Toyama: Explore the Hidden Gems of Japan’s Countryside, Hassle-Free

Toyama is a prefecture tucked in between the Sea of Japan and the soaring peaks of the Hida Mountains (often referred to as Japan’s “Northern Alps”), abundant in natural beauty and dotted with pockets of fascinating history and unique tradition. Toyama offers the kind of quiet, laid-back travel experience you’ll never find in a big city, but Japan’s incredible railway network makes it surprisingly easy to explore! The recently extended Hokuriku Shinkansen has made the Hokuriku Region, including Toyama, more accessible than ever, so it’s now the perfect destination after visiting Tokyo or Kyoto, or even a busy trip to the 2025 Expo in Osaka. Hop on the train to explore hot-spring-studded mountain retreats, historic artisan communities, ancient temples in among the cedar forests, and more, using our simple guide to Toyama’s top spots.

How to Get to Toyama

Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Toyama might feel a little remote, but it’s actually a very easy train ride away from many of Japan’s more popular destinations – and very worth going out of your way for. The best way to reach Toyama is by using the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and people generally get off at Toyama Station or Shin-Takaoka Station when sightseeing. The Hokuriku Shinkansen goes directly from Tokyo Station to Toyama, and it only takes about two to two and a half hours. It takes about the same amount of time for travelers leaving from Kyoto Station, where you can take the JR Thunderbird Limited Express and transfer to the shinkansen at Tsuruga Station. You can use the same route from Osaka, which is about two and a half to three hours away.

For a great deal on transportation and convenient access to destinations in Toyama, we recommend checking out the various rail passes that cover the Hokuriku Region. JR-WEST offers a few different rail passes that are specially designed for international travelers visiting Japan! (They’re exclusively available for foreign passport holders in Japan as “temporary visitors.”)

The first of these passes is the Hokuriku Arch Pass, which is 30,000 yen (for adults) and covers 7 days of free access to a broad arc of transportation between Tokyo and Kansai, and throughout Hokuriku (including Toyama). The Hokuriku Arch Pass can be used on the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Tsuruga ⇔ Tokyo) and limited express trains like the Thunderbird, as well as local JR lines, and even a few select non-JR local railway lines. The Hokuriku Arch Pass gives you incredible freedom to move across Japan, and it’s a practical choice if your travel plans include time in Tokyo before or after your trip to Hokuriku!

Our second pass recommendation is the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass, a regional JR-WEST RAIL PASS, which works exactly like you might expect from the name. For 19,000 yen, adults gain 7 days of free access to transportation throughout the Kansai and Hokuriku regions, including Sanyo and Hokuriku Shinkansen routes within the regional boundaries, limited express trains like the Thunderbird, local JR lines, and select non-JR local railway lines too. Unlike the Hokuriku Arch Pass, this pass doesn’t include access to Tokyo, but it actually does cover a broader portion of the Kansai region, even including destinations as far as Kurashiki in Okayama. (Plus, it’s even more affordable!) If you’re hoping to make the most of your time in Kansai and Hokuriku and really enjoy the best of western Japan, the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass is an incredibly convenient option.

▶︎ You can find details on all of the JR-WEST passes on their official website, including the Hokuriku Arch Pass, the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass, and more.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen makes a few stops within Toyama Prefecture, including Toyama Station, but for this trip we recommend getting off at the south-western hub of Shin-Takaoka Station. There, you can start your journey with a look at some of Toyama’s treasured traditions, before heading towards Japan’s Northern Alps.

① Temples & Cats in Inami

Our first stop in Toyama is Inami, a charming artisan district in the city of Nanto with a reputation for masterful woodcarving that goes back centuries, most beautifully represented by the majestic Zuisenji Temple. Local history tells us that when the temple burned down in the 16th century, the expert woodcarver Sanshiro arrived from Kyoto to rebuild it more beautifully than ever, and before they left, he passed his craft on to local carpenters.

