Toyama Travel Logistics and Destinations

Toyama Travel Logistics and Destinations

Image Courtesy of https://visit-toyama-japan.com/en/getting-to-toyama


Sept, 2023

1. Traveling to and from Toyama to join Sake Tours Toyama 2024

Tour starts at JR Toyama Station and ends at JR Shin-Takaoka Station. It doesn’t start and end at the same station, so please be careful when planning trips around the Toyama Tour. 

The tour starts at 11:30 AM at JR Toyama Station or at 11:45 AM at DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama on Monday Jan 22 / Feb 5 / Feb 19.

You can travel with the tour leader from Tokyo to Toyama on Hakutaka 555 - JR Hokuriku Shinkansen: Tokyo 8:44 AM - Toyama 11:23 AM.

The tour ends at around 3:20 PM at JR Shin-Takaoka Station on Friday Jan 26 / Feb 9 / Feb 23.

Please schedule your trains after 3:40 PM. Planned trains for the tour leader returning to Tokyo are Tsurugi 718, Shin-Takaoka 3:55 PM - Toyama 4:03 PM, and then Kagayaki 510, Toyama 4:17 PM – Tokyo 6:28 PM.


Monday: Tokyo to JR Toyama 

If you are traveling from Tokyo to Toyama on Monday, this is the planned Shinkansen. 

We will meet on the platform around 8:20 AM.

8:44 AM Depart from JR Tokyo Station on Hakutaka 555 JR Hokuriku Shinkansen - Arrive at JR Toyama at 11:23 AM

For those who stayed the previous night in Toyama or if you are traveling from Kanazawa/Osaka/Kyoto, please meet in the lobby of DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama at 11:45 AM. 

Friday: JR Shin Takaoka to Tokyo

Shin-Takaoka Station on Friday is between Toyama and Kanazawa on JR Hokuriku Shinkansen.

If you are traveling back to Tokyo, you can catch the following Shinkansen with our tour leader or later ones. 

3:55 PM Depart from Shin-Takaoka on Tsurugi 718 JR Hokuriku Shinkansen - Transferring at Toyama at 4:03 PM - Departing from Toyama on Kagayaki 510 JR Hokuriku Shinkansen at 4:17 PM - Arriving at Tokyo at 6:28 PM

If you travel to Toyama on your own

Toyama is a direct train ride from Tokyo Station, in Tokyo or Nagoya Station, in Aichi Prefecture. Please review the transportation between Toyama and other cities.

  1. JR Tokyo - JR Toyama on JR Hokuriku Shinkansen. It takes about 2 hours and 8 min.

  2. JR Osaka/Kyoto - JR Toyama on Hokuriku Line via Kosei Line / Limited Express Thunderbird -  transfer at Kanazawa Station - Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsurugi / Hakutaka / Kagayaki It takes about 3 hours and 20 min.

  3. JR Kanazawa - JR Toyama on Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruti/Hakutaka/Kagayaki. It takes 25 min.

  4. JR Takayama - JR Toyama on: Limited Express Hida. It takes 1 hour and 40 min but limited to four trains a day. 

For more information about the major stations we use for the tour (JR Tokyo and JR Shinjuku), please refer to our website page: Navigating JR Tokyo/Shinjuku 

**Snow Alert: Toyama - Kyoto/Osaka**

Please let us know in advance if you are traveling from or to Kyoto/Osaka or Fukui.

If you are traveling to or from Kyoto/Osaka or Fukui, please be aware that the Limited Express Thunderbird between Kanazawa and Kyoto/Osaka may be delayed or the service can sometimes be suspended due to snow.

The Shinkansen is more reliable but currently, Toyama can only be accessed on the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen which runs between Tokyo and Kanazawa.

For more information about how to get around in or out Toyama, please visit: https://visit-toyama-japan.com/en/getting-to-toyama  

There are various tourist passes to make your trip easy. For more information about train passes, scroll down to the “Purchasing Train Tickets” section. 

2. Travel Ideas before/after Sake Tours Toyama 2024

We have received several inquiries on places to explore before or after the tour.

