Interesting Things To See In Toyama

An Overview of Toyama

Toyama is a large coastal city found on Japan’s main island, known for its outstanding seafood and access to the nearby Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route and the historic old town of Takayama. The city is surrounded by stunning mountains in the distance, which dominate much of the skyline. Some of the most famous attractions and interesting things to see in Toyama include Toyama Castle Park’s restored “Floating Castle,” the Rakusui-tei art museum and the beautiful waterside Kansui Park.

Interesting Things To See In Toyama

Hie Shrine

This is an important Shinto shrine found in the center of Toyama city. The shrine is known for its affiliation with the Maeda clan, as well as its carved monkeys, chickens and cats.

Toyama City Hall Observation Tower

This is a free-entry observation tower located in the city center with commanding views overlooking Toyama.

Toyama Glass Art Museum

This is an extrodinary contemporay museum with impressive architectural designs. There are several master-glassmaker exhibits within, including a permanent immersive exhibition created from Dale Chihuly’s works.

Kansui Park

This is a beautiful and popular park following a canal. The park is known for its excellent views of the nearby mountains, as well as several outdoor leisure activities.

Iwasekoshimachi Beach

This is a long, sheltered beach with a low sea wall, popular for long walks or casual swims. The beach is largely undeveloped, making it a good place to escape the crowds.

Toyama Castle Ruin Park

This is a beautiful park centered around an artfully reconstructed castle tower containing a Toyama local history museum. The park also contains cherry trees, large fields, an art museum and a quaint Japanese garden.

Firefly Squid (Hotaru-ika)

The Firefly squid, otherwise called the sparkling enope squid, is a small species of squid known to have tentacles with a special organ called photophores, These photophores are able to glow brightly in the dark, creating ethereal, wavering blue lights beneath the waves. In Toyama Bay, these squids arrive in enormous numbers to spawn, turning much of the bay blue at night. The squid are best seen between April and May.

Masu-no-sushi

While all of Toyama is known for its fantastic seafood, Masu-no sushi is a popular specialty dish also called ekiben. This specialized shizushi is made from salted trout. The dish is served on a special bamboo platform, served on dense rice with a fillet of cherry trout accented with vinegar.

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