Minami-Echizen Town in Fukui Prefecture, blessed with riches from both mountain and sea, is the perfect place to go for outdoor fun.
Barbecue is easy even for first-timers, and is a great way to bond with friends and family.
Here we have picked out four hidden gems from among the many barbecue spots in Minami-Echizen Town.
Plus, we’ll give you the low down on available facilities, how to make reservations, and nearby stores where you can buy ingredients.

Contents:

Why Barbecue in Minami-Echizen Town?

Four Great Spots to BBQ in Minami-Echizen Town

“Great for Beginners: Hanahasu Onsen Somayama
Everything Is Provided!”
Cheap! Kono Campsite Medaka School
“Convenient Location: Rainbow Park Nanjo
One-Minute Walk from Nanjo SA Smart Exit”
Surrounded by Nature: Retreat Takura

Stores Nearby
Summary

Why Barbecue in Minami-Echizen Town?

1. Close to the Expressway

Heading out for a barbecue means lots of things to prepare and carry, meaning most will be going by car.
The Rainbow Park Nanjo and Hanahasu Onsen Somayama barbecue spots are close to the expressway and easy to get to.
The Sankairi Roadside Station at Nanjo SA also has a play area for children, making it perfect for a family outing.

2. Magnificent Natural Wonder All Around

Barbecuing in Minami-Echizen Town usually means you’ve got plenty of space and are surrounded by nature.
Enjoy delicious food while watching the seasons change, with greenery in spring and summer and colorful leaves in autumn.
Kono Campsite Medaka School and Retreat Takura in particular are nestled in the mountains, providing carefree outdoor fun.

Map of BBQ Spots in Minami-Echizen Town

(Opens Google Maps)

Hanahasu Onsen Somayama (60-1 Nakagoya, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture)
Kono Campsite Medaka School (38 Akahagi, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture)
Rainbow Park Nanjo (37-6-2 Higashidaido, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture)
Retreat Takura (59-52 Furuki, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture)

Four Great Spots to BBQ in Minami-Echizen Town

“Great for Beginners: Hanahasu Onsen Somayama
Everything Is Provided!”

Big groups welcome!

At the Hanahasu Onsen Somayama inn, all the necessary equipment is available for rent, so it’s easy for even first-time barbecuers to have a good time.
A comprehensive kids’ menu is also available, so it’s a great option for those who want to bring the little ones along.
After your fun in the sun, you can also take a dip in the hot springs or stay overnight. There is also the beautiful Hanahasu Park nearby, where you can see about 130 species of lotus flowers from around the world, not a bad way to spend the day!

Recommended for:

・Families with children
・BBQ beginners
・Those who don’t want to bring anything

How-to Guide

Reservations required by phone (0778-47-3368) at least three days in advance.
It’s 4,950 yen per barbecue, which comes with a griddle, grill, charcoal, and fire starter (up to 10 people can use each barbecue), and you can also bring your own equipment and ingredients.
There is also a cooking utensil set available for 550 yen and an extensive selection of food to grill, so you truly can show up empty-handed.

Hanahasu Onsen Somayama

60-1 Nakagoya, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture
Tel: 0778-47-3368
Season: Early April to mid-November
Hours: Lunch 11am-3pm, Dinner 4pm-8pm
Closed: Please check by phone or website
Admission: Free
Fees: 4,950 yen per grill (up to 10 people per grill)
Rentals: Cooking utensil set 550 yen
“BYO: Yes
Note: please take your own garbage home”
Optional food plans:
・Wakasa wagyu beef set 4,620 yen per person
・Japanese black wagyu beef deluxe set 3,630 yen per person
・Japanese black wagyu beef standard set 2,750 yen per person
・Kids set 1,320 yen per person
Reservations: 3 days in advance by phone (0778-47-3368)
Access:
・By car: 7 minutes from Nanjo Station, 10 minutes from the Imajo exit, 5 minutes from Nanjo Smart exit on the Hokuriku Expressway
Links:http://hanahasu.jp/ (official website)

