DISCOVER FUKUI

Among the dinosaurs around Fukui Sta. (Fukui Station), the one that commands an overwhelming presence is the Tyrannosaurus Rex located in front of Hapi Terrace (An open-air public square used for events in front of the station) at the Nishiguchi (West Exit of the station). It is a life-sized robot, standing 5.6m tall with a total length of 12m. 

When you stand before it, it moves with such incredible power that it feels as if it’s about to pounce, opening its massive jaws to let out a roar! The rough texture of its skin and the sharp teeth inside its mouth are so realistic that you’ll feel as though it has leaped straight out of the Mesozoic Era (The geological period when dinosaurs flourished). It truly makes you think, "This must be exactly what a Tyrannosaurus Rex was like." (Please note: The impact is so intense that small children may even burst into tears!)

A large digital signage named the "Dinosaur Concierge" is installed near the bus terminal at the Nishiguchi (West Exit of the station). It features a touch-panel screen; when you touch a spot you are interested in, information about that location is displayed. Fukuivenator (A genus of maniraptoran theropod dinosaur discovered in Fukui Prefecture) provides guidance on sightseeing spots and dinosaur-related content around Fukui Sta. (Fukui Station). Incidentally, touching the Fukuivenator will make it let out a happy cry. 

Note for Visitors: Please note that the touch-screen interface and the dinosaur's dialogue are currently available in Japanese only [JP]. Even if you don't speak the language, the smooth, lifelike movements of the Fukuivenator are still a fun and impressive sight to see while waiting for your bus!

In addition, three "Dino Windows" featuring AR (Augmented Reality: technology that overlays digital information onto the physical world) videos are installed at the bus terminal. Peering into these windows reveals four types of dinosaurs, including Fukuititan and Fukuiraptor (Both are dinosaur species whose fossils were excavated in Fukui), strolling through the bus terminal. The video content entertains visitors with dinosaurs walking around, running, and even lunging toward the viewer.

As you walk along the south side of Chuo-odori (Central Main Street, the main thoroughfare stretching from the station) in front of the Nishiguchi (West Exit of the station) — specifically near the "MINIE" (A food hall located in the FUKUMACHI BLOCK complex near the station) side — you will find dinosaur illustrations at five locations on the utility ground-mounted equipment (Equipment used for the undergrounding of utility poles to improve the streetscape). 

By scanning the QR code with your smartphone, you can watch AR (Augmented Reality: technology that overlays digital characters onto real-world scenes) videos of dinosaurs walking down the main street. You can enjoy an innovative experience where you can take a stroll with dinosaurs on the main streets of Fukui! Since it also has a camera function, please feel free to take photos with them

The dinosaur monuments at the Kyoryu Hiroba (Dinosaur Plaza) at the Nishiguchi (West Exit) of Fukui Sta. (Fukui Station) were installed in March 2015 to coincide with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen (A high-speed bullet train line connecting Tokyo and the Hokuriku region) extension to Kanazawa, as part of an effort to promote "Dinosaur Kingdom Fukui (Kyoryu Okoku Fukui)" (A nickname for Fukui Prefecture, where approximately 80% of the dinosaur fossils discovered in Japan have been excavated). Life-sized monuments welcome visitors to Fukui, including the "Fukuiraptor" (A genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur whose complete skeleton was first reconstructed in Japan), the "Fukuisaurus" (A herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur), and the "Fukuititan" (A large herbivorous sauropod dinosaur reaching approximately 10m from head to tail). These three are among the new species of dinosaurs discovered in Fukui. Between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM, you can witness these powerful dinosaurs moving and letting out roars. 

Other highlights include life-sized replicas of dinosaur footprint fossils and a massive mural on the wall of Fukui Sta., measuring approximately 45m wide and 10m high, depicting 10 different types of dinosaurs!

Large LED pillar-wrap displays, the first of their kind for a railway operator in the Hokuriku area (The region along the Sea of Japan, including Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyama), have been installed near the center of the concourse inside Fukui Sta. (Fukui Station). This is a joint project between Hapi-Line Fukui (A local railway company that took over conventional lines in Fukui Prefecture following the Shinkansen extension) and JR West Japan Communications (An advertising and communications subsidiary of West Japan Railway Company). Being shown as special content is a 3D video of the dinosaur T-REX (Tyrannosaurus Rex). The final shot, where the dinosaur opens its massive mouth wide, is absolutely powerful! 

