The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Sort by:
62 Recommendations
{{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }}
0 Recommendations
Loading...
-
1. Gassho-zukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum
Opposite Ogi-machi, on the banks of the Sho-gawa, this open-air museum has 26 traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. The houses were transplanted from four villages that fell...
Opposite Ogi-machi, on the banks of the Sho-gawa, this open-air museum has 26 traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. The houses were transplanted from four villages that fell prey to the Miboro Dam, built upriver in 1972. Over the years a colony of artisans has established itself in the village. From mid-April to mid-October, you can watch them creating folk crafts like weaving, pottery, woodwork, and hand-dyeing in a few of the preserved houses, and try some crafts for yourself. Many of the products are for sale. In winter, stop by the "rest station" gassho-zukuri to warm up with tea by an irori hearth. Keep in mind that individual houses do close irregularly.
2499 Ogi-machi, Shirakawa mura, Ono-gun, Ogi-machi, Gifu-ken, 501-5627, Japan0576-96–1231Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥600, Closed Thurs., Dec.--Mar. -
2. Gyokusen Garden
This tiny garden was built by Kim Yeocheol, who later became Naokata Wakita when he married into the ruling Kanazawa family. Yeocheol was the son...
This tiny garden was built by Kim Yeocheol, who later became Naokata Wakita when he married into the ruling Kanazawa family. Yeocheol was the son of a Korean captive brought to Japan in the late 16th century. He became a wealthy merchant, using his fortune to build this quiet getaway. The garden's intimate tranquility stems from the imaginative and subtle arrangement of moss, maple trees, and small stepping stones by the pond. Two waterfalls that gracefully form the Chinese character for mizu (water) feed the pond. The garden is markedly different from the bold strokes of Kenroku Garden. You can have tea and sweets here for ¥1,500 (admission included).
8--3 Kosho-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, 920-0932, Japan076-221–0181Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥700, Closed Tues.--Thurs. -
3. Hida Folk Village
These traditional farmhouses, dating from the Edo period, were transplanted from all over the region. Many of the houses are A-frames with thatch roofs called...
These traditional farmhouses, dating from the Edo period, were transplanted from all over the region. Many of the houses are A-frames with thatch roofs called gassho-zukuri (praying hands). A dozen of the buildings are "private houses" displaying folk artifacts like tableware and weaving tools. Another five houses are folk-craft workshops, with demonstrations of ichii ittobori (wood carving), Hida-nuri (Hida lacquering), and other traditional regional arts, as well as hands-on crafting experiences. It's possible to walk here from Takayama Station, or take a 10-minute bus ride.
1--590 Kami-Okamoto-cho, Takayama, Gifu-ken, 506-0055, Japan0577-34–4711Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥700 -
4. Kenroku Garden
Across the street from the Kanazawa Castle is the largest of the three most famous landscaped gardens in the country (the other two are Mito's...
Across the street from the Kanazawa Castle is the largest of the three most famous landscaped gardens in the country (the other two are Mito's Kairaku Garden and Okayama's Koraku Garden). The Maeda lord Tsunanori began construction of Kenrokuen in 1676, and by the early 1880s it had become 25 sprawling acres of skillfully wrought bridges and fountains, ponds, and waterfalls. The garden changes with the seasons: spring brings cherry blossoms; brilliant azaleas foretell the arrival of summer; autumn paints the maples deep yellow and red; and in winter the pine trees are strung with long ropes, tied from trunk to bough, for protection against heavy snowfalls. Kenrokuen means "Garden of Six Qualities." The garden was so named because it exhibited the six superior characteristics judged necessary by the Chinese Sung Dynasty for the perfect garden: spaciousness, artistic merit, majesty, abundant water, extensive views, and seclusion. Despite the promise of its last attribute, the gardens attract a mad stampede of visitors—herded by megaphone—during cherry-blossom season (mid-April) and Golden Week (late April and early May). Early morning is the most sensible time for a visit, when the grounds are a little more peaceful and relaxing.
View Tours and Activities1 Kenroku-cho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, 920-0936, Japan076-234–3800Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥320 -
5. Myoryu-ji Temple
On the south side of the Sai-gawa is the intriguing and mysterious Myoryu-ji. Its popular name, Ninja-dera (Temple of the Ninja), suggests it was a...
