Toyama offers visitors a good range of accommodation options including large to mid-size Western-style hotels with prices often notably cheaper than nearby Kanazawa. The location between the cultural powerhouse or Kanazawa and the majestic beauty of the Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route makes Toyama a perfect place to stay to get the best of all worlds. On this page you will find the following information:
The port city of Toyama somewhat lives in the shadow of nearby Kanazawa and is often over-looked. It can be easily used to go to famous sights such as the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, Kurobe Gorge, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gokayama, the temples of Takaoka(Zuiryuji and Shokoji) and other regional highlights. While it is true that the city does not have the traditional attractions of Kanazawa, Toyama is a pleasant city with enough to entertain visitors for a day and a gateway to stunning nature of the region.
Located nearby Toyama Bay, the region is known throughout Japan for its fantastic seafood. One of the great pleasures of visiting the city is trying its famous seafood, best experienced at the seafood markets on the coast. But if you don’t have time to explore and are just passing through, it’s worth noting that there are excellent seafood restaurants inside Toyama Station or in the nearby precinct, which also includes Toyama Castle Park and Toyama Glass Art Museum.
WHERE TO STAY IN TOYAMA?
Visitors to Toyama have a good range of accommodation to choose from in the city with some other options located within easy reach of Toyama Station.
Most accommodation in Toyama City is found in and around the station and Toyama Castle Park. Moving away from the city, visitors to popular destinations including Takaoka, Kurobe Gorge and the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route also have great options in all of those locations. Staying in Kanazawa is also an option, being only 20 to 25 minutes from Toyama Station by train. Let’s start with the most obvious place to stay:
TOYAMA STATION AREA
Centered around Toyama Station and to the south around Toyama Castle Park, the city has lots of good accommodation options including large to mid-sized Western hotels. Visitors can choose from many mid-range to budget options and enjoy prices that are often notably cheaper than other cities in Japan. Visitors looking for more traditional guesthouses should consider staying outside of the city, such as Unazuki Onsen – see below for details. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Toyama Station Area’ hotel page.
TAKAOKA AREA
Under 20-minutes by train from Toyama Station, Takaoka is a small city best known for its great Buddha, two Japan Heritage Site temples, Zuiryu-ji and Shokoji and Amaharashi, a beautiful view of the snow capped mountains across Toyama Bay. While it’s close enough to be enjoyed as a daytrip from Toyama, Takaoka also offers a good range of accommodation including multiple mid-range business hotels, hostels and small guesthouses. Prices are affordable and you will find most accommodation located to the north of the station and nearby the Great Buddha and Takaoka Castle Park. It is also about 15 minutes on the Shinkansen from Kanazawa. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Takaoka Area’ hotel page. For a tour of the Takaoka area's best attractions, please see our listing below:
UNAZUKI ONSEN / KUROBE GORGE AREA
Visitors headed to the Kurobe Gorge from Toyama can consider staying in the area in the hot spring town of Unazuki Onsen. Accommodation varies in quality and prices can be high on weekends and holidays, however most hotels and guesthouses in this area have their own hot springs, serve traditional cuisine and offer both Japanese and Western-style rooms making it an attractive option for travelers wanting to get out of the city. Thanks to the beautiful leaves, autumn is a particularly enjoyable time of year to visit and ride the Kurobe Gorge Railway. It is also the most popular time of year so make sure to book ahead. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Toyama: Unazuki Onsen / Kurobe Gorge Area’ hotel page. To take a day tour to the area instead, please see our listing below:
1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Kurobe Gorge and Unazuki Onsen
- Spots:
- KanazawaKurobe Gorge
- Pick-up:
- Kanazawa
- Drop-off:
- Kanazawa
TATEYAMA STATION AREA
Located around 60 minutes by train from Toyama City, Tateyama Station is the western access point for the Alpine Route. The cable car to Bijodaira departs from the station and in the area immediately around it, you can choose from a small number of hotels and guesthouses. Staying in the area is a good option for visitors wanting to take the earliest or last transports of the day or visiting nearby destinations on a multi-day visit. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Tateyama Station Area’ hotel page.
