Best Places to Stay in Toyama
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. On this page you will find the following information:
— Best Things to Do Around Toyama
— Book With Us! Nagano’s No.1 Tour & Charter Operator
The port city of Toyama somewhat lives in the shadow of nearby Kanazawa and is often over-looked, used as a transit point enroute to the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route and other regional highlights. While it is true that the city does not have the attractions of Kanazawa, Toyama is a pleasant city with enough to entertain visitors for a day.
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. In this section we provide information about accommodation in the following areas:
TOYAMA STATION AREA – TAKAOKA AREA – UNAZUKI ONSEN / KUROBE GORGE AREA – TATEYAMA STATION AREA – MURODO STATION / MIKURIGAIKE ONSEN AREA – KANAZAWA AREA
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
Centred 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, in a location 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 and Zuiryu-ji Temple. 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. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Takaoka Area’ hotel page.
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 travellers 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.
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 metres 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 starscape, 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 terminus of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Kanazawa Station is an easy 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. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Kanazawa Area’ hotel page.
BEST THINGS TO DO AROUND TOYAMA
Though easy to get to using the Shinkansen / Bullet Train 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 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 Kanazawa, 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, Nagano, the monkey park, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and more.
BOOK WITH US! NAGANO’S NO.1 TOUR & CHARTER OPERATOR
Central Japan offers many, many reasons to visit! Operating all year round, we are Nagano’s No.1 tour and charter operator, offering a range of services including group tours, private tours and charters. We can arrange transport including a private vehicle and driver, to transport you to, from and between any regional destination including Toyama and beyond.
Our drivers and vehicles are fully certified, allowing us to transport you to and from your preferred destinations in combination with any activity that suits your schedule. All vehicles are fitted with a protective screen – separating the driver from passenger and luggage area – and our drivers wear protective masks, allowing you to move between your destinations in comfort and safety.
We can arrange both private tours with an English-speaking guide or a private charter, including a private vehicle and driver but without a guide. We’d love to be part of your adventure in Central Japan and help you discover even more!
Why choose us?
Awarded a 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for our 1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Tour – recognised as one of the Top 10 Experiences in Japan – we have the local knowledge and experience to help you get the most out of your time in Nagano and Central Japan.
Got a question about visiting Toyama and Central Japan? Contact us and let’s get planning together!
