Toyama Winter Travel: Tateyama Snow Wall & Himi Winter Yellowtail

The Charm of Winter in Toyama

Mountain scenery dyed silvery white, superb winter delicacies nurtured by the rough waves of the Sea of Japan, and hot springs that loosen you from the core of your body - winter in Toyama is a special season with a unique pull that makes anyone who visits once surely want to return. "Travel in winter is a bit much because it's cold..." - that itself is a waste of a thought. Because there is snow and cold, there is superb scenery that is born; because the cold seawater patiently nurtures them, there are treasures of food; and there is the joy of the hot-spring steam soaking in. Winter in Toyama is a travel destination where "genuine emotion," irreplaceable by any other season, awaits.

By the Hokuriku Shinkansen it is about 2 hours from Tokyo, and from Osaka within a range of 3 to 4 hours by connecting limited express and Shinkansen. The good access also gives a push to a winter trip to Toyama. Let us turn the anxiety of a journey to snow country into anticipation and set out. Silvery-white Toyama will surely prepare for you a winter memory deeply etched into your heart.

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Tateyama Snow Otani

The wall-like looming snow corridor - this is art created by nature

At an elevation of 2,450 meters, the "Snow Otani" that appears on Murodo-daira is a stunning spot that can be called the symbol of a Toyama winter trip. At the "Snow Otani Walk," held each year from mid-April to late May, you can actually walk through with your own feet between snow walls reaching up to 20 meters high. Twenty meters is a height comparable to a 6- or 7-story building. When you stand before the sight of those white sheer cliffs rising on both sides, it is understandable that one traveler after another loses their voice. Above your head, a blue sky framed without anything to obstruct it spreads, and the air blowing through is refreshing itself. It is a place that, with all five senses, makes you feel that you are alive on this planet.

The best season is late April. This is the "peak snow-wall period" when the snow walls reach their maximum height, letting you experience the most powerful corridor. Furthermore, on clear days the snow surface sparkles like a diamond, dramatically boosting how photogenic it is. What local guides unanimously say is, "Before 10 a.m. the angle of light is also best, the best chance for photography." If you arrive at Murodo on the first bus of the morning, a luxurious experience awaits where you can have the snow walls almost to yourself during the quiet hours with few tourists.

During the Golden Week period, tourists rush from all over the country, and the snow corridor grows livelier too. On the other hand, weekdays in mid-April right after the opening have few people, with plenty of room both to take photos and to stroll. For those who want to avoid crowds, this period is the target.

Around Snow Otani, a "snow sculpture corner" created by local artists and children also appears, greeting you with many works that make smiles spill out. The restaurant in the Murodo Terminal serves rice balls using Toyama-produced Koshihikari and mountain-vegetable soba making use of local ingredients. The happiness when you return from the sub-zero outdoors and slurp a mouthful of piping-hot mountain-vegetable soba is something special you can never taste in the city. Precisely because it is amid the cold, the warmth soaks through your body.

Access

• Toyama Station to "Tateyama Station" on the Toyama Chiho Railway, about 1 hour, then connecting along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (cable car, highland bus, etc.) to Murodo, about 1 hour 30 minutes
• From Toyama Station to Murodo, a total of about 2 hours 30 minutes as a guide
• The Alpine Route is composed of connecting several vehicles such as cable cars and buses. Since the number of connections is large, be sure to check the timetable and connections in advance on the official site (Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route)
• Direct buses from in front of Toyama Station to Tateyama Station also operate seasonally. If you have a lot of luggage, using the bus is easy and recommended
• The cost guide for the Alpine Route (Toyama Station to Murodo round trip): about 10,000 to 12,000 yen

Tips for travelers

- At Murodo it is not unusual for the temperature to drop below freezing even in April. A down jacket, gloves, and a knit cap are essential. Having a few hand warmers also gives peace of mind

- Since you walk on snow, waterproofed trekking shoes or boots are a must. With sneakers your feet will get wet and you will have a very rough time

- Golden Week is expected to be terribly crowded. Aiming for weekdays or mid-April right after the opening is wise

- Because of the high altitude, be careful of altitude sickness. Get plenty of sleep the day before climbing, and on-site replenish water frequently

- Smartphone batteries drain rapidly in the cold. Be sure to carry a mobile battery