On the south side of the Sai-gawa is the intriguing and mysterious Myoryu-ji. Its popular name, Ninja-dera (Temple of the Ninja), suggests it was a clandestine training center for martial-arts masters who crept around in the dead of night armed with shuriken (star-shape blades). In fact, the temple was built to provide an escape route for the daimyo in case of invasion. Ninja-dera was built by Toshitsune in 1643, when the Tokugawa Shogunate was stealthily knocking off local warlords and eliminating competition. At first glance, it appears a modest yet handsome two-story structure. Inside, however, you find 29 staircases, seven levels, myriad secret passageways and trapdoors, a tunnel to the castle hidden beneath the well in the kitchen, and even a seppuku room, where the lord could perform an emergency ritual suicide. Unfortunately (or fortunately, considering all the booby traps), visitors are not permitted to explore the hidden lair alone. You must join a Japanese-language tour (hourly on weekdays and twice hourly on weekends) and follow along with your English pamphlet. Reservations by phone are necessary, but can usually be made on the day of your visit.
1--2--12 No-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, 920-8031, Japan076-241–0888Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥1,000, Access by reservation only. Call (simple English is ok) before going -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
6. 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
This circular building was created to entwine a museum's architecture with the art exhibits, and for exhibition designers to take cues from the architecture. Transparent...
This circular building was created to entwine a museum's architecture with the art exhibits, and for exhibition designers to take cues from the architecture. Transparent walls and scattered galleries encourage visitors to choose their own route. Previous exhibitions have included a Gerhard Richter retrospective, a video installation by Mathew Barney, and the work of Japanese photographer Araki Nobuyoshi. The building itself is a sight worth seeing, and the free, public terraces and plazas are a perfect place to stroll and relax. It's south of Kanazawa Park, next to city hall.
1--2--1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, 920-0962, Japan076-220–2800Sight Details
Rate Includes: Varies by exhibition; sometimes free, Closed Mon. -
7. Daio Wasabi Farm
At the country's largest wasabi farm, the green horseradish roots are cultivated in flat gravel beds irrigated by melted snow from the Alps. The chilly...
At the country's largest wasabi farm, the green horseradish roots are cultivated in flat gravel beds irrigated by melted snow from the Alps. The chilly mineral water is ideal for the durable wasabi. The on-site shop sells the farm's products, which range from wasabi cheese to wasabi chocolate and wasabi ice cream (sounds bad, tastes pretty good), while the several cafes and restaurant's also serve wasabi-focused fare. The closest train station is Hotaka, 26 minutes (¥330) north along the JR Oito Line from Matsumoto Station. To reach the farm from Hotaka Station, take a 40-minute walk along a path (the station attendant will direct you), rent a bike, or hop in a taxi for about ¥1,300.
3640 Hotaka, Nagano-ken, 399-8303, Japan0263-82–8118Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
8. Eihei-ji Temple
One of the two headquarters of Soto Zen, the Eihei-ji Temple sits 19 km (12 miles) southeast of Fukui. Founded in 1244, the extensive complex...
One of the two headquarters of Soto Zen, the Eihei-ji Temple sits 19 km (12 miles) southeast of Fukui. Founded in 1244, the extensive complex of 70 temple buildings is spread out on a hillside surrounded by hinoki and sugi (cedar) trees more than 100 feet tall, some as old as the original wooden structures. This temple offers a rare glimpse into the daily practice of the two hundred or so monks (and a few nuns) in training. They are called unsui, or “cloud water,” the traditional name for monks wandering in search of a teacher. The rigorous training has remained unchanged since the 13th-century monk Eihei Dogen started this monastery. Each monk has one tatami mat to eat, sleep, and meditate on, and these are lined in rows on raised platforms in a communal room. All activities, including cleaning out the incense tray, are considered to be meditations, so visitors are expected to dress modestly and explore in silence. With at least one month's notice, visitors can lodge at the temple, on the Sanro program to experience the daily routine of the monks (¥8,000 a night, including two meals) or Sanzen program (¥10,000 a night, two meals) to practice Zazen meditation. For less pious visitors, a plush new temple-run hotel is set to open next door in late 2019. The easiest way to get to Eihei-ji from Fukui is by train to Eihei-ji Guchi Station and by bus from there to the temple.
5-15 Shihi Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui-ken, 910-1294, Japan0776-63–3102Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥500, Daily 8–5 -
9. Happo-one Ski Resort
Hakuba itself is one of Japan's best ski destinations, famous for powder snow, clear weather, and miles of tracks. The Happo-one (one pronounced "oh-ney") resort...
