Hokuriku Shinetsu

In this rugged region, where the mountains meet the sea, the result is nothing short of breathtaking beauty.

Thanks to the convenient high-speed bullet train that connects Tokyo to most of the Hokuriku Shinetsu region in two and a half hours or less, travelers can easily access the majestic Japan Alps, the stunning views of Japan’s west coast, and cities and towns brimming with refined culture. Among the five prefectures of Hokuriku, Nagano stands out as the only one without a coastline, but along with Niigata, it offers some of Japan’s finest skiing and snowboarding. Toyama and Fukui prefectures showcase a charming, hidden side of rural Japan, while Ishikawa, with its capital city Kanazawa, is a hub of both traditional and contemporary Japanese art and design.