Home Destinations Asia Japan The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast

The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast

The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast Travel Guide

Escape from Japan's cities to this central alpine region for snow-topped mountains, coastal cliffs, open-air hot springs, and superb hiking and skiing. Many traditional villages are virtually untouched by development. Towns within the North Chubu region (Fukui, Ishikawa, Toyama, Niigata, Nagano, and Gifu prefectures) have largely maintained their distinctive architecture. In Ogi-machi and Hida Minzoku Mura, sturdy wooden houses with thatched roofs have open-hearth fireplaces. Famous temples such as Fukui's Zen Eihei-ji, Nagano's Zenko-ji, and Kanazawa's Nichiren Myoryu-ji (locally called Ninja-dera-temple of the Ninja), are symbols of the region's religious history. More »

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