There was one main activity and scenic view that prompted my travels all the way to Toyama Prefecture in the middle of Japan’s Honshu Island.
It was this sightseeing cruise along the Shogawa River.
Isn’t the view stunning? After seeing pictures, I knew I had to visit myself, so I made the journey to Toyama at the beginning of February.
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Getting to the Area
The main train station nearby is Shin-Takaoka Station. You can reach Shin-Takaoka Station from Kyoto Station in 2-3 hours, depending on the trains you take.
You’ll need to transfer once at Tsuruga Station and book the trains in advance.
Check out the JR rail pass if you plan on using trains for the majority of your Japan travels, since you may be able to save some money!
From Shin-Takaoka Station, you can take a bus (runs infrequently) for about 1 hour and 15 minutes to the boat launch, or opt for a taxi ride, which takes about 35 minutes. (Note that the taxis are quite expensive in this area.)
Shogawa Gorge Cruise
The Shogawa Gorge Cruise is a beautiful boat ride along the Shogawa River. Tours depart on medium-sized boats from here and return to the same spot.
There are two courses offered by the boat company. A round-trip sightseeing course (~ 1 hour) and a shorter pleasure course (~25 minutes).
The schedules of the courses change with the seasons, so you can find the most up-to-date information and fares on the Shogawa Gorge Cruise homepage.
I took the round-trip course, which traveled upriver, made a brief stop at the Omaki Onsen inn, then returned to the start.
Interestingly, Omaki Onsen is only accessible by this boat, so people who want to stay overnight will travel the same route.
This inn sounds like a neat place for a completely secluded stay, but it was a bit too out of the way for me on this trip.
The boat ride route crossed under two large bridges that stretched spectacularly from bank to bank.
One of the bridges was painted bright red, making it a stunning sight against the soft white snow.
It was hard to tell how deep the water was, but from the little bits of floating ice on the surface, I knew it must be frigid.
While my hands and face froze from the biting winds, I managed to capture a few shots along the journey.
On the return trip, I headed downstairs to the inside sitting space, which was warm and protected from the wind.
It was a chilly but pleasant ride that completely captured the beauty of water, mountains, and snow.
Overnight at Shogawa-Onsen Yumetsuzuri
After the boat ride, I took a taxi to a nearby hotel where I was staying the night: Shogawa-Onsen Yumetsuzuri.
This hotel was only 5 minutes away from the boat station, so it was very convenient.
The hotel had a nice set of indoor and outdoor baths, so I soaked in these under the falling snow and waited eagerly for dinner.
Dinner was a full course of traditional Japanese dishes. Each of the two nights I stayed, I left the dining room stuffed to the brim.
Final Thoughts
I’m happy that I chose to visit an area off the beaten path, a place whose beauty in real life lived up to the images I had seen on paper.
While there wasn’t a whole lot to do in the area, I rather enjoyed the quiet seclusion and feeling of being in a secret place without all the crowds.
My stay at Shogawa- Onsen Yumetsuzuri was also nice, with extremely kind staff and nice onsen baths to soak in.
I imagine this could one day become a place swarming with more tourists and tour buses. (There were already a few tour buses, but not so many.) Should this be true, I’m glad I was able to visit while it was still in its nascent and serene state.
Other Things to Do Nearby
On this trip, I also visited the Ainokura-Gasshozukuri Village and Shirakawa-go. These are other beautiful places, especially in winter, that are known for their large wooden buildings with thatched roofs. Learn about the differences between these two areas here.
I also did a unique knife-making experience at a swordsmith in Kyoto! It was so neat and unlike any other hands-on activity I have done so far.