These are some easy-to-travel recommendations if traveling to other areas before or after the Toyama Tour .

JR West offers some tourist passes and discounts for the exclusive use of visitors from overseas. Scroll down to the “Purchasing Train Tickets” section and see what’s available! 

Kanazawa:

Kanazawa (金沢) is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture (adjacent to Nagano Prefecture), on Japan’s central Honshu Island. 

From Toyama, Kanazawa is approximately 23 minutes via Hokuriku Shinkansen. 

Kanazawa is a classic city to immerse yourself in history and culture. Enjoy strolling in the Omi Market, visiting the Kenrokuen Gardens, or some of the best museums. If you are into contemporary art, don't miss the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.

Website: https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/ 

Nagano:

Nagano (長野) is the capital and largest city of Nagano Prefecture, located in the Nagano Basin in the central Chūbu region of Japan. 

From Toyama, Nagano is approximately 48 minutes via Hokuriku Shinkansen. (Please NOTE - after the tour you will be coming from Shin-Takaoka Station - so it will take longer and you may need to change Shinkansen at Toyama)

Nagano Prefecture is the highest altitude prefecture in Japan, with a typical landlocked climate and a land moist by the intense and abundant snowmelt, making it a unique natural environment in Japan. The place is also renowned for rice production, including sake rice that is especially suitable for making sake. In fact, the number of sake breweries in Nagano prefecture is the second most in Japan, and some breweries have more than 300 years of history.

Sightseeing spots in Nagano: https://www.go-nagano.net/en/trip-idea/ 

Takayama: 

Takayama (高山) is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. To differentiate it from other places named Takayama, the city is also commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama. Takayama retains a traditional touch like few other Japanese cities, especially in its beautifully preserved old town. 

Sightseeing spots in Takayama: https://www.hida.jp/english/index.html 

Ski Resorts (Myoko Area, Nozawa Onsen, Hakuba): 

Myoko Area:  

The Myoko area is a paradise for winter sports lovers. Most Myoko ski resorts now have a number of ski schools with instructors teaching partly or exclusively in English to help you improve your skiing, or to get out into the beautiful backcountry of the area.

There are endless ways to enjoy skiing here, from long, scenic, tree-lined slopes to challenging bump runs—and especially deep, deep powder. The best months for skiing the Myoko Ski Resorts tend to be in January and February, although great snowfalls can extend anywhere between November and May!

Website: https://myoko.jp/ 

Nozawa Onsen: 

Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort is a large ski area that opened over seventy years ago. Nozawa Onsen Village is located at the foot of the ski resort, which spans across three main areas. There is plenty of terrain to explore, offering over fifty kilometers of trails or pistes beginning at an elevation of 1085 meters with 297 hectares of skiing surface. 

One of the pluses of skiing at Nozawa is that there really is something for everybody. There are family friendly wide open pistes, some difficult mogul runs plus it offers some great powder days between the marked runs too. Active skiers will find a terrain park with jumps, rails, boxes and an eighty meter pipe to get the adrenalin pumping.

Website: https://en.nozawaski.com/ 


Hakuba: 

Located in northwestern Nagano Prefecture at the base of the 3,000-m tall Northern Japan Alps, HAKUBA VALLEY boasts 10 resorts blessed with abundant snowfall and high-quality powder snow.

Host of the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, HAKUBA VALLEY welcomes guests from around the world to enjoy winter sports at world-class facilities.

From gentle groomed runs to 8-km-long cruising courses, HAKUBA VALLEY has something for everyone.

Website: https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ 

Recommended Ryokan/Onsen 

Yamashiro Onsen Area in Ishikawa Prefecture

Yamashiro Onsen (山代温泉) is one of the four hot spring towns that make up Kaga Onsen, and can be accessed by train plus the CANBUS, the tour bus in Kaga city area; It’s a 15-minute bus  or taxi ride from Kaga Onsen Station. 

Onsen Hotel - KAI Kaga by Hoshino Resorts:

Although this hotel doesn’t have a private bath in each room, they offer beautiful hot spring that is a replica of a 19th-century public bathhouse. These bath halls are decorated with traditional gold and silver leaf and ceramic panels depicting seasonal motifs.

Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/kaikaga/ 

Ryokan - Beniya Mukayu: 

Founded in 1928 in the spa town of Yamashiro, Beniya Mukayu is located on the road from the revered Kyoto to the world heritage sites Shirakawago-Gokayama, close to Kanazawa. 

The hotel’s architecture elegantly emphasizes contrasts between light, shade and neutral colours. Every room has its own private open-air hot spring bath, with a wonderful view of the authentic Japanese garden.

The traditional tea ceremony performed by the owner, the finest Kaga style Kaiseki cuisine served on locally crafted crockery, as well as invigorating medicinal spa treatments, combine to make Beniya Mukayu a peaceful heaven.

Website: https://mukayu.com/english/ 

Awara Onsen Area in Fukui Prefecture

Awara Onsen is Fukui’s largest hot spring resort town, with many hot spring inns of all sizes. The hot spring baths at many of these inns are open to the public during the day—in the evenings, they are limited to overnight guests. 

Ryokan - Grandia Housen: 

Grandia Housen features Japanese-style and Western accommodation, hot spring baths and seasonal Japanese cuisine, 10 minutes from JR Awara Onsen Station with its complimentary shuttle service. Massage service and karaoke facilities are available. Free WiFi is available throughout the entire property.

Japanese-style rooms have a tatami (woven mat) floor and low furniture, and guests sleep in Japanese futon bedding on the floor.

Website: https://www.g-housen.co.jp/en/ 

3. Purchasing Train Tickets

**Please Note - Travel between Kanazawa and Osaka/ Kyoto**

Although the Hokuriku Shinkansen was announced to be extended to Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, it will NOT be ready in time for any of our Toyama tours 2024. 

Please use the JR Thunderbird Ltd. Express for your transportation method between Kanazawa and Kyoto / Osaka.

Purchase In-Person:

To purchase train tickets at the JR Ticket Office once you are in Japan.   

Website:  https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/ticket/purchase.html 

Purchase Online:

To purchase a train ticket online and receive the ticket once you are in Japan. You can purchase the ticket one month before the travel date. 

Website: https://www.eki-net.com/en/jreast-train-reservation/top/Index 

Please note if you travel beyond Kanazawa to Kyoto or Osaka, you may not be able to book the ticket via Eki-net since JR East doesn't cover the area. Please check JR West or other JR companies depending on the area you wish to visit.

Here are some pointers on how to use the eki net online system: 

  • If you have yet to register before you book the ticket, you must register at the end to complete your purchase by being directed to this page.

  • Choose “Purchase Tickets” then “Search by Station.” 

    • Example: Departure Station: Tokyo ... Arrival Station: Toyama

  • Reserved Seats means - regular/ordinary class

  • Green means - bigger seats/business class

  • Do not select “Purchase tickets such as the Super (Limited) Express Train ticket only”

JR Pass

You must purchase the JR Pass online and reserve your seats online. (You must pick up the pass at a ticket office in Japan with your passport.)

Nonetheless, if you are traveling to other areas before or after the Toyama Tour, Japan Rail Pass is perfect and gives you so much flexibility.

For more information, please visit:

https://japanrailpass.net/en/ 

Hokuriku Area Pass (Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui) :

The Hokuriku Area Pass is a rail pass for exclusive use by foreign tourists. It provides pass holders with four consecutive days of unlimited travel on designated JR train and bus lines (including unreserved seats on limited express trains) in the Hokuriku Region. It can be a good pass for exploring the area around Kanazawa, Kaga Onsen, Fukui and surroundings.

Details:

Duration: 4 Days

Price: Adults: 5,500 JPY / Children: 2,750 JPY (Online Reservation)

Website: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/hokuriku/ 

4. Flights to/from Toyama Kitokito Airport and Komatsu Airport

Flying to another city might be one of the options after you enjoy Toyama. 

There are two airports that are accessible before/after the tour which are Toyama Kitokito Airport and Komatsu Airport (Ishikawa Prefecture). 

Travel Tips