Toyama 富山市

Toyama Travel Guide

Toyama is the capital of Toyama prefecture, in central Honshu on the Japan Sea coast. Toyama is the center of Japan's pharmaceutical industry and also has a strong decorative glassware tradition. Toyama may be less well known for tourism than the nearby "Little Kyoto" that is Kanazawa further west, but spacious, pleasantly laid out Toyama is a gateway to skiing, snowboarding and hiking in the Japan Alps, and has numerous points of scenic, cultural and artistic interest that make it a memorable tourist destination - easily reached by free shuttle buses that criss-cross the city.

Things to see and do in Toyama

Toyama Castle is set in big, broad Toyama Johshi Park in the center of the city. The castle was first built in the Edo period and was well restored after World War II. Toyama Castle contains the Museum of Local History. The Sato Memorial Art Museum is also in Toyama Johshi Park and exhibits ceramics used in the tea ceremony, and other antiques. The Toyama International Conference Center is just five minutes' walk south of the castle.

The Matsukawa River flows along the northern edge of Toyama Johshi Park, and a Matsukawa River Cruise along it is particularly pleasant in the spring cherry blossom-viewing season. As well as cherry blossom trees, the river banks are lined with statues made by local artists.

Fugan Canal Kansui Park is a water-centered recreational park about 500 m north-west of Toyama Station, with a cafe and restaurant, and Tenmonkyo Bridge with its two observatory towers. From Fugan Canal Kansui Park, visitors can take a cruise north up the canal about 2 km to the Nakajima Lock, an early 20th century lock gate modeled on those on the Panama Canal and then about another 3 km to the port town of Iwase on Toyama Bay.

The Toyama Art Creation Center includes the Toyama City Performing Arts Theater and is located between Toyama Station and Fugan Canal Kansui Park.

The Museum of Modern Art Toyama and the adjacent Toyama Science Museum are both in Jonan Park, about 1.3 km south of Toyama-johshi Park. Toyama Prefectural Suiboku Museum is dedicated to sumi ink paintings.

Toyama Bay

North of Toyama Station is Toyama's historic port area in Toyama Bay. Visit the Iwase Canal Hall shopping center or the three, pleasant, white sand beaches nearby for swimming: Yaezuhama Beach, Iwasehama Beach and Hamakurosaki Beach. The area still retains some traditional buildings from the time Toyama was a major trading center on the Sea of Japan including the Mori Residence, various historic shipping agency houses on Omachi Street (Iwase Streetscape) and the more modern Toyama Port Lookout and Toyama Cycling Stadium used for keirin races. Take the Portram Light Rail train from the station to Iwasehama.

Toyama Festivals

Toyama has a number of interesting festivals including the quirky All Japan Chindon Contest (Zen Nihon Chindon Concours) for traditional street musicians (listen to some chindon sounds), held in Toyama Castle Park in April and the Toyama Festival at the same venue in August.

Perhaps the most well-known is Sukiyaki Meets the World, a massive event that happens in Nanto City in western Toyama, featuring "alternative" acts from Japan and all over the world. A music feature of Toyama since 1991.

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

Toyama is the main point of access for visitors traveling on to the volcanic mountains and hot-springs (onsen) of Tateyama, Shinano-omachi, Kurobe and Unazuki, heading south-east down to neighboring Nagano prefecture. The mountain routes through Chubu Sangaku National Park and its awe-inspiring Tateyama Mountain Range are only accessible in the summer months, usually May-November. The journey via various means of transport between Toyama and Shinano-omachi is known as the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, and covers a distance of about 90 km (56 miles).

From Toyama Station take the charming Toyama Tateyama Line train to Tateyama, then cable car and bus to Murodo with excellent views at an altitude of over 2400 meters. Murodo (室堂) at 2450 meters above sea level is the highest point along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.

From Murodo there are several long-distance hiking routes including one south to Kamikochi.

The approximately 1 km-long Yuki-no- Otani Snow Wall Walk can be visited from mid-April to June from Murodo Station with snow walls reaching heights of up to 20m.

Heading north, Kurobe Gorge is Japan's deepest gorge and can be reached from Kurobe town on the coast and Unazuki Onsen by narrow gauge railway (torokko). There is a trolley bus and then a bus from Kurobe Lake created by the massive Kurobe Dam via Ogisawa down to Omachi and then from there a train to Matsumoto on the Oito Line.

Access - Getting to Toyama

• Rail

Served by the JR Hokuriku Line to Osaka (3 hours, 5 minutes) and Kyoto (2 hours 40 minutes).

To Tokyo take the Hokuriku shinkansen (approx 2 hours 10 mins) by Kagayaki train or 2 hours, 40 minutes by Hakutaka train. From Toyama to Tokyo the Kagayaki stops at Nagano, Omiya and Ueno. The slower Hakutaka service stops at Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen, Itoigawa, Jyoetsu-Myoko, Nagano, Omiya and Ueno.

To Nagoya take the Hida service via Takayama (3 hours, 35 minutes) on the JR Takayama Main Line or the Shirasagi service via Maibara on the JR Hokuriku Main Line (3 hours, 35 minutes). Alternatively take the Tokaido shinkansen from Nagoya changing at Maibara to the express train for for Kanazawa and then on to Toyama.

Toyama now connects by Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa in about 20 minutes or less depending on which train you travel. The Tsurugi is an all-stop service between Toyama and Kanazawa with Shin-Takaoka Station for Takaoka city just 8 minutes from Toyama Station. To reach Takaoka Station from Shin-Takaoka Station change to the Johana Line (3 minutes). Alternatively Takaoka Station is 17 minutes on an Ainokaze Toyama Railway train from Toyama Station.

Getting Around Toyama

Toyama is well served by the free Toyama Museum bus, the light rail to the old port area and a system of street cars (trams) and buses running throughout the city. It is also possible to hire bicycles at Toyama Station and other places around town.

The Centram street car does a loop of the central area of Toyama City including Toyama Castle and Citizens' Plaza, which stages the twice monthly Etchu Oteichiba Market on the 1st and 4th Sunday of the month.