Toyama is located in the Hokuriku region and boasts abundant nearby tourist resources, such as the Noto Peninsula, Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go, Hida Takayama, and Tateyama, all of which are world-renowned travel destinations. Overall, the area is very welcoming to foreign tourists, and China Eastern Airlines offers direct flights via its regional network. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when traveling to smaller towns in Japan: train services are less frequent, so it’s best to purchase tickets in advance; reservations are recommended for various activities and attractions; and many places accept cash only.
This trip to Toyama took place in early November, right during the autumn foliage season. Unfortunately, the Tateyama Alpine Route traverse was no longer accessible, as it had snowed on the mountain the day before. We chose to stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton next to JR Toyama Station. This hotel is extremely convenient—just a 2-minute walk from the station, across a single street. When traveling to smaller towns in Japan, staying near a JR station is highly advantageous, as almost all itineraries start from there. Staying elsewhere would require an additional trip back to the hotel, and areas around JR stations typically offer better commercial facilities and more dining options.
Local private railways and city buses in Toyama only accept local transportation cards and do not support nationwide IC cards like Suica, so you’ll need to pay in cash, which can be somewhat inconvenient.
When our flight arrived at Toyama Airport, it was around 2:00 PM Japan time. The Toyama City Government has a dedicatedservice for this Shanghai flight,providing a free shuttle bus from the airport to JR Toyama Station, complete with a Chinese-speaking staff member to offer guidance. The bus departs once full; if you miss it, your only option is likely to take a taxi. We exited the airport quite early, so we first headed up to the observation deck on the 4th floor. From one level of the deck, you can view the airport apron and runway, while from another level, you can see the Tateyama Mountain Range—it’s truly breathtaking.
There is a sign indicating the names of the various peaks.
The trees at the airport entrance display beautifully vibrant colors.
After settling into the hotel, we walked through JR Toyama Station and continued on foot for about 20 minutes to reach the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design. Designed by renowned architect Hiroshi Naito, the museum houses an extensive permanent collection featuring modern and contemporary art from around the world, including works by Picasso, Chagall, and other masters of the early 20th century, as well as pieces by representative artists from Japan and Toyama. The museum also features a café, a restaurant, a gift shop, and a rooftop garden.
If you’re not planning to visit the exhibitions, access to the rooftop garden is completely free—simply take the elevator directly to the roof.
The rooftop garden is ingeniously designed to let visitors experience the playful charm of Japanese onomatopoeia. Its art installations and children’s play equipment are thoughtfully crafted to embody Japanese mimetic words such as “fuwa-fuwa” (fluffy) and “guru-guru” (spinning), with the photo here depicting “uto-uto” (dozing off).
The entire Fugan Unga Kansui Park unfolds below, with the majestic Tateyama Mountain Range rising in the background—a truly spectacular vista.
Spanning the canal, Tenmonbashi Bridge serves as an iconic symbol of the park. Brick-built observation towers stand at both ends of the bridge, offering panoramic views of the park and the Tateyama Mountain Range.
Today’s Fugan Unga Kansui Park was originally the docking wharf of the Fugan Canal. Extending to Higashi-Iwase Port, this canal not only played a pivotal role in driving Toyama’s industrialization but, more significantly, helped solidify the city’s urban infrastructure. Excavated soil from the canal construction was repurposed for flood control projects along the Jinzu River, effectively mitigating flood risks. As residents settled down and established their livelihoods, Toyama gradually flourished. With changing times and the expansion of road networks, shipping could no longer compete with the speed and convenience of truck transport, leading to its gradual decline. At one point, the Fugan Canal wharf was even slated to be filled in. However, recognizing its historical significance, it was ultimately preserved and redeveloped into the Fugan Unga Kansui Park, reopening to the public in 1985.
The Starbucks within the park has been meticulously designed and is often dubbed the “Most Beautiful Starbucks in the World.” While it’s unclear who bestowed this title, the store features expansive transparent glass walls that provide nearly unobstructed views, allowing customers to enjoy the interplay between the canal and natural landscapes right from inside the café. With its remarkable sense of openness and seamless integration with the surrounding park scenery, this location has also won an internal Starbucks store design award—and remains immensely popular.
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