The team had been to the central Japan region five times in total, however the experience was different every time we return. In fact, there are still other areas we haven’t explored further.
Central Japan, likewise called Chubu Region, is house to natural wonders like install Fuji as well as the mighty Japanese Alps, UNESCO world Heritage sites Shirakawa-go as well as Gokayama, cultural sites such as Kanazawa as well as Takayama, national parks such as Fukui’s Tojinbo cliffs as well as Katsuyama Dinosaur forest Park, as well as famous onsen areas among others.
If you are planning to check out Japan’s Chubu region as well as you are providing yourself at least five days, you may want to think about getting the Takayama-Hokuriku Pass. more about this pass at the end of this article. Meanwhile, right here are a few of the things to look ahead to when you go to central Japan.
WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?
Nagoya TV Tower
Takashimaya entrance Tower Mall
Kishimen
Café Gentiane (Piyorin)
Takayama historical District
Shinhotaka Ropeway
Shirakawa-go
Takayama Ramen
Hida Beef
Takaoka City’s Yamachosuji as well as Kanayamachi
Zuiryuji Temple
Shogawa Gorge
Toyama Bay Sushi
Kanazawa City’s Old streets as well as Teahouse Districts
Kanazawa Station
Kanazawa Castle Park
Gyokusen’an rest House
Kenrokuen Garden
Higashi Chaya District
Omicho Market
Awara hot spring Footbath
Fukui Station
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
Dino Café
Studio Ghibli style Park
About Takayama-Hokuriku Pass
More useful Links!
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Nagoya TV Tower
Constructed in 1954 to mark the rebuilding of the city after world war II, the Nagoya TV Tower is believed to be the very first as well as oldest TV transmission tower in Japan.
At 180 meters, it offers two viewing areas — the indoor sky Deck at 90 meters from the ground as well as the outside sky Balcony at 100 meters from the ground. The tower likewise has restaurants, shops, a multi-purpose space, cafés, as well as the Tower Hotel.
When nighttime hits, you will see the lights illuminating it, providing the tower in a different “light”, literally. From the observatory, the city skyline is hailed as one of Japan’s night view Heritage in 2013. The tower is likewise declared one of the country’s concrete cultural properties in 2005 for its historic, artistic, as well as academic importance.
Takashimaya entrance Tower Mall
Located right next to the towering JR Nagoya Takashimaya as well as adjacent to JR Nagoya Station, the JR Takashimaya entrance Tower shopping center is a buying shopping center housing a bus terminal on the ground floor. It homes shops that offer cosmetics, fashion, as well as electronics. It likewise has cafés (on almost all of the floors), restaurants, as well as a bakery.
The 9th as well as 10th floors are occupied by Bic Camera, one of the largest electronics as well as house appliance retailers in Japan. It’s the go-to location for techies, gamers, as well as device hunters. If you are a fan of Uniqlo as well as its budget plan sibling business GU, the 11th floor is your buying paradise!
Most floors of JR Takashimaya entrance Tower shopping center are linked to JR Takashimaya by walkways, making it more practical as well as simple for people to navigate between the two buying malls. Don’t fail to remember to bring your passport when you go buying to avail of the tax-free reward when your overall purchase hits a specific amount.
Kishimen
Nagoya Meshi (Nagoya Cuisine) is the unique regional cuisine of the city as well as the other surrounding areas in the Chubu region. The flavor is the result of integrating miso or tamari (soy sauce) ingredients, which are mainly created in central Japan.
Kishimen is one of the regional as well as specialty dishes. It is a noodle meal with distinctly flat slippery udon noodles. It is usually dipped in a soy sauce soup with leeks as well as other seasonings. For a flat noodle to be thought about “kishimen” by Japanese standard, it should be wider than 4.5mm as well as should not be thicker than 2mm.
The suggested Nagoya kishimen is the miso stewed udon, which is served at many restaurants throughout the city. Kishimen can likewise be paired with hot soup, chilly soup, or pasta sauce!
Café Gentiane (Piyorin)
Also found at Nagoya station is Café Gentiane. This café is famous for its adorable handmade chick-shaped Piyorin cake with pudding filling. What made the cake special, aside from being handmade by artisans, is the utilize of Nagoya Cochin eggs. If you are a fan of desserts or anything sweet, make sure to decrease by the café as well as try it.
Takayama historical District
Takayama’s appeal lies in its old town with its well-preserved wooden vendor homes that take you back to the Edo Period. At present, the old streets are lined with souvenir shops, coffee houses, as well as benefit breweries. Take the time to inspect out Takayama’s products, sip a cup of coffee or tea, or go on a benefit brewery tour.
