Fukui is blessed with untainted, beautiful nature, and it is one of the places that still has a old-time Japan feel to it. Fukui's winter is cold and long with lots of snow, and the local people just have to wait patiently for the spring to come. In late February, snow finally starts to melt, and you can feel that spring is almost there, knocking at your door. On a rare sunny day in late February my drone flew over a silent stream flowing in southern Echizen Town and enjoyed a tranquil view of melting snow. He told me afterward that although it was still cold, he could feel and smell the spring!