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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Sakai
坂井市
Half-day stop for Maruoka Castle and Tōjinbō cliffs, or a full day if you add the tower and a seafood lunch. One night only if you want a quiet base for Eiheiji and the coast.
Sakai is a coastal city in Fukui Prefecture, formed in 2006 from the towns of Harue, Maruoka and Mikuni. Its two draws are Maruoka Castle, the oldest surviving castle keep in Japan, and Tōjinbō, a dramatic cliff formation on the Sea of Japan. Most travellers pass through on the way to Eiheiji or Kanazawa.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 坂井市
- Best months
- Apr–May (cherry blossoms), Oct–Nov (mild weather)
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold, rough sea)
- 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 ¥6,000–9,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ 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 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Maruoka Castle entry | ¥450 |
| Tōjinbō Tower entry | ¥500 |
| Seafood lunch at Mikuni | ¥1,500–3,000 |
| Coffee at a café | ¥400–600 |
| Bus ride (local) | ¥200–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KMQ · Komatsu Airport
- About 40 min by taxi or bus + train via Kaga Onsen station; check
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- About 2.5 h by train via Nagoya and Fukui
Typical fares
- Fukui station → Maruoka Castle, bus
- about ¥600, 30 min (check)
- Fukui station → Tōjinbō, taxi
- about ¥4,000, 25 min
- Mikuni station → Fukui station, train
- about ¥300, 20 min (check)
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
Local buses connect Maruoka, Mikuni and Tōjinbō, but services are infrequent. A rental car is the most practical option for seeing both sights in a day. Taxis are available from Fukui station (about 30 min to Maruoka).
See and do
Known for
- Maruoka Castle
- Tōjinbō cliffs
- Cherry blossoms at Maruoka
- Seafood from Mikuni port
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Eiheiji | Bus from Fukui station or taxi from Sakai, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Fukui City | Train from Mikuni station or bus, about 25 min | About 30 min |
| Katsuyama | Train from Fukui to Katsuyama, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Kanazawa | JR Hokuriku Line from Fukui station, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Mikuni Onsen area
- Ryokan and hotels near the coast; best for a relaxing night with sea views.
- Maruoka town centre
- A few minshuku and guesthouses near the castle; quieter and cheaper.
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 bus stop? | バス停はどこですか？basutei wa doko desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu 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
- Tōjinbō cliffs have no guardrails near the edge; stay on the paths.
- Maruoka Castle keep has steep, narrow stairs; not wheelchair accessible.
- Bus schedules are sparse on weekends and holidays; check the timetable in advance.
Sakai is a quiet, low-crime area. The main risk is the unguarded cliff edge at Tōjinbō; keep a safe distance, especially in wet or windy weather.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sakai yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Maruoka Castle
- Tōjinbō cliffs
- Cherry blossoms at Maruoka
- Seafood from Mikuni port
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Sakai City official website: www.city.fukui-sakai.lg.jp/
- Sakai tourist association (English): kanko-sakai.com/en/
- Wikivoyage: Sakai (Fukui), revision 5149930 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5149930
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Sakai坂井市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
The US consulate in Osaka handles Fukui; most other countries have embassies in Tokyo.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sakai-fukui). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.