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Himi Cold Yellowtail

One bite and you can see the rough waves of the Sea of Japan - the finest masterpiece that winter Toyama boasts

"When it comes to yellowtail, it's Himi." Both fishermen and chefs assert this in unison, so much so that the cold yellowtail caught in Himi boasts brand power and quality among the best in Japan. The flesh of Himi cold yellowtail, having swum through the rough waves of the winter Sea of Japan and amassed plenty of fat, has a sweetness and rich umami of a different dimension from other yellowtail. When you put a knife into the sashimi, it is so tender the blade is drawn in. The moment you put it in your mouth, the melting fat and umami spread over the tongue, and there is no end to travelers who experience the eye-widening "So this is yellowtail!" Just a tiny bit of soy sauce, and that alone is enough. The power of the ingredient overwhelms all seasonings.

The best season is November to January. The period right after the Himi fishing port's "cold yellowtail declaration" is issued is full of energy and anticipation throughout the town, and travelers too can fully immerse themselves in that excitement. Where local people flock is the outside market of Himi fishing port, "Himi Banya-gai." From around 8 a.m., seafood of outstanding freshness begins to line up, and seafood-bowl and grilled-seafood corners open one after another. What is even more delightful is the "service of having your purchased fish cooked on the spot." The experience of having the yellowtail fillet you chose yourself cooked right before your eyes makes the emotion of the journey one size larger.

In the city of Himi, cooking inns and guesthouses that put cold yellowtail on their signboard menus are scattered about. The "cold yellowtail kaiseki" provided by the inns is a luxurious full course that eats up a single yellowtail with every cooking method - sashimi, shabu-shabu, salt-grilled, kabura-zushi... In particular, yellowtail shabu-shabu is superb with the sweetness of fat that floats up the moment you briefly dip it, and your chopsticks are certain not to stop. This experience is a blissful moment you can taste only in Himi in winter. There is more than enough value in choosing Himi as a travel destination.

Access

• Toyama Station to transfer at "Takaoka Station" on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway, then to "Himi Station" on the JR Himi Line, a total of about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes
• From Himi Station to "Himi Banya-gai" is about a 15-minute walk, or by taxi (about 5 minutes)
• By car: about 40 minutes from "Oyabe IC" or "Takaoka IC" on the Hokuriku Expressway
• From the windows of the Himi Line, you can view the superb scenery of the Tateyama mountain range across Toyama Bay. Do not forget to secure a seat on the right side (sea side) in the direction of travel

Tips for travelers

- At weekend lunchtime, a long line forms at the seafood-bowl corner of "Himi Banya-gai." The 9 to 10 a.m. hours right after opening are the target

- Inns with a cold-yellowtail kaiseki fill their reservations in no time during the season. As soon as your itinerary is decided, make a reservation as the top priority

- At "Himi Banya-gai" you can also use a service to ship fresh seafood to your home. It is a convenient service to send what you cannot finish eating on the trip as a souvenir, also perfect as a gift for family or friends

- Himi is a town with harsh winters where cold winds blow in from Toyama Bay. Visit dressed in outerwear with high windproofing and waterproofing

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Takaoka

Slowly walk the snowy castle town where tradition and quiet live on

Toyama Prefecture's second city, Takaoka, is a historic castle town opened by the Kaga clan lord Maeda Toshinaga in 1609 (Keicho 14). The weight of its history still lives firmly here and there in the streetscape. Winter Takaoka has few tourists, and it is a little-known hidden travel destination where you can leisurely stroll the quiet snow-clad town at your own pace. There is no touristy commotion, and the sensation of quietly melting into the time axis of history - that may be the greatest charm of winter Takaoka.

The Great Buddha of Takaoka, one of the "Three Great Buddhas of Japan" alongside Kamakura and Nara, is exceptionally divine in its figure lightly clad in snow, full of a solemnity that makes you want to put your hands together. And the national treasure Zuiryuji has an exceptional beauty in its garan clad in white snow. Visiting right after the 9 a.m. opening, there are almost no tourists, and in the silence wrapped in snow, you can have the air of 400 years ago to yourself.

