Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins

Ichijodani Asakura Clan Historic Ruins (一乗谷朝倉氏遺跡, Ichijōdani Asakurashi Iseki) in Fukui Prefecture are the remains of a once-thriving samurai castle town from the Muromachi Period. Destroyed by Oda Nobunaga in 1573, the town was home to over 10,000 people and served as a cultural and political center for the powerful Asakura Clan. Today, a 200-meter street has been faithfully reconstructed with samurai, merchant, and artisan homes, some furnished with lifelike mannequins to show daily life in the era.

The surrounding valley is free to explore and features ruins of temples, gates, gardens, and the Asakura Lords’ residence, including a restored entrance gate. For deeper insights, visit the nearby Ichijodani Asakura Family Site Museum, opened in 2022. Located by Ichijodani Station, it showcases artifacts, a diorama of the original town, and a recreated section of the clan's residence—complete with Japan’s oldest flower bed and remains of an ancient river dock.