MURODO STATION / MIKURIGAIKE ONSEN AREA
At 2450 meters above sea level, Murodo Station is the summit of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route. Whether you start from the Toyama or Nagano-side of the mountains, Murodo and the surrounding Mikurigaike plateau are the main destination and offer a handful of accommodation options including the large Hotel Tateyama and some smaller mountain lodges. Hotel Tateyama offers the most comfortable stay with Western-style rooms and amenities while the quality and character of the surrounding lodges varies. Prices tend to be high given the popularity of the route and limited number of accommodation options, however staying at the summit offers a unique experience and is renowned for its stunning star-scape, sunrises and sunsets. This area and accommodation can only be accessed from April to November. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Murodo Station / Mikurigaike Onsen Area’ hotel page.
KANAZAWA AREA
As the largest city north of the Tokyo region on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Kanazawa Station is an easy and convenient point from where to head to and from Toyama Station – only 20 to 25 minutes by train. There is no shortage of accommodation in the city ranging from luxury hotels, mid-range to budget, and extending to traditional ‘ryokan’ (guesthouses) and youth hostels. A large number of hotels can be found in and around the station while the areas around Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa Castle Park along with the Higashi Chaya and Asano River has some excellent traditional guesthouses and restaurants. This city is incredibly popular with Japanese guests so make sure to check the Japanese holiday schedule to find times that don't line up with, for example, Golden Week or Obon. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Kanazawa Area’ hotel page. Once you have your accommodation booked, start planning your activities with us! For more information, please see below:
Best Things To Do Around Toyama
Though easy to get to using the Shinkansen network, the port city of Toyama is often over-looked by international visitors. That’s a mistake. Located nearby Toyama Bay, the city and region are known throughout Japan for its fantastic seafood – best enjoyed at a coastal market or at one of the city’s many restaurants. The city itself is modern and energetic and an ideal launching point from where to access the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, Takayama, the Kurobe Gorge and the North Alps. For tips and suggestions of what’s on offer, see our ’25 Things to Do Around Toyama’ page.
How To Get To Toyama
As a stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line running from Tokyo to Tsuruga, Toyama is easy to reach from the capital and beyond. Our ‘How to Get to Toyama’ page has directions for many popular starting points including from the capital and its airports, Kanazawa, Nagano, the monkey park, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and more.
Tours and Charters Around Toyama
At Snow Monkey Resorts we have tours operating around Japan - and that includes the Toyama area. With so much going on, and so much natural beauty, there is no chance that we would ever have left this area out of our line up. If you've been convinced that visiting Toyama is a good idea (and it really is), then the following tours will be just what you are looking for.
Recommended
1 Day Tour from Kanazawa or Toyama: Tateyama Alpine Route Snow Wall and Mysterious Valley
One of Toyama's biggest international attractions is the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, without a doubt. The towering snow walls here are truly unique and are something that is hard to see outside of Japan. The easiest way to make it up to this magnificent natural beauty is through one of our tours. Hop on one of our buses as we head up the mountain, stopping in a mysterious village before reaching the top where you can explore the Snow Walls and other areas. Check the link above for our Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route from Kanazawa and Toyama.
1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Kurobe Gorge and Unazuki Onsen
- Spots:
- KanazawaKurobe Gorge
- Pick-up:
- Kanazawa
- Drop-off:
- Kanazawa
Accessible from Toyama Station via Unazuki Station, Kurobe Gorge is quickly emerging as a popular destination for international visitors. Regarded as one of the three most beautiful gorges in Japan, Kurobe is best experienced riding the Kurobe Gorge Railway which covers a meandering and winding 20km span in approximately 80 minutes. The open-air carriages allow visitors an intimate experience of the surrounding landscape with stations along the route allowing access to walk trails, onsen, restaurants and accommodation. On our day tour of the area, you will have a day to enjoy the train ride and stunning scenery of the area, with a guide to help you make the most of it.
While a little out of the way, the Amaharashi Coast is a famous sight for many Japanese – known for its pristine beauty and Onnaiwa (Woman’s Rock) set against the background of the North Japan Alps including Mt Tate., and having inspired artists and poets for countless years. The spectacular view of the mountains against Toyama Bay may be difficult to access so join us for a tour! It combines other sites in Takaoka such as the Japan Heritage Site of Zuiryuji Temple, the Big Buddha of Takaoka and a metalworking workshop. If you’re interested, find more information above on our Takaoka Tour page.
