Awara Onsen あわら温泉

Visit Awara Hot Springs resort in Awara, northern Fukui Prefecture, for the healing properties of its geothermal waters. Founded over 130 years ago and one of the most famous hot spring towns in central Japan, the area is renowned for its local cuisine, notably Echizen crab and other fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan, as well as produce from the Sakai Plain.

You can reach Awara using a combination of bullet train and local lines or via express bus and local train.

Bullet trains from Tokyo take 2 hours 10 minutes to Maibara and 3 hours to Kanazawa. From either Maibara or Kanazawa, board a Hokuriku Line limited express for Awara, which takes 80 minutes and 40 minutes, respectively. The Awara Hot Springs area is 10 minutes by car from Awara Onsen Station.

Take the Echizen Railway Mikuni Line from Fukui Station to Awarayunomachi Station. Alternatively, take an express bus from Tokyo Station to Fukui Station (between eight and nine hours), and then ride the Echizen Railway for 40 minutes to Awarayunomachi Station.

While there are a great number of ryokan hotels in the Awara area, you don't need to stay overnight to enjoy the area's hot springs. Just a short walk from Awarayunomachi Station is Saintpia Awara, a facility primarily for this purpose. Discover the pleasures of the bath at Saintpia's Tennoyu and Chinoyu for just 500 yen.

Should you really find yourself pressed for time—or cash—head over to the ashiyu foot baths near Saintpia. Five baths are available and all of them are are free to use. The popular footbaths mix water from two different sources and are ideal for resting your weary feet after a day of sightseeing.

Yukemuri Yokocho, which translates as "Hot Spring Steam Alley," is the perfect place to sate your appetite after a day of relaxing in the baths. Located right next to the ashiyu foot baths, Yukemuri Yokocho is a small warren of food stalls, each serving up a different kind of delicacy. On offer are kushikatsu, skewered meat and vegetables; ramen; soba; seafood and more. Eating here makes for a very intimate dining experience and great way to meet other people as the eateries in this red lantern-lined alley typically seat around nine people.