The old town is extremely accessible from Takayama Train Station, about 10 minutes on foot. The rich heritage as well as history put Takayama on Gifu’s tourist destination map.
Shinhotaka Ropeway
Currently the only double-decker ropeway in Japan, the Shinhotaka Ropeway boasts a scenic view that earned a 2-star score in the Michelin eco-friendly guide Japan. The whole area is dotted with natural outside hot springs, observation decks, foot baths, an display gallery, restaurants as well as cafes, shops, as well as nature trails.
The observation deck at the ropeway’s upper station, Nishihotakaguchi Station, offers a 360-degree view of the Japanese Alps mountain variety as well as the surrounding areas. Each season provides a different picturesque scenery.
Shirakawa-go
Nestled in the mountainous Gifu Prefecture, Shirakawa-go in Ono district has an enchanting rustic charm, drawing tourists to its fairytale-like setting. With numerous years of history, Shirakawa-go is one of Japan’s cultural treasures. In 1995, Shirakawa-go is acknowledged as a UNESCO world Heritage site for its iconic centuries-old Gassho-style thatched roof homes that were developed to withstand the heavy snowfall in winter.
Ogimachi is Shirakawa-go’s largest village as well as poster image. This picturesque village has this perpetual appeal that draws regional as well as foreign tourists alike. There are still over a hundred Gassho-style farmhouses, a few of them have been converted into museums, inns, or guesthouses.
Takayama Ramen
Locally called Chuka Soba, Takayama Ramen possesses two characteristics — thin curly noodles as well as soy sauce-based soup. Bones, vegetables, as well as dried bonito flakes are the usual key elements of the base broth. Miso adds a unique central Japan flavor to the ramen.
You can personalize yours by selecting the toppings that fit your taste as well as your diet.
Hida Beef
Japan has excellent top-quality varieties of beef; one of those is the Chubu region’s Hida Beef (Hida-gyu). The pinkish, beautifully-marbled top-grade meat from Gifu’s black-haired Kuroge Wagyu breed of cattle is thought about one of the very best in Japan. Hida beef is a prominent component in central Japan, particularly in Gifu prefecture.
You can try Hida Beef in a steamed bun, in a skewer, or even as sushi! I tried Kihachiro’s premium Hida Beef Bun, one of the prominent beef buns in Takayama.
Takaoka City’s Yamachosuji as well as Kanayamachi
Located in Toyama Prefecture, Takaoka City is an old castle town that boasts two of its thriving old vendor as well as craftsman districts — Yamachosuji as well as Kanayamachi.
The city is understood for its metal casting market that is stated to create most of Japan’s bronzeware as well as metal works. Kanayamachi is the house of many well-preserved traditional wooden homes as well as the heart of Takaoka’s metal casting industry. You can try making your own at Nousaku factory or Risaburo Foundry.
The city is likewise the hometown of Fujiko F. Fujio, the creator of Doraemon. The city is littered with Doraemon-themed attractions as well as sites like the Doraemon Tram as well as the Doraemon postbox at Takaoka Station! If you are a fan of Doraemon, Takaoka is a must-visit.
Zuiryuji Temple
Zuiryuji temple in Takaoka City was established by Maeda Toshinaga, the second daimyo of the Kaga domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
This Buddhist temple boasts three national Treasure sites (the High Gates, the Buddha-Hall, as well as the Dharma-Hall) as well as important cultural residential or commercial property sections (the tea house, the meditation hall, the somon, as well as the roofed corridors, which link the temple buildings).
Shogawa Gorge
Also found in Toyama Prefecture, Shogawa Gorge, stretching about 15 kilometers, is a fantastic nature escapade. Tourists go on a one-hour sightseeing boat cruise that runs between Komaki Dam as well as Omaki Onsen. This activity provides stunning vistas along the method any type of season of the year.
Toyama Bay Sushi
Situated near the Sea of Japan, Toyama Prefecture is brimming with ocean bounty. There are many restaurants, serving the freshest seafood dishes. Iki-zushi’s Shiro-ebi (white shrimp) is prominent among the locals. These shrimps are smaller however sweeter than the routine ones.
Kanazawa City’s Old streets as well as Teahouse Districts
Kanazawa, the funding of Ishikawa Prefecture, is a marriage between the old as well as the new, the traditional as well as the contemporary. The golden age of Kanazawa is during the rule of the Maeda Clan of the Kaga domain when it flourished as a feudal castle town. traditional arts as well as crafts such as the gold leaf, the washi paper, as well as the yuzen silk are brought as much as this day.
