National-designated special historical site

This is a city in the medieval period built by Asakura clan, a warring lord. The ruins of the castle gate built by piling up huge stones to prevent invasion by the enemy give a full im-pact on us. Relics discovered by excavation are exhibited in an exposure state, showing us foundation stones of the residences, stone walls, etc. in those days.

Historic site designated by the national government

As the base of Hakusan Worship.Hakusan Heisenji Shrine developed sophisticated technique of utilizing stones for town planning earlier than any other city in Japan and developed into one of the largest religious cities in Japan in the medieval period equipped with stone-paved paths and stone walls constructed in a planned manner. Their technique was introduced to the castle town of Ichijodani by Asakura clan, a warrior family.

This is a drawing depicting the last years of Asakura clan. The drawing describes not only division of the castle town but also a mountain castle located on the mountainside behind the town. This drawing is estimated to have been made after the 4th year of the Kouka era (1848) because explanatory notes on the standing stone found in the ruins of Suwa residence include description of this particular year. Therefore, this drawing is estimated to have been made at the end of the Edo period.

This is the drawing depicting the most prosperous period of Hakusan Heisenji Shrine. In the ruins of 3600 buildings for monks in Minamidani where excavation has been going on, rel-ics of the city constructed in a planned manner have been dis-covered as the drawing shows such as crisscrossing stone-paved paths and stone walls, side ditches alongthe paths, ruins of the buildings for monks constructed at regular intervals.

This is a stone paving relic discovered in Abaka in the excavation survey conducted in 2017. Abaka is said to have prospered as a river port. This stone paving relic which crosses ex-river course is estimated to be connected to the Asuwa River and played a role of a road, a port or a landing place, etc. ※These relics are now being reburied in order to open to the public in the new museum.

Mino-kaido Road, which runs in the east-west direction to Mino in Gifu prefecture through Ono, played an important role for Asakura clan to rule their feudal domain territory by transporting commodities and sending troops outside the territory, etc.

Asakura-kaido Road was the main road that runs in the north-south direction through Echizen area, delivering commodities from Tsuruga, Kyoto, etc. to Ichijodani. It runs mostly along ex-Hokuriku-do Road and it is said to have stretched from present-day Minami Echizen-cho up to the area around Sakai City. Relics of stone pavement and masonry remain in Higashioumi-cho in Fukui City.

This is an old road which played an important role in distribution and strategy in the medieval period by connecting Hakusan Heisenji Shrine and Ichijodani by the most direct way. This road starts from present-day Shikadani-cho, Katsuyama City and leads to Abaka-cho through Saratani in Miyama district of Fukui City, etc. Ruins of Saikouji Castle, which used to be a place of strategic portance, remain near the starting point on the Katsuyama side.

Rivers acted as an important means of transportation which supported prosperity of Ichijodani, Hakusan Heisenji Shrine, and castle town of Fukui Castle by transporting building material for cities and also stones used for material of daily commodities. Stone materials and stone products made with Shakudani stone produced around Mt. Asuwa went down the rivers and were delivered from Mikuni port to various places in Japan even to Hokkaido.

National-designated important cultural property (works of art)

In the excavation survey, besides stone Buddha images and stone pagodas, many relics of daily commodities made of stone such as bandoko to heat a bed and fuuro, a kind of kiln, to boil water were unearthed. Some of them were made with Shakudani stone produced in Mt. Asuwa. They tell us that stones were deeply related to the daily life in Ichijodani.

Relics related to production activities were unearthed such as melting pots and iron slag related to metal processing, tools to make beads, etc. in Hakusan Heisenji Shrine. Besides these, Chinese pottery and the image of Kan-non made of white and celadon porcelain which is rarely discovered were also discovered. This proves extensive trading network. These unearthed articles illustrate that Hakusan Heisenji Shrine was a huge city where production and consumption of goods were actively conducted.