Toyama Prefecture

Region ·🇯🇵 Japan

Population 1,031,262

Area 4,252 km²

Time zone Asia/Tokyo

Official website www.pref.toyama.jp

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Explore Toyama Prefecture

Toyama Essentials

Toyama features a landscape that transitions from the 3,000-meter peaks of the Northern Alps to the deep waters of Toyama Bay. This selection includes the UNESCO-listed gassho-zukuri farmhouses of Gokayama and the engineering feat of Kurobe Dam, Japan's tallest dam. Cultural highlights range from the Zen architecture of Zuiryū-ji and the bronze craftsmanship of Takaoka's Great Buddha to the contemporary glass art housed in the Kengo Kuma-designed Toyama Kirari building.

10 places

Peaks and Alpine Huts

This collection features the prominent peaks and essential facilities of the Northern Japan Alps, centered around the Tateyama-Kurobe region. It includes Mount Tateyama, one of Japan’s three holy mountains, and historic sites like Hakuba Sanso, the nation’s oldest secular mountain hut. Accommodations range from the high-altitude hot springs at Raichōsō to the historic stone huts of Murodo. Coastal and urban viewpoints, such as the Himi Coast and Kurehayama, offer perspectives of the 3,000-meter range from sea level.

12 places

Parks & Nature in Toyama

Toyama’s landscape features a mix of historical sites and modern engineering. This selection includes the 16th-century Toyama Castle Park and the Fugan Unga Kansui Park, an award-winning urban space centered around a historic canal. Natural highlights include the high-altitude Kurobe Lake, formed by Japan's tallest dam, and Nawagaike Pond, a rare habitat for Asian skunk cabbage. From the circular spillway of Akasofutamaruike to the riverside monuments of Shogawa Mizu Memorial Park, these sites represent the prefecture's diverse water-focused topography.

7 places

Cultural Highlights of Toyama

Toyama’s cultural landscape features the UNESCO-listed gassho-zukuri farmhouses of Ainokura and Suganuma, which illustrate centuries of high-altitude architectural adaptation. The region is a center for craftsmanship, including the 250-year-old woodcarving traditions of Inami and contemporary glass art housed in the Kengo Kuma-designed Toyama Glass Art Museum. Historical preservation continues at Toyama Castle’s folk museum and the Suiboku Museum, while the Tateyama Caldera Sabo Museum documents the area's geological history and engineering heritage.

11 places

Historic Temples and Shrines

Toyama's religious landscape spans from the coastal plains of Takaoka to the sacred peaks of the Tateyama mountain range. This selection highlights the National Treasure Zuiryū-ji, a masterpiece of Zen architecture, and the Takaoka Great Buddha, a 16-meter bronze statue cast by local artisans. The list also includes Shinto sites like Oyama Shrine, dedicated to mountain worship, and Hie Shrine, which hosts the Sanno Matsuri, the largest festival in the prefecture. These sites showcase centuries of Buddhist art and indigenous Shinto traditions.

6 places