When it comes to Takaoka, one must not forget the culture of Takaoka copperware, which boasts over 400 years of history. It is a production area said to account for about 90% of the nation's copperware production, and even now artisans continue to protect the traditional techniques. At workshops in the city, tours and experiences are possible even in winter, and plans where you can make your own original cast-metal item are also prepared. Bringing back travel memories as a "thing" and continuing to use it in daily life - that is a way of preserving travel memories different from photos.

When evening comes, lantern lights are lit in the streetscape of earthen-walled storehouses of Yamachosuji. The dusk scene where the heavy storehouses emerging in golden color blend with the quiet of the snow is fantastically beautiful, as if you had slipped back in time. Walking the town while comparing the long-beloved "Takaoka croquette" and the long-established "masu-zushi (trout sushi)," you will also be amazed by the richness of Takaoka's food culture.

Access

• Toyama Station to "Takaoka Station," about 20 minutes on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway (about 15 minutes if using the rapid train)
• The Hokuriku Shinkansen's "Shin-Takaoka Station" can also be used (Kagayaki and Hakutaka stop). If using the Shinkansen, you can access it from Tokyo without transfers
• The Great Buddha of Takaoka and Yamachosuji area are a 15 to 20-minute walk from Takaoka Station. Using the retro-atmosphere city tram "Manyo Line" is also recommended for its travel mood
• Zuiryuji has excellent access at about a 10-minute walk from Takaoka Station

Tips for travelers

- Since winter Takaoka has snowfall and freezing, shoes with non-slip soles are a must. Be especially careful of spots that freeze easily, such as cobblestones and in front of storehouses

- Right after the 9 a.m. opening of Zuiryuji has few people, the perfect timing to have the snowy garan to yourself in silence

- At the tourist information center inside Takaoka Station, you can not only obtain maps but also receive reservation support for workshop experiences. Dropping by first is strongly recommended

- The one-day free pass for the "Manyo Line" is only 500 yen. To efficiently tour the city, do not hesitate to make use of this

- Yamachosuji at dusk is especially charming. Heading there about 30 minutes before sunset is best

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Points for a Winter Trip

Winter in Toyama is a season in which the joys of travel are packed as densely as possible - the superb scenery of the snow walls, the finest fish of the Sea of Japan, and a streetscape where history and artisanship live on. The moment you grasp the snow and cold not as "obstacles" but as "experiences," Toyama transforms into an unbeatable travel destination. Lastly, here is a summary of practical points for enjoying a Toyama winter trip to 120%.

[Packing Checklist]

• Down jacket and waterproof outerwear (especially essential in mountain areas)
• Waterproof boots or trekking shoes (ones that handle snow and frozen road surfaces)
• Gloves, knit cap, and muffler (Murodo is incomparably colder than the urban area)
• Hand warmers (having a few is a reliable ally during outdoor sightseeing)
• Charger and mobile battery (smartphone batteries drain rapidly in low temperatures)
• Motion-sickness medicine (the mountain roads of the Alpine Route have sections with continuous sharp curves)

[Sample Travel Schedule (3 days)]

• Day 1: Arrive at Toyama Station to Takaoka stroll (Zuiryuji, Great Buddha of Takaoka, Yamachosuji) to dinner of Takaoka gourmet (masu-zushi, Takaoka croquette)
• Day 2: Early-morning departure for Himi to morning market and seafood lunch at "Himi Banya-gai" to enjoy cold yellowtail kaiseki and stay overnight at a Himi hot-spring inn
• Day 3: Tateyama Snow Otani (when held in April to May) to lunch at Murodo to return home from Toyama Station

[Budget Guide]

• Alpine Route (Toyama Station to Murodo round trip): about 10,000 to 12,000 yen
• Himi inn with cold yellowtail kaiseki: 1 night with 2 meals, about 15,000 to 30,000 yen (advance reservation required during the season)
• Takaoka day trip: about 3,000 to 6,000 yen for transport plus meals plus workshop experience

Toyama, which became far easier to access with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Prepare well against the cold and do take a step out into silvery-white Toyama. Gasping at the snow corridor, widening your eyes at the melting cold yellowtail, and your heart quietly filling at the snow-clad castle town - such a winter-only emotional experience awaits you. Once you visit, a winter memory that surely makes you think "I want to come again" will be etched into your chest.