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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Katsuyama
勝山市
Spend a half‑day in Katsuyama for the dinosaur museum and Heisenji Hakusan Shrine; add a ski day in winter if interested.
Katsuyama is a small city in Fukui Prefecture, best known for the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and Heisenji Hakusan Shrine. Train from Fukui takes 53 min (¥770). Most visitors fit the main sights into a half‑day; winter sports add a full day.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 勝山市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov (mild weather); Dec–Feb for ski season
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (hot, humid)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–12,000 excl. bed · High ¥12,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | ¥300–¥500 |
| Bowl of katsudon | ¥800–¥1,200 |
| Local bus ride | ¥200–¥300 |
| Taxi (5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi (3.1 mi (5 km)) | ¥2,000–¥2,500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FKS · Fukui Airport
- —
Typical fares
- Fukui → Katsuyama (Echizen Railway)
- ≈ ¥770, 53 min (check schedule)
- Ski Jam day pass
- ¥4,500 adult, plus ¥1,300 toll
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Echizen Railway Katsuyama‑Eiheiji Line (53 min from Fukui, ¥770). Buses connect to Ono and local attractions. Walkable town centre; taxis available for remote sites.
See and do
Known for
- Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
- Heisenji Hakusan Shrine
- Katsuyama Castle
- Ski Jam resort
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ono | Train via Echizen Railway, about 12 km (7.5 mi), 15 minTrain via Echizen Railway, about 7.5 mi (12 km), 15 min | ≈30 min |
| Eiheiji Temple | Train on same line, 20 min | ≈35 min |
Sleep
- Katsuyama New Hotel
- Central, offers ski and museum discount packages
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Train timetable changes in winter; check the Echizen Railway schedule.
- Ski Jam can be crowded on weekends; book rentals early.
Katsuyama is low‑risk; standard precautions for traffic and winter mountain conditions apply.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Katsuyama yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
- Heisenji Hakusan Shrine
- Katsuyama Castle
- Ski Jam resort
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Katsuyama city official site: www.city.katsuyama.fukui.jp/
- Katsuyama tourist association: katsuyama-navi.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Katsuyama, revision 4878944 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4878944
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/katsuyama). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.