Top 3 recommended sightseeing spots in Toyama Vol.1 Unazuki Onsen and Kurobe Gorge

3 recommended sightseeing spots in Toyama

1. Unazuki Onsen and a trip to a hidden area on the "Trolley Train" (Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture)

2. Stroll through the beautiful port town of Uchikawa and take a night cruise (Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture)

3. Discover the charm of Owara Bon Festival and floats on a stroll around the town of Yao (spot name)

1. Unazuki Onsen and a trip to a hidden area on the trolley train (Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture)

"Unazuki Onsen" born from power development

Unazuki Onsen is located in the inland mountains of Kurobe City in the northeastern part of Toyama Prefecture, and is the gateway to the Kurobe Gorge and the largest hot spring resort in Toyama Prefecture. The waters of Unazuki Onsen are said to be the clearest in Japan, with a source temperature of 90 degrees. The colorless, transparent water is reminiscent of the clear waters of the Kurobe River, and is a weakly alkaline simple hot spring that is gentle on the skin, and is known as a "beauty skin bath."

To get to Unazuki Onsen Station, located at the entrance to the hot spring town, get off at JR Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line and transfer to Shin-Kurobe Station on the Toyama Chiho Railway. In the square in front of the station, there is a photo spot for the hot spring fountain, the symbol of the hot spring town, and a tub-shaped bathtub, which will get you in the mood for a trip.

The current Unazuki Onsen was once an uninhabited plateau covered with peach forests known as "Momohara," but during the Taisho era, power development along the Kurobe River began and plans were made to open a large hot spring resort in this area. After many hardships, in 1923 they succeeded in drawing hot spring water from Kuronagi, 7km upstream on the Kurobe River, and the hot spring town we see today was born.

Unazuki Onsen, the largest hot spring town in Toyama Prefecture, is dotted with unique inns where you can enjoy seasonal canyon views and Toyama's mountain and sea delicacies, attracting many visitors from all over Japan and the world. There is also a ski resort nearby, and in winter, yellowtail and crab are delicious, so many fans visit to enjoy the snowy scenery and hot springs.

In addition to staying at a hot spring inn or hotel, eating, and bathing in the hot springs, you can also casually enjoy a foot bath at a foot bath spot while walking around town. In addition, in the hot spring town, there are restaurants that serve local cuisine, cozy cafes, and souvenir shops.

In Unazuki, eels are kept in a fish tank for a week, without being fed, and then soaked in hot spring water containing yuzu before being shipped out. These eels are known for their soft texture and mild flavor, thanks to the effects of the hot springs.

At the long-established Kajika restaurant, where kamameshi is their signature dish, you can enjoy "Yuyuu Unagi" kamameshi. The kamameshi is cooked individually for each person, and when you open the lid, you'll see a row of grilled eels, and a fragrant aroma will waft through the air, whet your appetite. The fluffy eel, the flavorful rice, and the scorched rice on the bottom of the pot are all delicious.

Explore hidden areas on the Kurobe Gorge Railway's "Trolley Train"

While the traditional Japanese atmosphere of Unazuki Onsen is a must-see, we would like to recommend a trip on the Kurobe Gorge Railway's trolley train ! Ride the trolley train, which traces the history of the power generation and dam development that gave birth to the hot spring town, and enjoy the natural beauty of the Kurobe Gorge.

Kurobe Gorge is a large canyon that forms a steep, deep V-shaped gorge in the upper and middle reaches of the Kurobe River, which originates at Mt. Washiba in the center of the Northern Alps, and flows 86 km long and 3,000 m in elevation. It was designated as part of Chubu Sangaku National Park in December 1934.

The Kurobe Gorge Railway's "Trolley Train" runs through this V-shaped gorge, the deepest in Japan. Along the line, there are many scenic spots such as the eternal snow and Sarutobi Gorge, and you can enjoy beautiful scenery that changes with the seasons, such as fresh greenery in spring, clear streams in summer, and autumn leaves in autumn, as well as breathtaking cliffs and stunning natural beauty from the train window.

The Kurobe Gorge Railway is a popular tourist spot that is visited by many people from both within Japan and overseas, but it was originally a railway for the development of power sources along the Kurobe River. It began operating for general passengers in 1953, running about 20km from Unazuki Station, located deep within the Unazuki Onsen town, to Keyakidaira Station, but even today it still plays a role in maintaining the hydroelectric power generation facilities upstream the Kurobe River, and transporting personnel and equipment for erosion control projects to prevent landslides.

Enjoy a special time at the limited-time "Nekomata Station"

The Kurobe Gorge Railway has eight stations, and the four stations that tourists can use are Unazuki Station, Kuronagi Station, Kanetsuri Station, and Keyakidaira Station. The rest are only available to dam and construction workers. However, due to the damage caused by the Kanetsuri Bridge due to a rockfall caused by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024 that occurred on January 1, 2024, this season the railway will only operate on the section between Unazuki Station and Nekomata Station, which was not affected by the earthquake, and passengers can only get off at Kuronagi Station and Nekomata Station.

Unazuki Station, the starting point for the Kurobe Gorge Railway, is located at the back of Unazuki Onsen town and is about a 5-minute walk from Unazuki Onsen Station on the Toyama Chiho Railway. There is also a large parking lot and it can also be accessed by car.

