Toyama is the heart of the country, the gateway to the Sea of Japan. Surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, the region is famous for its rich nature, charming landscapes, onsen, delicious local cuisine.
Stretching from north to south, Toyama Prefecture is located in the northern part of Central Honshu. It borders the prefectures of Nagano and Niigata to the east, Gifu to the south, and Ishikawa to the west. On three sides it is surrounded by mountains, and on the fourth side it is washed by a deep bay, as if embraced by the wings of endless fields. The area of the prefecture is small, and its capital Toyama is located in the very center at a distance of 50 km from any of the boundaries of the prefecture.
Toyama’s nature is exceptionally rich and highly seasonal, and the diversity of its flora and fauna offers a lot of interesting things at any time of the year.
The famous Tateyama-Kurobe mountain excursion route is located here, but this is not the only local attraction. Other must-see places include Kurobe Valley, Unazuki Onsen (one of the most popular in the Hokuriku region), Gokayama Village (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with traditional gassho-zukuri dwellings, and Zuiryuji Temple. (national treasure of Japan).
Toyama Bay is one of the richest fish reservoirs in Japan. Melt waters flowing down from the Tateyama mountains up to 3,000 m high feed this underwater canyon, which in some places reaches a depth of one kilometer. Only here you can enjoy unique local delicacies from freshly caught seafood: luminous firefly squid, white shrimps and yellowtail lacedra. Local festivals such as the Owara Kaze-no-Bon and Mugiya Matsuri festivals are celebrated throughout Toyama Prefecture.
Story
Due to its geographical location, Toyama Prefecture has been a crossroads of Eastern and Western cultures since ancient times. In the Middle Ages and our time, the problems of land devastation as a result of collisions between west and east and constant floods were resolved, agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry were also established in the region.
In the modern era, hydropower has developed using rich water resources, metalworking and machine-building industries. Pharmaceutical technology has also become the basis for the development of the chemical industry.
After the end of World War II, the tradition of medical devices was revived, which led to significant achievements in such advanced industries as biotechnology, IT technology, underwater shipbuilding and robotics.
Such fertile land, developed industries, and a steadfast and dedicated character are the great assets of Toyama Prefecture.
Region Features
Stretching from north to south, Toyama Prefecture is located in the northern part of Central Honshu. It borders the prefectures of Nagano and Niigata to the east, Gifu to the south, and Ishikawa to the west. On three sides it is surrounded by mountains, and on the fourth side it is washed by a deep bay, as if embraced by the wings of endless fields.
The area of the prefecture is small, and its capital Toyama is located in the very center at a distance of 50 km from any of the boundaries of the prefecture. Toyama is equally remote from 3 major cities – Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, from Toyama to Tokyo can be reached in 4 hours by high-speed Shinkansen train, and by plane in just 1 hour.
