Hokuriku Shinkansen Guide · Awara-Onsen Station
Best Hotels Near Awara-Onsen Station: Fukui’s Premier Hot Springs &
the Cliffs of Tojinbo
A New 2024 Stop · Hakutaka & Tsurugi · A Grand Onsen Resort & Fukui’s Most Dramatic Coast
🚄 Tokyo in ~2 hr 50 min on the Hakutaka
♨️ Awara Onsen — Fukui’s leading hot-spring resort
🌊 Gateway to the basalt cliffs of Tojinbo
🚂 Near the old town and canals of Mikuni
What Kind of Area is Awara-Onsen? A Local’s Honest Take
Awara-Onsen is the northern gateway into Fukui, and it wears its purpose in its name: this is the shinkansen stop for Awara Onsen, the prefecture’s grandest hot-spring resort, a town of large ryokan and geisha-entertainment tradition that has hosted travelers since the Meiji era. Just beyond lie two of Fukui’s signature sights — the dramatic sea cliffs of Tojinbo and the atmospheric former port town of Mikuni.
The station joined the network in the March 2024 extension; Hakutaka and Tsurugi stop, about 170 minutes from Tokyo. Awara-Onsen town is a short ride from the shinkansen station via the local Echizen railway. It is above all a place to soak and to reach the coast — a relaxing base at the top of the newly opened Fukui section.
Tojinbo’s columns of basalt, sheared into towering cliffs above the crashing Sea of Japan, are among the most spectacular coastal formations in the country — best at sunset, when the rock glows and the surf turns gold.
Getting Around from Awara-Onsen
🚄
Shinkansen
Tokyo ~2 hr 50 min · Fukui ~10 min · Kanazawa ~20 min. Hakutaka and Tsurugi stop; the Kagayaki passes through.
🚃
To the onsen & coast
The Echizen railway and buses reach Awara Onsen town, the Tojinbo cliffs and the Mikuni waterfront.
⛩️
To Eihei-ji
Awara-Onsen also gives access, via Fukui, toward the great Zen temple of Eihei-ji inland.
What to See Around Awara-Onsen
♨️ Awara Onsen
Fukui’s flagship hot-spring town — spacious ryokan, a lively foot-bath plaza and a tradition of evening geisha entertainment.
🌊 Tojinbo Cliffs
Sheer basalt columns and cliff-top walks above the sea, with sightseeing boats below and a viewing tower nearby.
🚂 Mikuni & the Coast
The old merchant-and-fishing town of Mikuni, with its historic streets, plus the long beach at Echizen-Matsushima — an easy coastal add-on.
Where Should You Actually Stay?
Awara is a place to sleep in an onsen ryokan — that is the appeal.
♨️ Awara Onsen ryokan: The clear choice — large hot-spring inns with baths, kaiseki dinners and the resort’s traditional hospitality.
🌅 Coast stays: A few inns near Mikuni and the cliffs offer sea views for coast-focused trips.
🏙️ City base: Fukui, 10 minutes on, suits those wanting a city and a day trip to the coast.
Overall Rating: Awara-Onsen Area
| Category | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shinkansen Access | ★★★★☆ | Hakutaka/Tsurugi, ~170 min to Tokyo |
| Around the Station | ★★☆☆☆ | Gateway; onsen and coast a short ride |
| Onsen & Coast | ★★★★★ | Awara hot springs and Tojinbo cliffs |
| Hotel Choice | ★★★★☆ | Grand onsen ryokan at Awara |
| Charm & Atmosphere | ★★★★☆ | Classic resort onsen and wild coast |
Who Should Stay Here (at Awara)?
✔ Onsen and ryokan travelers
✔ Coast and cliff-scenery lovers
✔ Visitors pairing hot springs with Eihei-ji
✔ Anyone easing into the newly opened Fukui region
