – including a Diplodocus on its hind legs reaching high for some leaves.
The Earth Sciences’ level features dozens of rocks and explanations about earthquakes and volcanoes, while there are areas where you can see paleontologists cleaning actual fossils and even a chance to visit a field station and the chance to find your own.
After around 2-3 hours browsing the museum, take a five-minute walk to Katsuyama Dino Park, which children will love as it offers a short trek into a forest filled with animatronic dinosaurs (there’s also a modest fairground, but it’s the walk that makes it worth a visit).
Fukui is the second-least visited prefecture in Japan but that’s likely to change thanks to the new train routes. As well as dinosaurs, the area has a famous paper-making village and the incredible Eiheiji Temple, home to Soto Zen Buddhism and Japan’s largest Buddhist training complex. There’s also the Ryusen Factory & Store in the Takefu Knife Village, where world-famous knife masters create intricate and sought-after products.
There’s a lot to explore in Fukui – but nothing beats a giant T-Rex in your face.
Getting to Fukui:
Thanks to a new Shinkansen route, Fukui is about to get busy. Once at Fukui, a local train gets you to Katsuyama, then a shuttle bus from the local train station lands you at the actual museum.
Sleeping in Fukui:
Fukui Dinosaur Guesthouse To give you an idea, we counted 46 dinosaurs in our room. There’s a communal kitchen with the usual, along with dinosaur costumes and masks. Hosts have some English and are super-friendly. Rooms start from 13,000Y.
Eiheiji Temple
