A small port and fishing town on the rugged western coast of Fukui-ken, Obama was once the capital of the Wakasa domain. Dotted with numerous historic temples and shrines, some dating back over a thousand years, it is often referred to as "Nara by the sea". Its name meaning "small beach" in Japanese, the former castle town has attracted new-found attention thanks to its link to U.S. President Barack Obama - a connection that has been quickly exploited by the local tourist industry.