"Sending guests home with fond memories." Working to create a friendly hot spring town.

In Awara, Echizen crabs caught in the nearby Mikuni Bay are served for dinner that very evening. Such service is unique to Awara's inns and hot springs.
"These crabs are so fresh, that they taste far better than crabs from any other area" says Mrs. Makita, President of the Association of Proprietresses, Awara Hot Spring and Inn Cooperative.

With these words, she shows the depth of her predilection for Echizen crabs, which for ages have been wowing food connoisseurs from across the globe.
Mrs. Makita has been a proprietress for 38 years. She has strived to perfect the art of entertaining, with the motto, "sending guests home with fond memories".

Photo: The members of the Association of Proprietresses, Awara Hot Spring and Inn Cooperative, show off the yukata (cotton kimono worn in summer) they had made for the Awara Hot Spring Festival, held every August. (Mrs. Makita in the center)

Easy access to individually dug hot springs with a Hot Water Pass

Each resort in Awara has its own individually dug hot spring. The Hot Water Pass is popular, as it easily allows visitors to compare the quality of the water, which has a slightly different composition at each resort.

What's more, a restaurant row opened up last December, dishing up local culinary treats such as Echizen crab, sweet shrimp, Echizen buckwheat noodles, and koshihikari rice (which was developed in Fukui).

The Awara Hot Springs are located amidst a number of attractions that will entice the modern visitor, with beautiful scenery such as the majestic Tojimbo Cliffs, Eiheiji Temple nestled deep in the mountains, and the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, which offers a taste of prehistoric times. In the spring, the 2.2 kilometer long line of cherry trees along the banks of the Asuwa River bursts into bloom.
"To get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this is an ideal hot spring resort area. Families and small groups particularly seem to enjoy themselves here," comments Mrs. Makita.

Photo on the left: One Hot Water Pass allows for entry into three different hot springs.
Photo on the right: Enjoy chatting with restaurant owners at the new restaurant row, Steam Alley.

We need the Hokuriku bullet train for this "Japanese getaway" to reach its potential

Ever since becoming president of the Association of Proprietresses, Mrs. Makita has made a concentrated effort to promote the charms of the Awara Hot Springs. Yet the fact is that guests from the Tokyo area are still few and far between. Their biggest barrier is transportation.
Mrs. Makita is adamant that "in order for the Awara Hot Springs to become a popular getaway in Japan, we need to have the shinkansen (bullet train) extended through the Hokuriku area, with a station at the Awara Hot Springs." To make this wish come true, she has repeatedly called on the government for help.

"I'd really love for people from Eastern Japan to taste the exquisite Echizen crabs we serve." Mrs. Makino, a truly youthful, charming woman, passionately made these comments with a soft smile on her face.

Reiko Makita
President of the Association of Proprietresses, Awara Hot Spring and Inn Cooperative.
Born in 1948 in Mie Prefecture. Proprietress of the Awara Hot Spring Haiya. At age 22 she married into the Makita family and started her career as proprietress. In 2004, she became the first president of the Association of Proprietresses, Awara Hot Spring and Inn Cooperative. Her main hobby is yoga.

See all Hotels in Awara Onsen area