Takefu was a city located in the Fukui region of Japan. It served as a component of the Echizen Basin, which has functioned as an important regional center for over 1,500 years.
The modern city of Echizen was established on October 1, 2005, following the merger of the city of Takefu and the town of Imadate. The resulting municipality covers a total area of 230.70 square kilometres and is noted for containing the largest number of cultural assets in Fukui Prefecture, including various prehistoric archaeological sites and former castle sites.