Hakuba itself is one of Japan's best ski destinations, famous for powder snow, clear weather, and miles of tracks. The Happo-one (one pronounced "oh-ney") resort is the best in town, and hosted several events for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. Almost all the runs here are intermediate level, with the rest split between beginner and advanced, the latter including the two runs (Olympic I and Olympic II) that were used in 1998 for the men's and women's downhill events. Japan's first parallel jumping hills were also constructed here with critical points of 393 feet and 295 feet, and each has a scaffold structure for the in-run and landing slope. All runs deliver breathtaking views if the mist doesn't roll in. Happo-one also has some great summer hiking, though the high elevation means that even in summer a sweater or light jacket may be needed. You can reach the hiking area via three connecting gondolas, collectively called the Happo Alpen Line (five minutes to Happo Gondola Station, then eight minutes to Usagidaira, then an additional 10 minutes by alpine lift). From here the jewel-like Happo Pond is a 6-km (4-mile) hike. For more-ambitious hikers, three more hours gets you to the top of Mt. Karamatsu-dake. To get from the center of town to Happo-one, it's a five-minute, 3-km (2-mile) bus ride from Hakuba to Happo Information Center, and then a 15-minute walk through the resort of Swiss-like chalets and hotels to the gondola station. Facilities: 13 trails, 494 acres; 3,513-foot vertical drop; 22 lifts
5734--1 Hokujou, Hakuba, Nagano-ken, 399-9301, Japan0261-72–3066Sight Details
Rate Includes: One-day ski pass ¥5,500, summer Happo Alpen Line ticket (one-way) ¥3,000 -
10. Hida Minzoku Kokokan
This mansion once belonged to a physician who served the local daimyo (feudal lord). It has mysterious eccentricities—hanging ceilings, secret windows, and hidden passages—all of...
This mansion once belonged to a physician who served the local daimyo (feudal lord). It has mysterious eccentricities—hanging ceilings, secret windows, and hidden passages—all of which suggest ninja associations. Displays include wall hangings, weaving machines, and other Hida regional items.
82 Kamisanno-machi, Takayama, Gifu-ken, 506-0846, Japan0577-32–1980Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥500, Mar.–Oct., daily 9–5; Nov.–Feb., daily 10–4 -
11. Higashi Chaya District
This high-class entertainment district of Edo-period Kanazawa was near the Asano-gawa. Now the pleasures are limited to viewing quaint old geisha houses recognizable by their...
This high-class entertainment district of Edo-period Kanazawa was near the Asano-gawa. Now the pleasures are limited to viewing quaint old geisha houses recognizable by their wood-slat facades and latticed windows. Many have become tearooms, restaurants, local craft (and souvenir) stores, or minshuku. Take the JR bus from Kanazawa Station (¥200) to Hachira-cho, just before the Asano-gawa Ohashi. Cross the bridge and walk northeast into the quarter.
Higashi no Kurawa, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, Japan -
12. Imayo Tsukasa Sake Brewery
Chuo-kuOriginally established as an inn and sake shop in 1767, but brewing since the Meiji period, Imayo Tsukusa is one of the ninety or so...
Originally established as an inn and sake shop in 1767, but brewing since the Meiji period, Imayo Tsukusa is one of the ninety or so sake brewers that have made Niigata famous for nihonshu (sake). They run 30-minute tours of the brewery every day (hourly from 9 to 4 on weekends, and 1 to 4 on weekdays), where staff explain the sake brewing process. That's followed by a tasting session, where you can sample multiple brews. Better yet, it's free, and there is an English speaker available for each 2 pm tour. You need to book in advance, online or by phone, but that can be done same day. It's a 15-minute walk east of Niigata Station.
-
13. Ishikawa Local Products Center
Near Gyokusen Garden, the center serves as a place where you can both buy traditional crafts from the region and see demonstrations of Yuzen dyeing,...
Near Gyokusen Garden, the center serves as a place where you can both buy traditional crafts from the region and see demonstrations of Yuzen dyeing, pottery, and lacquerware production. You can also try your hand at etching a personal glass seal, decorating items with delicate gold leaf, making Japanese sweets, and other crafts at regularly scheduled workshops.
2--20 Kenroku-cho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, 920-0936, Japan076-222–7788Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free; hands-on experiences from ¥700, Closed Tues. Dec.–Feb. -
14. Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art
Come here to see the country's best permanent collection of Kutani-yaki (colorful overglaze-painted porcelain), dyed fabrics, and old Japanese paintings....
Come here to see the country's best permanent collection of Kutani-yaki (colorful overglaze-painted porcelain), dyed fabrics, and old Japanese paintings.
2--1 Dewa-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, 920-0963, Japan076-231–7580Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥370, Closed between exhibtions (2–3 days 10 times a year) -
15. Japan Wood-Block Print Museum
The museum is devoted to the lively, colorful, and widely popular ukiyo-e woodblock prints of Edo-period artists. Highlights include Hiroshige's scenes of the Tokaido (the...
The museum is devoted to the lively, colorful, and widely popular ukiyo-e woodblock prints of Edo-period artists. Highlights include Hiroshige's scenes of the Tokaido (the main trading route through Honshu in feudal Japan), Hokusai's views of Mt. Fuji, and Sharaku's Kabuki actors. Based on the enormous holdings of the wealthy Sakai family, the museum's 100,000 pieces (displays rotate every three months) include some of Japan's finest prints and represent the largest collection of its kind in the world.
