The New York Times has named Toyama City as one of its must-see travel gems for 2025. Here's what makes the Japanese city so charming.
In terms of tourist destinations, Japan’s Toyama City has remained relatively overlooked in the West. That may be about to change thanks to a recent high-profile endorsement – and some in the prefecture say they’re looking forward to welcoming their new guests.
Located in Toyama Prefecture near Japan’s west coast, Toyama is just to the east of its more popular cousin, Ishikawa Prefecture, and its popular tourist destination, Kanazawa. A one-hour flight or slightly over two-hour Shinkansen ride from Tokyo, the city and its containing prefecture boasts gorgeous views of the Tateyama Mountains, as well as cultural attractions such as the Toyama Glass Art Museum and Toyama Castle Park.
Toyama Prefecture itself is also home to numerous natural and man-made attractions. The Suganuma Gassho-Zukuri village is one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, containing nine slant-roofed thatch houses of the same make as in Shirakawa-go. You can also see the beautiful Shomyo Falls (Japan’s highest waterfall) and surrounding national park, the Takaoka Daibtsu (large Buddha), and the Japanese cedar trees in the forests of Sugisawa.