Today, Inami is referred to as a “museum of wood carving,” and the area is still home to dozens of active woodcarving studios. Visit Zuisenji Temple to spot Sanshiro’s delicately carved gods and dragons, and wander the streets to admire finely crafted eaves, as well as a number of wooden cats peeking from corners, and charming traditional houses. (You can pick up a “cat map” from the local tourist center to go on a treasure hunt in search of hidden kitty cats!) If you find yourself inspired, visitors can even book hands-on carving workshops with master artisans!

Inamibetsuin Zuisenji (井波別院瑞泉寺)
3050 Inami, Nanto, Toyama
Hours: 9:00 – 16:30
Admission: adults 500 yen
Official Website (jp)

Directions: from JR Shin-Takaoka Station catch a bus to Inami-chuo bus stop

② Wakatsuru Sake Brewery & Saburomaru Distillery

Woodcarving can be a thirsty business, but when you’re ready to put down the chisel, Toyama has some fantastic locally-brewed options! To see it all for yourself, you can visit Wakatsuru Sake Brewery (or Wakatsuru Shuzo) and include a trip to their Saburomaru Distillery! This innovative whisky distillery is actually the only one in the entire Hokuriku region, and while they’ve been perfecting their whisky since 1952, renovations in 2017 make it even more interesting to visit the facility. In collaboration with local copper artisans, Saburomaru Distillery actually developed the world’s first cast copper pot still, utilizing Toyama’s local metalworking heritage to achieve better energy efficiency during the distilling process.

Snag a reservation for a guided tour, and you can learn all about how whisky is made in Toyama, explore retro wood-and-brick warehouses, and admire the famous copper still itself – elegant enough to be called an industrial sculpture in its own right. Before you leave the Saburomaru Distillery, enjoy a tasting session of their smoky whisky and Wakatsuru’s Toyama-brewed sake.

Wakatsuru Sake Brewery & Saburomaru Distillery (若鶴酒造&三郎丸蒸留所)
208 Saburomaru, Tonami, Toyama
Hours: 8:30 – 12:00 / 12:50 – 16:30 | closed Sat/Sun
Official Website (en)

Directions: from Inami take a bus to Yuden bus stop, or from Shin-Takaoka Station, take the JR Johana Line to Aburaden Station

Train Travel: From Southwest Toyama Towards the Japanese Alps

All along the coast of the Sea of Japan, Toyama stretches wide from southwest to northeast, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen runs all along the length of the prefecture. When you’ve explored the Takaoka area, your sights are set on the mountains, and you’re ready to head towards Toyama station, the Hokuriku Arch Pass or the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass can make it easy to hop on a train and traverse the region!

③ Nissekiji Temple

Oiwasan Nissekiji Temple is a 1,300-year-old center of Shingon Buddhism, which has been attracting pilgrims since the monk Gyoki legendarily carved a series of enormous Buddhist deities into a boulder on the Oiwa River. Over the centuries, visitors have also grown to love the tranquility and mossy beauty of this temple nestled in the forested mountains of Kamiichi, which have helped the temple become a go-to spot for one unusual Buddhist ritual.

Standing under a waterfall might seem like the kind of training practice only seen in anime, but at Nissekiji “takigyo” is a waterfall purification ritual performed year-round! Wearing traditional white robes, participants let a stream of icy mountain water wash away worldly attachments and cleanse the soul, standing under one of six small waterfalls that spring from the mouths of carved dragon heads – representing earth, water, fire, wind, the void, and consciousness. After the ritual, many participants like to warm up with the local spring water noodles and foraged mountain vegetables served along the streets outside the temple gate!