For a more personalized experience, private charters are also available. We can pick you up from a location of your choice anywhere in Central Japan, and bring you to your preferred destination. Airport pickup from Tokyo or Nagoya, even Osaka, is also possible. Our services may be used for taking day trips that include a few hard to reach destinations as well, removing the hassle of using often infrequent public transport options. A guide can be requested for an additional fee to turn the day into a completely private tour, where you decide the itinerary and our guides show you around in a timely and engaging manner. For more information concerning pricing and availability, please see here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When is the best season to visit Toyama?
It depends on what interests you the most!
Winter is great for skiing at the many small ski resorts such as in Unazuki Onsen or Nanto City. This is also the best time to see the Amaharashi Coast with the mountains in the background.
In spring you can see the cherry blossoms along the Matsukawa River in Toyama City, the Spring Quartet in Asahi or in the mountains of Gokayama. It is also the start of the Snow Wall in Tateyama, a chance to see 15+ meter high wall of snow at the top of the mountain.
Summer is great for exploring the Japan Alps. The snow wall may be gone but the beautiful summer flowers are not. Hiking around Tateyama is literally a breath of fresh air. Festivals abound, as well, with a plethora of fireworks and traditional custom for you to see throughout the region.
The leaves change colors starting in October and Tateyama is an amazing place to see those. The Kurobe Gorge is stunning and even more so because you can ride the trolley train while taking it all in.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN TOYAMA?
If I had to choose one place that is both accessible and beautiful it would probably be the Matsukawa River in Toyama City. You can do a river boat cruise under the majestic cherry blossom trees! Another great place is the Spring Quartet in Asahi, but that can be a bit more difficult to reach.
WHERE ARE THE BEST FALL LEAVES?
The earliest change will happen in the Japan Alps in early to mid October. Head up to Tateyama and the areas of Murodo(the top of the mountain) and Midagahara to see it first! The next best place is definitely the Kurobe Gorge and the trolley train. Gokayama is also nice with its thatched roof house in the middle of the mountains.
HOW IS SUMMER?
Hot and humid. The highs from July to September are usually anywhere between 28C and 39C (82F and 102F) with high humidity throughout. The temperatures usually rise to 28C/30C by the end of June and begin to go below 28C at the end of September.
HOW IS WINTER?
Cold and lots of precipitation. The highs from December to February are usually anywhere between 0C and 11C (32F and 52F) with many most days either raining or snowing. The temperature begin to fall to below 10C around the end of November and can last until the first week of March.
Recently, there have more wild changes of temperature. For example the temperatures in Toyama City from November 17-19, 2024 were 21C, 11C and 9C (70F, 52F, 48F).
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE "HIDDEN" SPOTS?
- The temples in Takaoka are great! Zuiryuji Temple has an interesting statue of a bathroom god. Shokoji Temple has the original residence of the monks during the boo period so you can see their golden wall bedroom. Both are original from 16-1700s and are Japan Heritage Sites, one step down from UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Despite this there are very few visitors.
- Ashikuraji is a town on the way to Tateyama and was one of the stops on the old pilgrimage. You can see a giant Emma-san(god of hell) that the pilgrims would pray to before ascending the mountain. The This area is seen as the last stop before exiting the land of the living so there is even a bridge that symbolizes that. It is quite a cool and unique experience to see all of that still alive today.
- The Shogawa River has a portion that is dammed and allows for boats to easier traverse it. There is a river cruise that is especially beautiful in the fall where you can see the vivid yellows, oranges and reds of the leaves. Don't miss the winter though! Once it snows the valley comes alive again like a winter wonderland.
WHAT IS TOYAMA FAMOUS FOR?
Toyama is most famous for its seafood and nature! The white shrimp, conveyor bely sushi and black ramen are all must try food. The Tateyama Mountain Range can be climbed to get that Alpine feel, but also there are many places to just admire their size and beauty. The Amaharashi Coast and Toyama City Hall Observation are perfect points to enjoy the Tateyama Range in all its glory! Don't forget the Kurobe Gorge and Shokawa River, too.
As for history and culture, the city of Takaoka and its metalworking district, Gokayama's UNESCO designated thatched roof buildings and Ecchu Yatsuo's traditional streetscape, are places that are sure to not disappoint!
