Katsuyama is a small city in Fukui Prefecture, inland from the Sea of Japan and close to the mountains that rise toward Hakusan. It is not a polished old capital, but it has a surprisingly strong set of sights for its size.
The headline is the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, one of Japan's best museums of its kind and the main reason many families come. Katsuyama also has older, quieter layers: the mossy grounds of Heisenji Hakusan Shrine, the enormous modern Echizen Daibutsu, and mountain access toward Hakusan country.
In winter, Ski Jam Katsuyama pulls skiers and snowboarders from the Hokuriku region and beyond. Outside ski season, Katsuyama works best as a one- or two-day stop from Fukui, especially if you like museums, shrines, and mountain edges without big-city crowds.