Fodor's Expert Review Takaoka City

The southern gateway to the Noto Peninsula, thanks to being a shinkansen stop, Takaoka is mostly known for its traditions of copper, bronze, and iron smithing, and remains a major bell-casting center. No wonder it has one of Japan's three oldest Daibutsu (Great Buddha) statues. The Takaoka Daibutsu is made entirely of bronze. A short walk from the station is Zuiryu-ji, a delightful Zen temple. A sprawling park, Kojo-koen, is particularly stunning in autumn, with its red-and-silver maples. With Yamachosuji and Kanayamachi, the city also has a pair of historic, merchant districts dotted with old buildings.