Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins

During the Warring States period, the Asakura clan ruled the Echizen domain for five generations over a 103-year period. During the reign of the fifth Yoshikage, who excelled not only as a feudal lord but also as a man of culture, the Ichijodani culture flourished. In the battle to unify the country, however, he formed an alliance with the Asai clan and clashed with the Oda and Tokugawa forces, but was severely defeated. Yoshikage committed suicide, and Oda Nobunaga burned the town down, bringing the Asakura clan's glory to an end in 1573.

The legends of the Asakura clan's glory had been passed down from generation to generation, but the true state of the castle town had not been fully understood. In 1967, full-scale excavation began and it was discovered that the remains of the castle town were buried in a well-preserved state. The ruins of a series of buildings and gardens were excavated one after the other in the mountains spanning 278 hectares, revealing the shape of the castle town back then.

The Ichijodani Valley area is dotted with numerous historic sites that tell the story of that period, including the ruins of Nishiyama Koshoji Temple, where numerous stone statues and pagodas remain, and Ichijo Waterfall, which is known as the training ground for Sasaki Kojiro, the rival of Miyamoto Musashi. There are four gardens designated as special places of scenic beauty, and 2,343 out of 1.7 million items excavated from the ruins have been designated as important cultural properties. The "Restoration Town" within the ruins is an almost complete reproduction of the prosperous castle town. The rows of samurai residences and townhouses transport visitors back to the Warring States period.