2206--1 Shimadachi, Matsumoto, Nagano-ken, 390-0852, Japan0263-47–4440Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥1,000, Closed Mon. -
16. Jigoku-dani Monkey Park
Yamanouchi-machiWhen snow is on the ground, the Japanese white macaques (Asian monkeys) that make their home here are a big draw, as are their bathing...
When snow is on the ground, the Japanese white macaques (Asian monkeys) that make their home here are a big draw, as are their bathing habits. To be on the safe side, don't feed or touch them—or look them in the eye. The train goes as far as Yudanaka; from there, take a taxi or bus to Kanbayashi Onsen, from which it is a 30- to 40-minute walk. There is also a direct bus to Kanbayashi Onsen from Nagano Station. Although winter is the best time to see the bathing apes, there are usually some in the onsen in other seasons. Wear good shoes as the path can get muddy, and leave heavy luggage at your hotel or in your car.
6845 Yamanouchi-machi, Shimo-Takai-gun, Nagano-ken, 381-0401, Japan0269-33–4379Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥800 -
17. Kanazawa Castle Park
Though most of the castle is a reproduction, the original Ishikawa-mon (Ishikawa Gate) remains intact—its thick mossy stone base is topped with curving black eaves...
Though most of the castle is a reproduction, the original Ishikawa-mon (Ishikawa Gate) remains intact—its thick mossy stone base is topped with curving black eaves and white-lead roof tiles. The tiles could be melted down and molded into ammunition in case of a prolonged siege. To reach the castle, take any bus (¥200) from Gate 11 at the bus terminal outside the JR Station, or walk 30 minutes.
1--1 Marunouchi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa-ken, 920-0937, Japan076-234–3800Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
18. Karuizawa Wild Bird Forest
This sanctuary is home to some 80 bird species, including the Japanese white-eye. You can watch from two observation huts along a 2½-km (1½-mile) forest...
This sanctuary is home to some 80 bird species, including the Japanese white-eye. You can watch from two observation huts along a 2½-km (1½-mile) forest course. To get here from Karuizawa Station, take a free shuttle bus bound for the "Hoshino area," or take the local Seibu Koden bus. Get off at the Tombo no Yu stop and walk about one minute to the park. You can wander around on your own (free), or book a two-hour guided ecotour in English for a charge. Try to book at least a week in advance for English tours.
Nagakura Hoshino, Karuizawa-cho, Nagano-ken, 389-0194, Japan0267-45–7777Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free; ecotour ¥2,500 -
19. Kokubun-ji Temple
The city's oldest temple, dating from 1588, houses many objects of art in its treasure house, including a precious sword used by the Heike clan....
The city's oldest temple, dating from 1588, houses many objects of art in its treasure house, including a precious sword used by the Heike clan. In the Main Hall (built in 1615) sits a figure of Yakushi Nyorai, a Buddha who eases those struggling with illness. In front of the three-story pagoda is a wooden statue of another esoteric Buddhist figure, Kannon Bosatsu, who vowed to hear the voices of all people and immediately grant salvation to those who suffer. The ginkgo tree standing beside the pagoda is believed to be more than 1,250 years old.
1--83 Sowa-machi, Takayama, Gifu-ken, 506-0007, Japan0577-32–1395Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥300 for the treasure house -
20. Kurobe Gorge Railway
Running from spring to fall along the deepest valley in Japan, the open-air Kurobe Gorge Railway takes you on an 80-minute ride past gushing springs...
Running from spring to fall along the deepest valley in Japan, the open-air Kurobe Gorge Railway takes you on an 80-minute ride past gushing springs and waterfalls. You might even see wild monkeys or a serow, a type of mountain goat. One of the best views is from the 128-foot-high bridge called Atobiki-kyo, while the best time of year is mid-October to early November for the tremendous fall foliage. Bring a windbreaker, even in summer, as it can be a cold and damp ride, or spend an extra ¥530 to upgrade to a more sheltered first-class seat. Kuronagi Onsen, Kanetsuri Onsen, and Meiken Onsen are three of the hot springs along the trolley route. You can get off at any of them and enjoy a soak.
11 Kurobe Keikoku-guchi, Kurobeshin, Toyama-ken, 938-0282, Japan0765-62–1011-for reservations onlySight Details
Rate Includes: ¥1,980 one-way, Closed Dec.--mid-Apr.
-
{{ (numCurrentPage-1)*numPageLimit+index+1 }}.
{{ item.neighborhood }} | {{ item.first_keyword }}{{ item.review_snippet }}...
{{ item.review }}
{{ item.address }}{{ item.phone[0] }}{{ item.details.title }} Details
{{ item.details.content }}View Tours and Activities -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
No sights Results
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName }} Sights in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
Recommended Fodor’s Video
Around the Web
TOP
