DISCOVER FUKUI

Echizen Ono Castle has risen to international fame in recent years, for a unique weather phenomenon. The castle sits about 250 meters up, on a small mountain surrounded by the city of Ono. On some mornings from late autumn through spring, when the weather conditions are just right, a thick fog covers the city and the castle rises above it—the “castle in the sky,” as some call it. Dedicated photographers have even found spots in the surrounding mountains for the perfect photos of the castle, surrounded by a sea of clouds.

Echizen Ono Castle was originally built in 1580, and rebuilt in 1968 as a museum. The current structure sits on the stone base of the original castle.

Echizen Ono Castle, built by Kanamori Nagachika, a member of Oda Nobunaga's elite retainers, the Akahoroshi. Completed over four years starting in 1576, it originally featured a large two-story, three-tiered main keep, a small two-story, two-tiered keep, the Second Bailey, and the Third Bailey, all protected by outer and inner moats. The stone walls were constructed using the nozura-zumi technique and are designated as a prefectural cultural property. The current castle was reconstructed in 1968 (Showa 43), and inside, artifacts belonging to successive lords are displayed.

Currently, depending on weather conditions, from late autumn to spring, the entire Ono Basin can be enveloped in a sea of clouds, creating a fantastical scene where only Echizen Ono Castle appears to float above. This has earned it the name "Echizen Ono Castle in the Sky" and brought it attention. Furthermore, its selection as one of the "100 Famous Castles of Japan: New Edition" has made it a bustling destination.

*During the winter closure period, the location for the "Zoku Nihon 100 Meijo Stamp (100 Famous Castles of Japan: New Edition Stamp)" will be changed to the Former Uchiyama Residence.