Last Updated: May 2, 2024

Toyama Prefecture

An Oft-Forgotten Part of Hokuriku

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

Today, I am going to take you to Toyama Prefecture. Sandwiched between the Sea of Japan and the mountainous core of the country, Toyama is a treasure trove of both natural and cultural wonders. Alas, many overseas visitors to Japan are still completely unaware of the prefecture’s many attractions. Though Toyama has indeed gained a bit more notoriety in recent years thanks to the likes of Gokayama and the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, many of the other local allures are still largely unknown.

Why one should consider Toyama is going to take some time to explain. In the following sections, I’ll dive into the weeds on each of the prefecture’s different areas. For now though, I want to note for you, the reader, that Toyama is part of what has been somewhat embarrassingly called the “New Golden Route.” Beginning in Tokyo, this awesome itinerary arcs up through Kanazawa. Thereafter, the course comes down through the heart of Japan before ultimately ending in the ancient capital of Kyoto.

While first-timers to Japan are likely to want to do the standard “Golden Route,” repeat visitors are better off opting for something a little bit different. Here, Toyama and the “New Golden Route’’ are the perfect solutions. Those who opt to take this trail will still be able to check out the eternally popular city of Kyoto but will tour a number of hidden gems en-route. As such, it is a great option for those who have been to Japan before and are looking for somewhere new.

How to Get There

Despite being enveloped by nature, Toyama is a prefecture that is rather simple to reach. Thanks to the comparatively new Hokuriku Shinkansen, those hoping to check out this part of Japan will be happy to know that they can get there in a little over two and a half hours. All you really need to do is hop on one of the bullet trains to Kanazawa (refer to Jorudan or a similar service for schedules) and take this to whichever station is closest to your destination in the prefecture.