Since the days of Echizen Province, ruled by the great king Keitai, Fuchu has continued to receive the influx of people and goods from the capital in the west. Since then, highways were built to facilitate traffic, and temples and stores were built along the highways, forming a town.

The reason why the old Takefu City is long from north to south is because it is based on the "Hokuriku Road" (also called Hokkoku Kaido), which was actively used for traffic during the Edo Period. Today, this area still functions as the center of Echizen City, where the Echizen City Hall, other administrative offices, and the shopping district are located.

It is believed that highways stretching from north to south were already built in the Muromachi period (1336-1573). Other important lines that supported distribution were the “Bashaku Kaido” connecting Hirose in the southwest to Kounoura over the Nakayama Pass, and the “Asakura Kaido” connecting Awatabe to Ichijodani.

Considering the fact that major highways that may have been used by the Asakura family, Hideyoshi, Nobunaga, and the lords of the Fukui domain, not to mention goods, converged here in Fuchu, it is clear that the area was held as a key location from all directions within Echizen Province.

The main fortress of Fuchu Castle was located where Echizen City Hall stands today, and the castle town spread around it. Excavations have revealed extensive areas of stone walls piled in a technique called "field piling", which is thought to be a historical site of Fuchu Castle, and some of these walls can be seen today at the Takefu Public Hall.

Originally, the "Fuchu Magistrate's Office" of the Asakura clan was located in this area, and after the Asakura clan was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga in 1570, Maeda Toshiie built Fuchu Castle and entered the area in 1575. Toshiie Maeda later established the foundation of Kaga Hyakumangoku in the Kaga domain, but he did not sever ties with Fuchu, including the establishment of his family's temple in Fuchu. As time went on, Hideyasu Yuki entered Echizen in 1601, and his chief advisor, Tomimasa Honda, entered Fuchu Castle and ruled the city of Echizen from then until the Meiji Restoration. His contributions to the city of Fuchu are very numerous.

For example, infrastructure improvements include flood control work on the Hino River and rehabilitation of town water along the Hokuriku Expressway. In addition, the encouragement of the hammered blade and textile industries attracted craftsmen to Fuchu, and as a result, contributed to laying the foundation for the creation of Echizen sashimono that combined a variety of techniques. Furthermore, he invited Kaneko Gonzaemon, a buckwheat noodle artisan from Kyoto, and encouraged the cultivation of buckwheat noodles as an emergency food and their combination with grated radish, which is said to have been the origin of "Fukui's grated buckwheat noodles". Such contributions earned the trust of the townspeople, and when the Honda family was not recognized as an aristocrat during the Meiji Restoration, there was such an uproar that people revolted, showing how much they loved him.

The area to the southwest toward Fuchu Castle is lined with old temples, among which ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurants) and townhouses with sodeudatsu, a wing wall, still remain in some places. Hiroki Miyaji of the Echizen City Tourism Association, who moved from Osaka, says that the charm of Fuchu Castle and the castle town can be best appreciated by walking around.

"I always walk around the city to get a sense of its history and compare it to a map. The area was spared from air raids, though, many of the buildings are reminiscent of a castle town, which is different from Kyoto, and the temples are all large. Considering the time period, I am sure that the temple was also intended to be used as a fortress, suggesting that it was prepared for a battle that could be invaded at any time."

It's just a hobby, prefaces Miyaji, a history buff. "To the southwest is a fortified temple and the Sea of Japan, and to the east is the great Hino River. I personally assume that this is intended to be a flow of hunting down the enemy in the event of an attack. Since the port of Tsuruga is a key point of contact with overseas countries nationwide, and to the north of the Hokuriku Road is the Fukui domain, an ally with strong ties to the Shogunate, I think they were facing south to protect the area, where the probability of being attacked was higher."

Being a key point of a country means that it is destined to be targeted by no small number of enemy countries. However, the Fuchu area has survived for a long time because of its ingenuity and its ability to unite with the people of the town to protect it. We hope that you will walk through the town at least once, imagine the traffic on the roads that people used to travel, and feel a glimpse of the 1,500 years of time that has accumulated in this area.

Text / Mikiyo Sato