The early part of the ride features quiet coastline like this, with a view of the peninsula on the other side of Tsuruga. Don’t be fooled by the peaceful and apparently natural setting, though -- at the tip of the coastline across the water is the Monju, one of the Japan Sea coast’s many nuclear reactors (presumably placed here because of the low population density).

This is typical of the quiet little coves along the route, with fishermen and scuba divers in the warmer months. Although there are few sandy beaches, that doesn't deter the swimmers: on summer weekends, the coast is is a sea of umbrellas wherever it's possible to get to the water. For that reason, I prefer Echizen in the off-season, when it's just a string of quiet fishing villages along a sparsely populated seacoast.