SPOT 4

Tsuruga City

Kehi no Matsubara (Pine Tree Park)

This scenic spot of white sand and green pines spreads over a length of about 1km, occupying the western half of the innermost part of Tsuruga Bay. Along with Miho no Matsubara in Shizuoka Prefecture and Niji no Matsubara in Saga Prefecture, it is counted as one of Japan's Three Great Pine Groves. Red pines and black pines grow thickly, and it is designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty by the country. In summer, it bustles as a venue for sea bathing, fireworks festivals, and floating lantern ceremonies.

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Kehi no Matsubara (Pine Tree Park) was once the sacred garden of Kehi Jingu Shrine and is a scenic spot known since ancient times, appearing in the "Man'yoshu." A beautiful coastline of white sand and approximately 17,000 red and black pines line up in a vast area of about 340,000 square meters.

One of Japan's Three Great Pine Groves Known as a Scenic Spot Since Ancient Times

A beautiful sandy beach and pine forest facing Tsuruga Bay extend approximately 400m north to south and 1km east to west. Anciently, it was the sacred garden of Kehi Jingu Shrine, but it was confiscated by Oda Nobunaga during the Warring States period. In the Edo period, it became the official wood (domain forest) of the Obama Domain, and pine needles were collected for fuel. It became a national forest in 1889, and has since been protected and managed by the government.

The beauty of the pine grove is known widely, appearing in works such as the "Man'yoshu" and depicted in Utagawa Hiroshige's ukiyo-e "Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces" as "Echizen Tsuruga Kehi no Matsubara" during the Edo period. Currently, it is considered one of Japan's Three Great Pine Groves along with Miho no Matsubara (Shizuoka) and Niji no Matsubara (Saga).

You Can Enjoy a Refreshing Drive Through the Pine Forest!

A road of about 1.5km crosses through the center of Kehi no Matsubara (Pine Tree Park). This is an excellent driving route. You can drive refreshingly through a pine forest of about 17,000 trees with an average age of about 200 years. While black pine forests with high salt tolerance are mainstream on Japanese coasts, about 85% of Kehi no Matsubara (Pine Tree Park) consists of red pines. A characteristic of red pines is that the needle tips do not prick when touched.

A parking lot is also available along the coast in the central northern part of the pine grove. It is also recommended to park your car here and enjoy a short stroll through the white sandy beach and lush green pine forest.

SPOT INFORMATION

Facility Name
Kehi no Matsubara (Pine Tree Park)
Address
Matsushima-cho, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture
Phone Number
0770-22-8167 (Port of Tsuruga Tourism Association)
Website
https://tsuruga-kanko.jp/spot/nature/kehi-pine-park/
Parking
Available (Free. Paid during the swimming season)
Standard cars: 700 spaces
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