Echizen-Takefu Station: Exits, Taxis and Lockers for Takefu Knife Village

Short answer: At Echizen-Takefu Station, follow the yellow signs to the West Exit for taxis, buses and the tourist information center. Coin lockers are by the East Exit, and the booked-taxi stand is on the same side, in East Parking Lot No. 1. Taxis may not always be waiting, so the most reliable plan is to book one by phone and wait at the booked-taxi stand. The phone numbers of local taxi companies are posted at both stands, and we have copied them below. The drive to Takefu Knife Village is about 10 minutes, according to the brochure of the Echizen Chiyozuru-no-Yakata (Echizen Knife Hall of Fame), another facility in Echizen City.

We walked through the station on a Sunday afternoon in November 2026 and photographed the signs. This page covers only the station. For the knife village itself (the shop, the museum and the viewing workshop), see our Takefu Knife Village guide.

Leaving the gates: South, West or East

Echizen-Takefu is a stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, between Fukui to the north and Tsuruga to the south. Once you are through the ticket gates, you will find yellow signs in Japanese, English, Korean and other languages pointing to three exits.

At the signpost we photographed, the South Exit was straight ahead, the West Exit to the right and the East Exit to the left. The signs also say what is at each exit:

• West Exit: taxi, bus, parking, tourist information
• East Exit: parking
• South Exit: no facilities listed on this sign

If you are heading to the knife village, the West Exit is the default. The exception is if you have luggage to leave or have already booked a taxi. In that case, see the East Exit section below.

There is a 7-Eleven in the station concourse (the shop sign reads “7-Eleven Heart-in”), so you can buy water or a snack before you leave the station.

The West Exit: read the map board first

Just outside the West Exit there is a map board titled “Surrounding facilities (West Exit)”. It is worth a minute, because it shows everything you need on one page.

What the map shows:

• Stops 1 to 3: bus stops, marked for a shuttle bus, expressway buses and Echizen City’s on-demand transport.
• Stop 4: the taxi stand.
• Stop 5: a courtesy bus stop.
• A paid car park (West Parking) in the middle of the plaza.
• The tourist information center, a michi-no-eki (roadside station), toilets and a smoking area along the south side of the plaza.

The arrows at the bottom of the board sum it up: left for the bus stops and taxi stand, right for the courtesy bus and another taxi stand, and back toward the station for coin lockers, rental cars and the booked-taxi stand.

This guide doesn’t cover bus routes. We did not check whether any bus goes to the knife village, so the plan below assumes a taxi.

Tourist information center

The tourist information center is beside the West Exit plaza. Its sign reads “Echizen Takefu Tourist Information” and, underneath, “Fukutetsu Expressway Bus Ticket Center”.

If you don’t speak Japanese, this is the first place to ask about a taxi. Check its opening hours before you count on it, especially if you arrive early or late in the day.

The taxi stand (West Exit)

The taxi stand is under a long canopy along the front of the station, with a bench and a white pillar marked “タクシーのりば” (taxi stand).

Taxis may not always be waiting here, so booking ahead is the safer choice. If a car is waiting, take it. If not, there is no need to stand around hoping: the pillar lists the local taxi companies’ phone numbers.

These are the numbers as posted on 1 November 2026. Signs change, so check them again on the spot.

*On the booked-taxi sign at the East Exit (described below), the 白山交通 line is covered over. This entry is from the notice on the West Exit taxi-stand pillar.

We can’t tell you how quickly a car arrives after you call, so leave yourself some slack, especially if you have a train to catch on the way back.

The East Exit: coin lockers and the booked-taxi stand

Two things you might need are on the opposite side of the station from the taxi stand.

Coin lockers. The map board puts them by the East Exit. We didn’t check how many there are, their sizes or the price, so if you have a large suitcase, have a backup plan.

The booked-taxi stand. A notice on the taxi-stand pillar explains it. In translation: “Booked-taxi stand (near the East Exit). The pickup point for booked taxis is inside East Parking Lot No. 1. After booking, please wait at the booked-taxi stand.”

The stand itself is a free-standing sign in the parking lot reading “Booked TAXI / 予約専用” (reserved only). It was put up by Echizen City, and it repeats the list of taxi phone numbers, although on this sign the 白山交通 line is covered over.

Two points to keep in mind:

• The sign says reserved only. It is a pickup point for taxis you have booked, not a rank where empty taxis line up.
• When you book, confirm where the driver will pick you up, and say so clearly: the booked-taxi stand at the East Exit, or the taxi stand at the West Exit.

What the area looks like

The station is a large, dark-gray building on an elevated track, surrounded by wide parking lots. Wooded hills are close by. Long white canopies run along the front of the station on the West Exit side, and multi-story buildings stand across the road. Right around the station, it is mostly roads and parking lots, so sort out your taxi before you walk away from the stands.

A simple plan for the knife village

1. Before you arrive, decide whether you need a locker. If you do, go to the East Exit first.
2. Book a taxi by phone using the numbers above (or ask at the tourist information center), and confirm the pickup point.
3. Wait at the booked-taxi stand (East Parking Lot No. 1) or the West Exit taxi stand, wherever you agreed.
4. The ride to Takefu Knife Village is about 10 minutes, according to the brochure of the Echizen Chiyozuru-no-Yakata (Echizen Knife Hall of Fame), another facility in Echizen City.
5. Arrange your return ride the same way, so you aren’t left waiting at the village with a train to catch.

For what to see once you get there, and which days the craftsmen are working, read our Takefu Knife Village guide.

If you’d like an Echizen knife of your own, you can also order one online.

Buying Echizen knives online (Hocho Knife)

Hocho Knife is a Japanese knife shop that ships internationally. We have not used these products ourselves, so we don't rate them. Check prices, stock and shipping on the shop's pages.

Our photo from the Takefu Knife Village shop, not the item sold online

Hocho Knife

Knives by Echizen blacksmiths

The shop carries knives by Echizen makers including Yu Kurosaki, Takeshi Saji and Yoshimi Kato.

See the knife brands

Our photo from the Takefu Knife Village shop, not the item sold online

Hocho Knife

Whetstones

Sharpening stones for keeping a Japanese knife sharp at home.

See whetstones