Additionally, a wooden dinosaur skeleton model of Fukuiraptor (A genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur discovered in Fukui) is installed near the Higashiguchi (East Exit of the station) entrance. Measuring 8.4m in total length and 3.4m in height, it stands ready to greet passengers disembarking at Fukui Sta. from the Hokuriku Shinkansen (A high-speed bullet train line connecting Tokyo and the Hokuriku region)!

The rooftop plaza of the Fukui City Tourist Information and Exchange Center (A multi-purpose facility located on the Higashiguchi (East Exit) side of the station that opened in the fall of 2023) features a total of nine dinosaur monuments. The dinosaur monument with a heart motif represents a couple of Fukuititan (A genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur discovered in Fukui). If you look closely behind the heart, you will see a baby that has just hatched from its egg. This is said to represent Fukui’s excellent child-rearing environment and family love. On the terrace benches, there are five cute baby dinosaurs. These baby dinosaurs range in size from approximately 25 cm to 70 cm in height and are very popular with children!

Additionally, by scanning the QR code located near the baby dinosaurs with your smartphone, you can view AR (Augmented Reality: technology that overlays digital images onto real-world scenery) videos of dinosaurs on a dedicated website. These AR dinosaurs are the parents of the baby dinosaurs! They include roars, so please enjoy the experience with your volume turned ON.

A monument featuring a Triceratops parent and child has been newly installed right outside the Higashiguchi (East Exit) of Fukui Sta. (Fukui Station)! The monument depicts a parent Triceratops standing on a stratum labeled "Kyoryu Okoku Fukui" (Dinosaur Kingdom Fukui: a nickname for Fukui Prefecture, Japan's premier site for dinosaur fossil discoveries) and its child looking up at the parent, evoking a sense of family bonds. The parent is life-sized, measuring approximately 8m in length and 7.6m in height. The child is positioned where it can be touched, making it a popular spot for children to hug and take photos.

Between the Higashiguchi (East Exit) of Fukui Sta. and Echizen Railway Fukui Sta. (A local railway line connecting Fukui City to Katsuyama and Sakai), new monuments featuring three small dinosaurs—Ankylosaurus, Spinosaurus, and Koshisaurus (A herbivorous dinosaur discovered in Fukui)—along with dinosaur eggs have appeared! This is another spot where children can enjoy touching the figures and taking photos. The egg-shaped benches that children can play inside feature patterns representing the shapes of various municipalities within Fukui Prefecture. 

Next to the entrance of the Echizen Railway station, a monument of a child who dreams of becoming a "Dinosaur Doctor" (Kyoryu Hakase: a character representing Fukui's expertise in dinosaur research) is sitting on a bench, holding a newly hatched Pteranodon (a genus of pterosaur).

On the exterior wall of the Echizen Railway Fukui Sta. building, countless Pteranodons are depicted soaring through the sky. Look closely, and you’ll even find a Pteranodon clutching an Echizen Gani (Echizen Crab: the high-quality brand of snow crab caught off the coast of Fukui)!  

Heading north along the Echizen Railway Fukui Sta. building, you will see an original "Dinosaur Doctor" wearing a snorkel depicted on the wall. The background features Plesiosaurus (a genus of marine reptile) and other creatures, representing the prehistoric world of the sea.

Opposite the Dinosaur Doctor, there is a bench that emits a shimmering blue light, transitioning from pale to deep hues. If you observe the light closely, you will see a Plesiosaurus carved as if it is swimming. It is a truly enchanting and mesmerizing sight!

On the northern wall of the Hokuriku Electric Power Fukui Branch, located about a 3-minute walk from the Higashiguchi (East Exit) of Fukui Sta., figures such as Fukuiraptor and Fukuisaurus (Dinosaur species discovered in Fukui) are displayed. This massive decoration, measuring 11.4m in height and 24.4m in width, welcomes tourists and can be seen from the windows of both the Echizen Railway and the Hokuriku Shinkansen (A high-speed bullet train line). The wall is also illuminated at night. 

That concludes our introduction to 10 recommended dinosaur spots reachable within a 5-minute walk from Fukui Sta.! The area around Fukui Sta. is overflowing with many other dinosaur-themed attractions, so please try to find them all during your visit.