Cheap! Kono Campsite Medaka School

You can play in the river nearby
Kono Campsite Medaka School is a place for outdoor fun, with bungalows, barbecue areas, campfire sites, and self-catering areas.
The attraction here is the price, with admission being just 200 yen per person (free for kids in kindergarten and younger) and use of a grill costing 770 yen (for up to 8 people).
The coast is a 10-minute drive away, where you can also enjoy a swim in the sea.
Nothing is available for sale or rent, so you will need to bring everything you need: food, drinks, tableware, cooking utensils, seasonings, etc.

Recommended for:

・Those looking to BBQ on the cheap
・Those who want to have a BBQ among nature

How-to Guide

Make a reservation by phone (0778-48-2146) at least three days in advance. Pay the fees: 200 yen per person and 770 yen per grill.
You will need to bring your own grill mesh, cooking utensils, and ingredients as none are provided.

Kono Campsite Medaka School

38 Akahagi, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture
Tel: Management Office 0778-48-2146
Season: April 1st to October 31st
Closed: December 1st to March 31st, and every Wednesday except during peak times
(Peak times include the day before a public holiday, Saturdays, and July 20th to August 30th)
Hours: 9am to 10pm (for overnight guests, check-out is 10am)
Admission: 200 yen (free for kids in kindergarten and younger, 200 yen extra after 5pm)
Fees: 770 yen per grill for up to 3 hours (500 yen on weekdays)
Rentals: none
“BYO: Required
Note: please take your own garbage home”
Reservations: 3 days in advance by phone (0778-48-2146)
Access:
“・By bus: from Takefu Station to Sakurabashi Bus Stop (30 minutes), then walk 5 minutes
・By car: 30 minutes from either the Takefu or Tsuruga exit on the Hokuriku Expressway”
Links:http://www.fuku2.co.jp/medaka.html(Medaka School / Kono Village / Campsite / Fukufuku Guide)

“Convenient Location: Rainbow Park Nanjo
One-Minute Walk from Nanjo SA Smart Exit”

Lots of places to play

Rainbow Park Nanjo is located along the Hino River.
It is conveniently located just a minute’s walk from the Nanjo SA Smart IC exit on the Hokuriku Expressway.
The barbecue shelter also has sinks and electrical outlets.
There are also log cabins (3,300 yen for half a day, 4,400 yen for the whole day), a playground, and a riverbank where you can play, making it an excellent place to bring the kids.
It is the closest to the expressway interchange and there are a few supermarkets and convenience stores in the area for getting supplies.

Recommended for:

・Those who want to enjoy a BBQ close to the expressway
・Those who want to have fun outdoors
・Families with children
・Those who want to shop for supplies

How-to Guide

Make a reservation at Waterland Nanjo by the day before (tentative reservations may be possible under 24 hours prior).
The fee to use the barbecue shelter is 1,650 yen. Bring your own foodstuffs, grill mesh, cooking utensils, griddle, etc.
On the day, you need to fill out a usage agreement form at Waterland Nanjo, receive a key and check slip, and return them when you leave.
Waterland Nanjo is closed on Sundays, so Sunday barbecuers will have to collect the key and check slip the day before.

Rainbow Park Nanjo

37-6-2 Higashidaido, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture
Tel: Waterland Nanjo 0778-47-3711
BBQ hours: until 10pm
Waterland Nanjo hours: 10am-8:30pm
“Closed: Rainbow Park Nanjo → New Year’s holidays
Waterland Nanjo → Sundays”
Note: To use the barbecue on a Sunday, you must pick up the key and check at Waterland Nanjo on Saturday.
“Access:
By car: 15 minutes from the Imajo exit, 5 minutes from Nanjo Smart IC exit on the Hokuriku Expressway
By public transportation: 5 minutes on foot from Nanjo Station”
Admission: free
“Fees: Barbecue shelter 1,650 yen
Log cabin 3,300 yen for half day, 4,400 yen for full day”
Rentals: none
“BYO: Required
Note: please take your own garbage home”
Reservations: one day in advance by phone (0778-47-3711) or in person at Waterland Nanjo
Links: https://www.minamiechizen.com/spot/19225/ (Minami-Echizen Town Tourism Information site)

