Eiheiji Katsuyama
Family-Friendly Hotels in Eiheiji and Katsuyama: Zen Town, Snow Play
A quiet temple town and nearby ski slopes make this a relaxed base for family travel in Fukui
When you start looking for a family hotel in Eiheiji or Katsuyama, it can be hard to know what to judge it by. This is not a place with a big, noisy theme park, so plenty of parents wonder whether their children will get bored, or whether a quiet inn is the wrong choice for a family that makes noise. Walk the area yourself, though, and you find it has exactly the things that suit families with young children.
Eiheiji is widely known as the temple town at the gate of a Zen training monastery set among tall cedars. Small souvenir shops and restaurants line the approach, and the short walking distances are a real gift when you have little ones. Katsuyama, by contrast, is known as a place where many dinosaur fossils have been found, and its deep snow and mountain terrain have given rise to ski slopes and leisure facilities. The charm of this area is that you can pair a quiet day with an active one inside the same trip.
The hotels themselves are just as contrasting. On the Eiheiji side you will find places with Japanese-style and Japanese-Western rooms, toddler meal options, allergy accommodations, and late checkout on request. Eiheiji Shinzen no Yado Hakujukan offers Japanese-style and Japanese-Western rooms plus humidifiers and air purifiers to borrow, which helps families who like slow mornings. On the Katsuyama side, JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts has concept rooms with a slide and bunk beds, an all-inclusive plan, an attached water park, and a shallow kids' pool, so a whole day can be spent on the property.
If you are traveling with a baby, a place like Yokokura Kousen in Katsuyama City becomes a strong option: it lends baby beds, formula kettles, bottle sterilizers, high chairs, and bouncers, and it will accept and warm up baby food you bring along. It also has a private bath you can reserve for your family alone, with a baby tub available, which is a big reassurance on a first hot spring trip.
We list 3 hotels here. That is not a large number, but each one has a clear direction: a quiet Japanese-style inn, a large resort where children can play indoors, or a small hotel with generous baby equipment. That makes it easy to choose based on your children's ages and what you want from the trip.
Highlights
- checkQuiet Japanese-style inns in a Zen temple town
- checkResorts near ski slopes and snow play
- checkPrivate baths and baby equipment at some hotels
Family-friendly features in Eiheiji and Katsuyama
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Recommended hotels (3)
Yokokura Kousen
JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotels & Resorts
Eiheiji Shinzen no Yado Hakujukan
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Nearby attractions
Eiheiji Temple
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
Ski Jam Katsuyama
Kuzuryu River
Tojinbo Cliffs
Fukui City
Travel tips
The easiest way to plan with children is to give each day a single destination. The approach to Eiheiji has slopes and stone steps, and guest reviews often mention that a baby carrier makes it much easier to get around. The large resorts on the Katsuyama side have all-inclusive plans, big hot spring bath facilities, and a water park, so you can stay comfortable indoors even when the weather turns. Resist the urge to pack the schedule, and count the time spent at the hotel itself as part of the fun.
Best season
As a rough guide, Eiheiji in the fresh-green season has deep green cedars and an approach that is pleasant to walk. Autumn brings the fall colors, and the quiet of the temple grounds at that time is popular. In winter, snow settles on the Katsuyama side, and this is the season for families coming for snow play and skiing. Summer is relatively comfortable in the mountains, and a hotel with an attached water park lets you build a trip around playing in the water. Conditions vary from year to year, so please treat this only as a guide.
Getting there
Eiheiji and Katsuyama sit inland from Fukui City, up in the mountains. You can reach them by train and bus, but with children and a lot of luggage, a car is the easier choice. The temple gate area of Eiheiji and the resort area of Katsuyama are some distance apart, so if you want to visit both, plan around driving. Snow falls in winter, so check that you are prepared for snowy roads, including snow tires.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages can enjoy Eiheiji and Katsuyama?
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Families of any age can stay, but they enjoy it in different ways. The temple town of Eiheiji is mostly about walking, so it suits babies and toddlers who can ride in a carrier or stroller, as well as older children who can walk quietly. The resorts on the Katsuyama side have guest rooms with a slide and a shallow kids' pool, so children old enough to play on their own get the most out of them.
Are there hotels you recommend for families with a baby?
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Yokokura Kousen in Katsuyama City lends baby beds, formula kettles, bottle sterilizers, high chairs, and bouncers, and it will accept and warm up baby food you bring. It has a private bath you can reserve for your family alone, with a baby tub available, which suits parents who would rather bathe without other guests around. Children's tableware and bibs are provided too, so you can pack lighter.
Is it inconvenient without a car?
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You can get around by train and bus, but the temple gate area of Eiheiji and the resort area of Katsuyama are some distance apart, so a car is realistic if you want to see both. On the other hand, if you choose one of the large resorts on the Katsuyama side, where meals and the hot spring bath facilities are all on site, and simply stay there, the trip works fine without a car. The key is to narrow down what you want to do.
What can we do on a rainy day?
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Choosing a hotel where you can spend the day indoors is the safe move. JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts has an attached water park and large hot spring bath facilities, and its all-inclusive plan means the weather matters less. If you are staying on the Eiheiji side, pick a hotel with Japanese-style or Japanese-Western rooms where you can take it slow, and one that offers late checkout, so you are never rushed.
When is the best season to visit?
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It depends on what you are after. Winter if you want snow play and skiing, the fresh-green season if you want to walk among the trees, and autumn if you want quiet fall colors. Summer is comfortable in the mountains and pairs well with a hotel where children can play in the water. All of these vary from year to year, so please plan with these timings as a guide only.