FukuiLeisure

Shibata Shrine (柴田神社)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Start your day walking through the castle ruins with remaining stone walls and inner moat, experiencing Fukui's history

About 10 min from the previous stop

About 40 min here

About 20 min to the next stop

Next stop: View the Fukui cityscape and Asuwa River from the verdant mountaintop, and confirm the river course of the fireworks venue during daylight

About this spot

A shrine dedicated to Shibata Katsutie (柴田勝家), a military commander who served Oda Nobunaga, and his wife Oichi (お市の方). It is built on the site of the Kitano-sho Castle (北ノ庄城), which Katsutie constructed. Although the grounds are modest in size, stone statues of Katsutie, Oichi, and the three sisters vividly convey the history of Fukui during the Sengoku Period. The stone wall ruins remaining on the grounds are also a highlight, and visiting this shrine together with Fukui Castle Ruins provides a more three-dimensional understanding of Hokuriku's Sengoku history. The quiet grounds, beloved by locals, maintain a serene atmosphere even on the busy fireworks festival day. The shrine office also offers stamp collection (御朱印), so families collecting shrine stamps should not miss this opportunity.

Tips

Approximately 5-minute walk from Fukui Castle Ruins. The grounds are free and open for public worship. If you wish to obtain a shrine stamp, check the office reception hours in advance before visiting. The grounds are not very large and can be fully explored in 30 to 40 minutes.