JAPAN TRAVEL: Tojinbo Cliffs in Fukui Prefecture
Apart from its many rice fields, flowing rivers, and the most serene of mountain views, no other spot personifies the zen aspect of Fukui more than the Tojinbo Cliffs.
Scientifically speaking, the cliffs were formed from the sea crashing into what was once an 80.8-meter-high plateau named Jingaoka. There are a lot of myths about how the place got its name. One of the most widely accepted, however, is about a monk.
Ages ago, there was once a monk named Tojinbo. He was an extremely powerful yet evil monk at the Heisenji Temple in Katsuyama. One day, the other monks at the temple, who all despised Tojinbo, invited him to go sightseeing at Mikuni. Once there, they got him drunk, threw him off the cliff, and left him there to die, thus giving the area its name.
What draws people to the cliffs are the breathtaking views you get from the cliffs. The cliffs stretch over a couple of kilometers of coastline and feature a walking trail, though tourists are free to explore the area themselves. It’s better if you have a guide, though, as some areas are off-limits for safety reasons.
There are two ways to enjoy the views you will get at Tojinbo: you can either walk around the area of the cliffs, taking in the vast panorama that it gives you; or take a boat ride for about ¥1,400 per adult (¥700 for children) to see the cliff face from the sea.
The boat tour is open almost year-round, only closing from December 29 to the 31st of January. Access to the cliffs is free and it is open year-round, but the boat ride is only available from 9 am to 4 pm during summer (April to October) and until 3:30 during winter (November – March).
Details
Address: Tojinbo, Mikuni District, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture
Operating hours: Always open
Admission fees: Free for the Tojinbo Cliffs, ¥1,400 per adult and ¥700 per child for the cruise
Contact number: +81776-82-5515
Written by Andronico Del Rosario
Supported by GCP
This first appeared in Philippine Primer Magazine Vol. 33 – December issue.