The city has historic sites that will transfer you back to the Edo Period. a few of these are the three tea home districts —Kazue-machi Chaya, Nishi (West) Chaya, as well as Higashi (East) Chaya. The biggest among the three is Higashi Chaya, where the old streets are lined with souvenir shops, artisanal shops, as well as food places.
Other attractions are Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen Garden, Omicho Market, the 21st Century museum of contemporary Art, as well as D.T. Suzuki Museum.
Kanazawa Station
Tsuzumi-mon Torii entrance is an iconic landmark in the city, representing Kanazawa’s culture, which is a seamless interweaving of traditional as well as contemporary concepts as well as aesthetics.
The monumental wooden entrance stands out against the contemporary glass dome establishment in the background. The pillars of the entrance look like the tsuzumi drums utilized for the Noh performances, a famous arts as well as entertainment type in Kanazawa.
Kanazawa Castle Park
Located at the city center is Kanazawa Castle Park. It was originally a religious institution established in the 1500s. It was converted into a castle ground. Not long after, it ended up being the seat of power of the Maeda Clan. during world war II, it was utilized as an army base. before it was opened to the public, the castle park utilized to serve as the school of Kanazawa university up until its relocation in 1995.
Some of the noteworthy structures within the castle park are the turrets (Hishi-yagura as well as Hashizumemon tsuzuki-yagura) as well as the storehouse (Gojikken-nagaya). These structures are stated to be the largest wooden structures in Japan after the Meiji Period.
Other highlights are Kahokumon Gate, Ishikawamon Gate, as well as Sanjikken-nagaya. The last two are designated as national important cultural Property. The castle’s stone walls are similarly important as they showcase the different masonry methods throughout the centuries.
Gyokusen’an rest House
This is a tea home found inside Kanazawa Castle Park. Here, you can try the laid-back tea ceremony while enjoying the picturesque view of the Gyokusen-inmaru Garden, a well-landscaped as well as manicured piece of land developed around a pond.
The tea ceremony includes a serving of matcha eco-friendly tea as well as fresh traditional Japanese sweets (namagashi).
Kenrokuen Garden
Originally part of the Kanazawa castle ground as the outer garden, it has withstood the test of time, being established as well as improved by the ruling lords for over 180 years. Today, it is not only listed as one of the three fantastic gardens of Japan however likewise designated as a national special location of scenic Beauty.
This vast garden has a overall area of about 11 hectares, cradling around 160 types of plants as well as over 8,000 trees. a few of the highlights inside the garden are the natural fountain, Kotojitoro Lantern, Yugaotei (the oldest building in the garden), Shigurutei Tea House, Hanamibashi Bridge, as well as the Karasakimatsu pine Tree.
In the winter season, the snow hanging (yukitsuri) technique protects the pine tree branches from breaking since of heavy snow.
Higashi Chaya District
Higashi Chaya is the biggest as well as the most prominent among regional as well as foreign tourists alike. The historic teahouse district utilized to mainly serve as entertainment districts where geisha thrive.
Some of the old traditional wooden homes are converted into souvenir shops, café, traditional Japanese wonderful shops, as well as restaurants. Of course, don’t miss the possibility to inspect out a few of the teahouses. The two most prominent ones are Shima Teahouse as well as Kaikaro Teahouse.
After strolling around the district, most likely in your rented Kimono, why not try Kanazawa’s famous gold leaf soft serve ice cream? the most famous shop serving this delicacy is Hakuichi, which actually means 891.
Omicho Market
Omicho Market is hailed as Kanazawa’s largest indoor market, therefore earning its title as “Kanazawa’s Kitchen”. serving the city for about three centuries, Omicho Market has ended up being a prominent tourist destination. It holds over 200 shops, selling a wide spectrum of products: seafood, fresh produce, meat, food, drinks, flowers, clothes, etc. It gets truly hectic in winter when seasonal offerings such as snow crabs as well as wonderful shrimps are available.
The crowd thickens in the morning as well as during lunchtime as there are likewise food stalls as well as eateries dotting the marketplace. most of them are small, so expect long queues during these times.
Awara hot spring Footbath
For those who want to experience traditional Japanese hot spring baths, Awara City in Fukui Prefecture has an onsen village offering different kinds of hot spring baths — outdoor, indoor, public, as well as private.
You can likewise avail of Awara’s free public foot bath, Ashiyu. The qu