While the Shinkansen high-speed rail is often viewed as the quintessential Japanese travel method, pairing it with a road trip is the ultimate way to see Japan. There is no better place to do so than the route from Toyama City to Hida-Takayama. Rent a car from Toyama Station and venture south to discover a unique combination of cultural, scenic, and culinary treasures.
Before you leave Toyama, visit the city’s glass art museum to kick off your road trip. The building itself features beautifully crafted wood and glass and houses various pieces of art by numerous artists, both for display and for sale. This aesthetic design coupled with the modern, breezy feel of the layout creates a lovely studio-like vibe across six storeys. In addition to a permanent display devoted to renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, you can also enjoy works by many other artists, as well as a shop and workshop program.
Past the city, but still in Toyama Prefecture, stands Fureai Sekibutsu no Sato—a curiously serene place that translates to “village of Buddhist statues.” With around 800 sets of statue eyes upon you, it feels like you are being watched by both Buddhist deities and the important people in Mutsuo Furukawa’s life, the entrepreneur who commissioned the project in 1989. There is an element of eeriness among the sculptured depictions, which is further enhanced by the encircling trees and twisted grass at their feet.
Next, cross into Gifu Prefecture and stop at Shirakabe Dozogai Street in Hida City. Small waterways of koi and traditional architecture create an alluring atmosphere and offer insight into times past. Visitors can feed the fish or wander through the townscape while soaking in the local charm.
Hida Furukawa's Shirakabe Dozogai Street is a charming and non-commercial heritage site which reflects, perfectly, the culture and history of the area. The Seto Canal runs through it an...
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Not far from Shirakabe Dozogai Street, is Roadside Station Alp-Hida-Furukawa where road trippers will discover the delights of Hida Direct Market Soyana. The market is filled with irresistible local products as well as items from a little further afield. Locally made vegetables, sake, processed goods, and other regional delights make terrific souvenirs or simply a snack for the road.
Sanmachi Historic District is perhaps the highlight for many visitors to the area and is a beautiful mix of Edo Period architecture and tasty delights. Preserved merchant buildings house sake breweries, shops, and restaurants, with many of the latter serving some form of the region’s famous Hida wagyu. If you are looking to stroll traditional streets and experience the unique culture of the area, Sanmachi Historic District is the place for you. Be sure to try sake tasting at the various breweries!
Like Sanmachi, Takayama Jinya is an immaculately preserved sample of the Edo Period. This complex is the only example of a provincial governor’s office in Japan where the main building still exists today. The provincial governor (late magistrate) was dispatched by the Shogunate and charged with the official duties involved in ruling Hida for over 300 years. The complex buildings are unique in that they offer a look at traditional Japanese architecture that you typically can only find at shrines and temples.
Best visited during springtime—the season of cherry blossoms—garyuzakura is a 1,100-year old sakura tree. A nationally recognized monument of Japan, the tree’s huge branches and impressive size are said to resemble a dragon. You can also visit other nearby spots along the Miyagawa River to indulge in “hanami,” or cherry blossom viewing, during early April of each year.
Hida Furukawa may have shot to fame in recent years as the alleged inspiration for some scenes in the hit animation “Your Name” (Kimi no Na wa), but it has been renowned for much longer as a center for woodworking and high-quality artisan craftsmanship. Ancient woodcraft heritage ...
Just a few blocks south from Watanabe Sake Brewery along Ichinomachi, you’ll find yet another fine example home to Japan’s national drink: Kaba Sake Brewery. Kaba’s history predates Watanabe by over 150 years, when it first opened in 1704. Disaster struck in 1707 with the Hōe...