You can get off at Kuronagi Station, just before Nekomata Station, and walk along the mountain path to Kuronagi Onsen, the source of the hot spring water that feeds Unazuki Onsen.

Nekomata Station, which will be accessible from October 5, 2024, is an hour's drive from Unazuki Onsen Station and is located almost halfway along the line. Unlike Keyakidaira, Kanetsuri, and Kuronagi, this is a construction station and does not have any hot spring inns or tourist spots. The station's platform was also not designed to accommodate passenger trains with long carriages, so a new temporary platform 100 meters long was installed.

In addition to the temporary platform, a new photo spot and observation deck related to "cats" have been built, as well as a temporary tourist information center. During the approximately 20-minute stop before the return train leaves "Nekomata Station," passengers can get off the trolley train to take commemorative photos or take a toilet break.

It's a shame that we can't go all the way to the final stop, Keyakidaira Station, but it's exciting to think of it as a rare opportunity to see and experience Nekomata Station, which is normally inaccessible, and a part of the power development in Kurobe Gorge.

It is rare for a station to have "cat" in its name, and "Nekomata Station" is the only one like it in the whole country. There are various theories about the origin of the place name "Nekomata," but it is said that the place name came from the fact that a mouse chased by a cat was blocked by a "mouse-repair rock wall" near "Nekomata Station" and was unable to climb up, so turned back, and the "cat" chasing it also turned back.

At the photo spot, if you place your smartphone on the stand in front, you can take a photo with a mouse being chased by a cat. Try taking a photo of yourself as a mouse, running away from the cat, or taking a different pose, and taking a fun photo to remember your trip.

There is also a theory that a cat monster with a forked tail, called "nekomata," lived in Kurobe Gorge, and there is a cute cat statue handmade by the station staff just inside the ticket gates at Unazuki Station, so be sure to check to see if it has a forked tail!

On the way back from Nekomata Station to Unazuki Station, sit in your seat facing backwards and return the same route you came.

Looking forward to the Kurobe Unazuki Canyon Route opening after 2025!

The Kurobe Unazuki Canyon Route, a new route stretching approximately 18 km from Keyakidaira Station on the Kurobe Gorge Railway to Kurobe Dam upstream, was scheduled to be opened to the public and travel products developed in June 2024, but because the Kurobe Gorge Railway could not be opened in its entirety, this has been postponed until after 2025.

The Kurobe Unazuki Canyon Route, which follows the history of power development that brought together the wisdom of humanity at the time and various underground power facilities and equipment built to protect the beautiful and majestic natural environment in the unexplored depths of the Kurobe Gorge, is scheduled to open after 2025. When the Kurobe Gorge Railway is fully operational, be sure to take the time to visit!

Kurobe Gorge Railway

Kurobe Gorge Entrance 11, Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture

TEL 0765-62-1011

Operation period: Late April to November 30th (winter suspension from December to mid-April)

Operating times: 11 flights from 8:17am to 5:58pm

*Operating hours and number of flights may vary depending on the season and time of year.

*Due to the impact of the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1, 2024, only certain sections are currently in operation.

https://www.kurotetu.co.jp

Kurobe Unazuki Canyon Route

https://canyon-route.jp

Toyama Tourism Guide (Sightseeing around Unazuki Onsen and Kurobe Gorge Railway)

ttps://www.info-toyama.com/stories/kurobe-kyokoku

Access to Unazuki Onsen in Toyama Prefecture

There are three Shinkansen stations in Toyama Prefecture: Toyama Station, Shin-Takaoka Station, and Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station, with Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station being the closest. It takes about 30 minutes to transfer at Shin-Kurobe Station on the Toyama Chiho Railway, which is a 7-minute walk from Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station. If you are driving, it is about 20 minutes from Kurobe IC on the Hokuriku Expressway.

Tokyo Station to Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station: Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes (Hokuriku Shinkansen Hakutaka)

*From Toyama Station to Unazuki Onsen Station, it takes about 30 minutes on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway.

From Osaka Station to Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station: Approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes (Limited Express Thunderbird/Hokuriku Shinkansen Hakutaka)

From Nagoya Station to Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station: Approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes (Tokaido Shinkansen / Shirasagi Express / Hokuriku Shinkansen Hakutaka)

*You can also get from Nagoya Station to Toyama Station via Gifu on the Takayama Main Line and Nagano on the Chuo Main Line.

Tokyo (Haneda Airport) - Toyama (Toyama Kitokito Airport): Approximately 1 hour

*Shuttle buses run from Toyama Airport to Toyama Station in accordance with flight arrivals and departures.

From Tokyo Nerima IC - Kurobe IC: Approximately 4 hours 20 minutes (Kanetsu, Joshinetsu, Hokuriku Expressways)

From Osaka Suita IC - Kurobe IC: Approximately 4 hours 40 minutes (Chugoku, Meishin and Hokuriku Expressways)

From Nagoya Ichinomiya IC - Kurobe IC: Approximately 3 hours 40 minutes (Meishin Expressway, Tokai Hokuriku Expressway, Hokuriku Expressway)