Let’s visit Suzukeema, the popular restaurant that bought “spice curry” to Toyama. The restaurant only offers one type of curry at a time―whatever the owner, Mr. Suzuki, feels like making. The exquisite combination of the dashi stock’s umami and the flavorful spices has earned many repeat customers. The restaurant is lined with Toyama-related books, CDs of local musicians, and other merchandise, giving it the feel of a Toyama-themed boutique where you can feel the current good vibes of Toyama.

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Suzukeema
Address / Nishicho Kawakami Building 1F-A 6-4 Nishicho, Toyama City
Tel. / 076-491-2184
Hours / 11:00-16:00
Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays (and some Tuesdays)

Known as the "city of medicine sellers," Toyama developed excellent glass technology as a major producer of medicine bottles. The Toyama Glass Art Museum opened in 2015 as a place to experience the city’s tradition of glasswork and its high technological prowess. You will find a vast collection of glass art, including works by contemporary glass masters. The stunning architectural beauty of the building is another of the museum's appeals. Designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma, and built with cedar from Toyama, the interior has a sense of openness and warmth.

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Toyama Glass Art Museum
Address / 5-1 Nishicho, Toyama City
Tel. / 076-461-3100
Hours / 9:30-18:00 (9:30-20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays)
Closed on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays and for Year-End and New Year’s holidays (December 29-January 3)
Admission / Adults: ¥200 (Admission to special exhibits differs for each exhibit)

No discussion of Toyama is complete without a mention of the Owara Kaze no Bon Festival, a traditional event of Yatsuo. Intended to bring a bountiful harvest, this folk dance festival has continued for more than 300 years since the Edo period. You will be enthralled by the fantastic sight of dancers with their faces covered by braided hats performing to the wistful melody of the kokyu and shamisen. Although the festival is only held for three days from September 1 every year, you can always experience the ambience of the festival through the museum’s video exhibits and VR experience.

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Yatsuo Owara Museum
Address / 2105-1 Higashimachi, Yatsuomachi, Toyama City
Tel. / 076-455-1780
Hours / 9:00-17:00 (Entrance closes at 16:30)
Closed for Year-End and New-Year’s holidays (December 29-January 3)
Admission / Adults: ¥210, Children (High school and below): Free

Near the Yatsuo Owara Museum is Suwamachi Street, selected as one of the 100 Best Roads in Japan. Lined with tile-roofed townhouses with white walls and lattice doors, this gently sloping cobbled street is exemplary of good old Japanese townscapes. This beautiful main street, with its notable lack of overhead power lines, is a truly suitable setting for the Owara Kaze no Bon Festival. Although crowded during the festival, the street is a quiet and secluded spot the rest of the year. There are also a few old and traditional shops along the street, so let's take a stroll!

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Suwamachi Street
Address / Suwamachi, Yatsuomachi, Toyama City

Toyama oden is a local style of hotpot. Traditional a winter dish, it can be enjoyed all year round at Hida, an izakaya so popular that reservations are mandatory. The dashi stock is chock-full of flavor from the simmered ingredients and warms both body and soul. Incredibly, most of ingredients in Hida’s oden are homemade, including the tofu, konnyaku, and fish cakes! Also popular are their original oden ingredients made with local seafood. There is a selection of sake and natural wines, but you’ll definitely want to try the oden with one of their homemade lemon sours. Oden pairs well with drinks, but so do the exquisite seasonal items on the restaurant’s chalkboard!

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Hida
Address / firstsong 4-7 Kamihonmachi, Toyama City
Tel. / 080-8726-0569
Hours / 18:00-23:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

You stomach may be full, but our night in Toyama is far from over! Let's enjoy the great sound quality of the music at Hanamizuki-no-heya on Hanamizuki Street. The bar’s interior is tastefully decorated with antiques and artwork, creating a modern space with an intoxicating atmosphere. The large speakers in the back plays jazz and other easy-listening genres of music. There are no printed menus. You will instead find a wide selection of natural wines and craft gins to suit your tastes and preferences.

