Toyama Bay is famed for its fresh seafood and impressive mountains that overlook it. The Northern Japanese Alps that surround the bay include many great sights, such as the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, the Kurobe Gorge and even Gokayama, but the mountain range itself is amazing to view from afar. This tour includes visiting Amaharashi, one of the most famous spots for seeing the snow covered mountains. It will also head into the city of Takaoka to see the Big Buddha there. There are many excellent options for food in the area, too! Finally, the tour heads into the mountains for a short cruise on the Shokawa River. The valley is stunning and excellent in most seasons: snow in the winter, vivid green and cool in the summer and red leaves in the autumn. If you want to get a taste of both the sea and mountain scenic sights of Japan, this tour is perfect for you!
The meetup point is opposite the Shinkansen ticket gates, in front of the information displaying the four sumo wrestlers. From outside the station, you will find this sign immediately inside of the East Entrance of Kanazawa Station. Look for a guide wearing a tour tag with the company logo.
The meetup point is outside of the Shinkansen ticket gates, in front of the information center. If you are heading out from the gates, look forward and to the right and you will see four large sumo wrestlers lined up. It's then an hour ride to the Amaharashi Coast.
The first stop on the tour is the famous Amaharashi. This area as popped up in historical records a few times. The first was as a famous poet passed through the area and wrote about its beauty in the Man'yoshi, the most famous anthology of poetry in Japanese history. A general and his troops also came through the area, sheltering in the rocks on the coast which can still be seen to this day. The view here is absolutely stunning with the small island in front of the snow-capped mountains of the Central Japan Alps. Here you will have some time to walk around and see the coast from a few different angles and even can shop a bit at the tourist information center across the street. After enjoying this area, we will go where most visitors don't, further up the coast to check out a few more spots!
Nearby is the historical city of Takaoka which is rich in traditions and interesting architecture. Takaoka was the second city of the Maeda family and their vast domains during the Edo period. The city was famous for its metalworking and other industries. This history of metalworking can be seen throughout the city but especially at the Takaoka Great Buddha in the middle of town. It is here that the tour will first go before allowing you to walk around the city and discover for yourself. This is also the time to find lunch. There are a variety of restaurants in the area so walk around and check them out! It's then a 40 minute drive to the Shokawa River Cruise.
Once lunch is finished and the group is back together, we will head towards the final destination of the day, the Shokawa Valley and cruise! This river has been the main connection for the mountain town of Gokayama to the rest of the world for centuries. When it was dammed in 1930, an agreement was made for a modern boat service to allow for the people and goods to quickly and easily travel to the towns and cities below. That same service is available today with the Shokawa Cruise that you will experience! The entire boat ride takes about an hour and ten minutes where you can see the beautiful mountains of the area. There are two amazing red bridges that cross the river, waterfalls everywhere and an onsen hanging over the water. On the boat itself there is an outdoor second floor and a heated/air-conditioned first floor, so you can enjoy the ride however you want! The ride to Kanazawa Station, the end of tour, is between 40 minutes and an hour.
Arrive back at Kanazawa and say goodbyes!
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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