Pre-modern history Echizen is part of ancient
Echizen Province, and was the location of the
provincial capital and
provincial temple of the province from the
Nara period onwards. During the
Nanboku-chō period, a number of battles were fought, and numerous castles were built during this time.
Shiba Takatsune, who supported the
Northern during the war, fought with
Yoshisada Nitta in the
Battle of the Hino River. Shiba lost the battle, and fled north to
Asuwa Castle in
Fukui. Nitta pursued him but was defeated and killed at the
Sieges of Kuromaru. Shiba returned to Echizen-Fuchū and conquered both
Fuchū Castle and
Ōtaki Castle. The outcome of the war between the Northern and the
Southern Courts was decided around Echizen. Today a plaque marking the site of
Shinzenkōji Castle can be seen at
Shōgaku-ji temple in Echizen, and remains of other castles can be found throughout the city. In the
Sengoku period, the area prospered under the leadership of the
Asakura clan, based at
Ichijōdani, near modern Fukui city. The Asakura were defeated by
Oda Nobunaga, who divided the area among his generals
Fuwa Mitsuharu,
Sassa Narimasa, and
Maeda Toshiie. Part of Sassa Narimasa's castle,
Komaru Castle, still stands today. Maeda Toshiie took residence in
Echizen-Fuchū Castle, on the current location of the Echizen city hall. Fuwa Mitsuharu took charge of
Ryūmon-ji Castle, whose stone foundations and parts of the moat can be seen today at
Ryūmon-ji temple. After the
Battle of Sekigahara, the victorious
Tokugawa Ieyasu awarded all of Echizen Province to his second son,
Yūki Hideyasu, who ruled what became
Fukui Domain from
Fukui Castle. He changed his name to
Matsudaira, and the Matsudaira remained in control of the area until the end of the
Edo period. At the start of Fukui Domain,
Honda Tomimasa, highly trusted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, was appointed as Hideyasu's
karō. Honda received a small piece of land and became governor of Echizen-Fuchū. Devastated by years of war, Echizen-Fuchū had lost its castles, roads, and buildings, and Honda is responsible for a major reconstruction of the area. He rebuilt the roads, walls, and buildings, as well as irrigation systems connected to the
Hino river. Honda started the industries that still make up Echizen's base economy: blades, textiles, and industrial machinery. The Honda clan ruled the Echizen-Fuchū area for nine generations, until the
Meiji Restoration. Their graves can be seen at the temple of
Ryūsen-ji in Echizen.
Modern Echizen city Following the
Meiji Restoration, the area of present-day Echizen city was organised into
Nanjō District within Fukui Prefecture. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the town of
Takefu was created. It was named after an ancient
Min'yō (folk song) called "
Saibara", in the area of Echizen-Fuchū was known as "Takefu" during the Nara and Heian periods. After the Meiji Restoration, the
daimyō system was abolished and the former
daimyō were merged into the new
kazoku peerage. However, the Honda clan, being only a samurai retainer of the Matsudaira and not a
daimyō, was moved into the
shizoku class with lower ranking samurai. In 1870 the outraged Honda clan rebelled against the Meiji government against this perceived demotion. This riot is known as the
Takefu Sōdō, which ended in 1879, and
Honda Sukemoto was promoted
danshaku in the
kazoku system in 1884. Take was raised to city status on April 1, 1948. On September 20, 1949, an incident known as the
Takefu Jiken took place. At around 5 am the District Court and the District Public Prosecutor's Office caught fire. Within an hour, all of the court records and documents were destroyed. The fire was blamed on arson related to gang activity, and scenes from the movie
Battles Without Honor and Humanity are said to be reminiscent of this incident. During the next 11 years, Takefu absorbed seven neighbouring villages and greatly increased in size and population. On October 1, 2005, Takefu and the neighbouring town of
Imadate were merged to create the city of Echizen City. ==Government==