Surrounded by Nature: Retreat Takura

This food platter (serves 3) comes with cooking utensils

Campsites, cabins, and barbecue facilities are all available at Retreat Takura.
The modern two-story cabins are fully equipped with a kitchen, bath, toilet and tableware, and can be booked for overnight stays too.
There are two types of barbecue facilities: a large barbecue shelter that can be used for a fee, or canopied barbecue grills for cabin guests.
With a reservation in advance, you can choose a plan that includes ingredients, or rent grills and cooking utensils for a fee, so you can enjoy your barbecue without a care.

Recommended for:

・Those looking to BBQ on the cheap
・Large groups
・Those who want to have fun outdoors
・Those who don’t want to bring anything

How-to Guide

Requires a reservation and fee. Make reservations by phone (0778-45-1310) at least three days in advance.
Grill meshes and cooking utensil sets can be rented, and there is a platter with food for grilling for 2,350 yen per person, but you can also bring your own instead.
The barbecue shelter is available for groups of 15 or more and can be used with just the admission fee.
Cabin guests can use the canopied grills for up to 6 people for 880 yen each.

Retreat Takura

59-52 Furuki, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture
Tel: Front desk 0778-45-1310
BBQ season: April to October
Closed: Wednesdays (open every day during Golden Week), closed in winter
Facility hours: 9am-5pm
Admission: adults (junior high school and up) 220 yen, children (3 years and up) 110 yen
“Fees: canopied grills 880 yen each (up to 6 people)
BBQ shelter free (15 to 80 people)”
Rentals: Griddle/grill mesh 550 yen each, charcoal (6 kg) 1,650 yen, cooking utensil set (tongs, spatula, cutting board, knife) 170 yen
“BYO: Yes
Note: please take your own garbage home”
Optional food plans: 2,350 yen per set (reservations required 7 days in advance)
Includes meat, vegetables, yakisoba, oil, sauce, 2 paper plates, disposable chopsticks, cooking utensil set
Reservations: 3 days in advance by phone (0778-45-1310)
Access: About 10 minutes by car from Imajo Station
Relevant links: https://www.minamiechizen.com/spot/36864/ (Retreat Takura | Spot | Minami-Echizen Town Tourism Information Site)

Stores for Buying Supplies Nearby

Near Hanahasu Onsen Somayama:

Roadside Station Minami-Echizen Sankairi
39-2-2 Makiya, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Nanjo SA (northbound)
78-8 Ueno, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Near Rainbow Park Nanjo (BYO)

Roadside Station Minami-Echizen Sankairi
39-2-2 Makiya, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Nanjo SA (Uphill)
39 Makiya, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

A-Coop Nanjo Store
28-4-6 Higashidaido, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Honey Nanjo Store
12-25-1 Higashidaido, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Shinjo Grocery Store
33-14 Higashidaido, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Near Kano Campsite Medaka School (BYO)

Sakashita Shoten
19-2 Kono, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Family Mart + Hearts Kono Kitamaebune Nushi Ave. Store
1-aza 89 Kitano-cho, Kono, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Near Retreat Takura

Kurashiya
75-1 Imajo, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

Family Mart Imajo Store
55-4-7 Imajo, Minami-Echizen-cho, Nanjo-gun, Fukui Prefecture (Google Maps)

So, what do you think?

Minami-Echizen Town has delicious water, air, and food, and is rich in nature, making it the perfect place for outdoor activities.
Some of the barbecue facilities we’ve highlighted offer accommodation, so you can stay overnight and make it a mini vacation.
While having a nice barbecue, let’s keep it fun for others too, such as by taking your trash with you and being responsible with fire!