Oiwasan Nissekiji Temple (大岩山日石寺)
163 Oiwa, Kamiichi, Nakaniikawa District, Toyama
Hours: 8:30 – 16:00
Waterfall Experience: 3,000 yen (reservations required, check the official website for details)
Official Website (jp)

Directions: from Toyama Station take the Toyama Chiho Railway Main Line to Kamiichi Station, and catch the bus to Kakizawa and Oiwa

④ Uozu Buried Forest Museum

At first glance, Uozu looks just like any other charming fishing village along the Sea of Japan, but this coastal city is actually home to one of Japan’s most unusual natural phenomena: an ancient forest submerged and preserved for nearly 2,000 years. The Uozu Buried Forest Museum offers a fascinating look at how a local cedar grove was once swallowed by sediment from flooding rivers, only to be rediscovered in remarkable condition, from root to canopy. Informative video displays and exhibits walk you through the environmental history and archaeological significance of the site, which has been designated as one of Japan’s “Special Natural Monuments” since 1955. The museum might seem like a surprising destination for a trip to Japan, but the exhibits are hauntingly beautiful, and the ancient waterlogged trees offer a rare tangible connection to Japan’s prehistoric landscape.

Uozu Buried Forest Museum (魚津埋没林博物館)
814 Shakado, Uozu, Toyama
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00
Admission: adults 640 yen | children 260 yen
Official Website (en)

Directions: from Kamiichi Station or Toyama Station, take the Ainokaze Toyama Railway to Uozu Station, and catch a bus heading east to Maibotsurin Hakubutsukan-mae bus stop

⑤ Kurobe Gorge Railway’s Torokko Train

Winding deep through the dramatic mountainous landscapes of the Toyama countryside, the “Torokko Train” operated by Kurobe Gorge Railway is one of Japan’s most scenic rides. Following the banks of the Kurobe River, the tracks were originally built in 1923 to transport materials for dam construction beginning along the waterway, but the workers quickly began to tell stories about the breathtaking views along their everyday work commute. The raving reviews sparked local curiosity, and by 1953 the railway opened a “torokko” or “trolley train” to passengers, largely unchanged today.

The retro train cars now run from Unazuki Station to Keyakidaira Station, covering 20 kilometers of rugged gorges, elegant bridges, and tunnels cutting through the mountainside – with plans to extend the route even further. A one-way journey takes about 70 minutes, but many visitors turn it into a full-day adventure by making multiple stops along the way. Get off at Kuronagi Onsen to soak in the open-air hot spring baths, dip your toes in the pebbly pools of the Kanetsuri Kawara Riverside, and enjoy the dramatic views around Keyakidaira before heading back!

Kurobe Gorge Railway Torokko Train
Board at Unazuki Station: Kurobekyokokuguchi, Kurobe, Toyama
Hours: 8:17 (first outbound trip) – 16:30 (final return trip)
Round-trip Tickets: 700~2,800 yen for adults (prices vary throughout the season, check the official website for details)
Official Website (en)

Directions: from Uozu Station or Toyama Station, take the Toyama Chiho Railway Main Line to Unazukionsen Station

▶︎ If you’re looking to round out your trip to Toyama with a little extra rest and relaxation, the area near Kurobe Gorge has some fantastic onsen ryokan! Extend your time in Toyama to spend an extra night dining on Toyama’s famous seafood and enjoying the luxurious hot spring baths. (The photo above comes from Unazuki Onsen Togen Ryokan.)

Unazuki Onsen Togen (黒部・宇奈月温泉 桃源)
22-1 Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe City, Toyama
Official Website (jp)

Start Planning a Trip to Toyama Today

In Japanese, the name “Toyama” means “rich mountain,” and just one visit to the Hokuriku region is enough to glimpse the wealth of natural beauty, unique history, and abundant cultural heritage found throughout. From verdant mountainsides to the remnants of ancient forests, intricately carved kittens to waterfalls imbued with deep meaning, Toyama offers unique travel experiences you simply can’t find in Tokyo or Osaka – and thanks to convenient rail access and passes like the Hokuriku Arch Pass or the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass, it’s surprisingly easy to get to, too! Snag your seat on the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Toyama to meet Hokuriku’s meticulous artisans, expert brewers, and dedicated monks, and enjoy this picturesque prefecture between the sea and the mountains!

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