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Hanamizuki-no-heya
Address / 1-6-1 Minamidamachi, Toyama City
Tel. / 076-423-5557
Hours / 19:30-24:00
Closed on Wednesdays

Toyama Castle, the symbol of the city, can be seen after a short walk from Toyama Station. The castle tower, which was originally built in 1543, is surrounded by Toyama Castle Park. The park is not only a place where you can relax on a lush green lawn, but also offers many attractions such as a local history museum and an art museum. It also has many photogenic spots that make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time, including a Japanese garden and other vestiges of an old castle town. Whether it’s spring cherry blossoms, fresh summer greenery, fall foliage, or snowy winter landscapes, you can feel the four seasons of Japan whenever you visit.

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Toyama Castle Park
Address / 1 Honmaru, Toyama City
Tel. / 070-8529-6677
Open year-round

Coffee Station Blue Train is a traditional Japanese-style cafe that will thrill railfans and everyone else. Its interior features a model railway that is home to many rare and handbuilt model trains. Naturally, the coffee is also excellent. The owner, Mr. Nakamura, drips the cold-brewed coffee for almost eight hours, giving it a pure taste and strong body. The most popular drink is the “orange coffee" (¥800), which is served with an orange slice on top. The refreshing taste of orange juice matches so well with the coffee’s mild sweetness that it may become a new favorite.

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Cafe Station Blue Train
Address / 1-9-8 Kashimacho, Toyama City
Tel. / 076-423-3566
Hours / 11:00-18:00
Closed on Tuesdays

Located near Toyama Castle, Minozushi is a renowned sushi restaurant selected for a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide. Their famous Toyama Bay Sushi sets include soup and 10 nigiri with fresh local seafood on local sushi rice. It offers a wide variety of locally-caught seasonal seafood including Japanese glass shrimp, known as the “Jewel of Toyama Bay," cherry trout, which fills the palate with a delicate sweetness, and Japanese ivory shells, noted for their unique chewy texture. The restaurant’s bright interior makes it approachable even when dining alone, and the conversation with the owner-chef, Mr. Mishima, enriches the experience.

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Minozushi
Address / 2-3-4 Marunouchi, Toyama City
Tel. / 076-422-3034
Hours / 11:30-14:00, 17:30-21:00
Closed on Sundays, 1st and 3rd Mondays, and Mondays falling on holidays

The canal that supported the urban development of Toyama City is now a beloved oasis of water and rich greenery―Fugan Canal Kansui Park. Tenmonkyo Bridge, the park’s symbol, has an observation deck where you can enjoy a sweeping view of Toyama City. On clear days, you can clearly see majestic Tateyama Mountains. The park itself was selected as one of the 100 Best Historical Parks in Japan for its beauty. Also popular are the canal cruises that pass through the Nakajima Locks (a national important cultural property) on their way to Iwase, which retains the atmosphere of an Edo period castle port town.

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Fugan Canal Kansui Park
Address / 1 Minatoirifunecho, Toyama City
Tel. / 076-444-6041

Iwase developed as a port town along the Kitamaebune shipping route during the Edo period. It retains a retro townscape with earthen storehouses and Meiji-era townhouses. It’s fun to simply walk through this charming neighborhood, but we recommend exploring the area while enjoying all the local cuisine it has to offer. You can taste up to 100 varieties of sake at Masuda Sake Brewery-saseki, one of Toyama's best breweries, and enjoy the triangular dorayaki at Otsukaya, a confectionery shop loved by locals. You can also take in Iwase’s atmosphere while traveling by waterway or streetcar.

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Iwase Townscape
Address / Higashiiwasemachi, Toyama City

This may be our last stop, but there’s still a lot left to enjoy at JR Toyama Station! The glass station building is beautifully illuminated by the interior lights, making it the perfect spot for your last photo. here is also Toyamarche, a market with more than 50 stores including restaurants, souvenir ships, and more. Here, you can find popular Toyama cuisine such as Japanese glass shrimp and masuzushi, as well as a wide selection of tasteful souvenirs. It’s a place where you can enjoy treating yourself until it’s time to board your train home.

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Toyama Station
Address / 1-1-1 Sakuramachi, Toyama