永平寺

Take the direct bus from Fukui Station, which runs hourly and reaches Eiheiji in about 30 minutes for 750 yen. It's simpler and cheaper than the train-and-bus alternative. The temple is open 8:30 to 16:30. Winter visits from December through March mean heavy snow, though the covered walkways between buildings keep you sheltered.

You enter through the modern reception hall Kichijokaku, where a brief Japanese-language orientation is given. Pick up a foreign-language pamphlet there; it explains the 70-plus buildings spread across a cedar-covered mountainside, including the 1749 Sanmon Gate and the Founder's Hall.