The Toyama Glass Art Museum is located in the heart of Toyama City, designed and built by master architect Kengo Kuma, and housed within the “TOYAMA KIRARI” building. By skillfully combining materials with different characteristics—such as Mikage stone (granite from the Mikage region), glass, and aluminum—the building features a novel and unique exterior that resembles the ever-changing peaks of the Tateyama mountain range. The interior of the building utilizes wood produced in Toyama Prefecture.cedarwood, arranged in louvers tilted at various angles, creating both a sense of warmth and a fully open spatial design.
The 4th and 6th floors of the building house the Toyama Glass Art Museum, while the remaining floors serve as the city library, with a bank located on the 1st floor.
The permanent exhibition on the 4th floor primarily showcases the Toyama City Collection of contemporary glass art. Additionally, the “Glass, Art, and City” exhibition, featuring works by artists connected to Toyama City, is displayed on the walls of the exhibition rooms and within the library.
Furthermore, the “Glass Art Garden” exhibition on the 6th floor presents spatial art installations created by the studio of Dale Chihuly, a master of contemporary glass art.
In addition, the museum’s temporary exhibitions focus mainly on modern art from the 1950s onward, introducing diverse styles of artistic expression.
Admission to the permanent exhibition is only 200 yen, which is quite affordable. If you have some free time in your itinerary, it’s worth a visit. Transportation isn’t very convenient, but you can take the tram from Toyama Station. Foreign tourists can pick up a round-trip tram ticket at their hotel front desk, allowing for two free tram rides~~ Photography is not allowed on the 4th floor, so the photos below are from the 6th floor.
The Toyama City Hall Observation Deck, designated as a “Premium Seat for Viewing Mount Tateyama,” is somewhat well-known among locals. From this observation room at a height of 70 meters, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Toyama City’s nightscape! It is especially recommended to visit around sunset. The brightly lit streets gradually illuminating against the distant Tateyama mountain range create a truly stunning view.
The City Hall Observation Deck is, of course, located atop the Toyama City Hall building. There is a dedicated elevator that goes directly to the observation deck, completely free of charge. This location sits between Toyama Station and the Glass Art Museum, making it a convenient stopover when walking back from the museum.
Additionally, near Toyama Station, there are two restaurants worth trying. One is called Shiroebi-tei, which specializes in various dishes made with Toyama’s specialty white shrimp, served as sashimi or tempura. Prices are a bit high, and personally, I found the taste just average—distinctive, perhaps, but not exceptional. However, some people really love it, and the small octopus dish is quite delicious.
The other restaurant is called Uo-don-tei; as the name suggests, it specializes in seafood rice bowls featuring a variety of marine products from Toyama Bay. Upon entering, you’re greeted by the distinct aroma of fresh seafood. The sashimi is extremely fresh, with a wide variety and generous portions that will leave you fully satisfied. You can even try nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) sashimi here—highly recommended!
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