A refreshing exploration of cities in Japan during the summertime, from Tokyo city to Hokuriku and Shinetsu regions  

*This article is based on the information as of September 2022 and the latest status may have changed.

Check out the overall itinerary! 

Day 1：Tokyo activity (Hana Biyori → Edo Kiriko, Okonomiyaki)
Day 2：Take the Tateyama Alpine route → Mount Tateyama → Kurobe Dam (All in Toyama)　
Day 3：Kanetsuri Kawara → Kurobe Gorge Railway → Unazuki Onsen (All in Toyama)
Day 4：Samurai Residence → Sake Bar (All in Kanazawa)
Day 5：Shiraito Falls → Karuizawa City Walk & Cycling → The Prince Shopping Plaza (All in Karuizawa) → Matsumoto Castle (Matsumoto)
Day 6： Chubu Sangaku National Park (Nagano)→Kamikochi (Matsumoto)→ Shinjuku

In this 2nd article, I’ll be sharing my itinerary for days three and four. 

This time, I will be continuing my summer trip by visiting Kanetsuri Kawara, experiencing the view of Kurobe Gorge by tram, enjoying a wonderful hot spring experience in Unazuki Onsen and then heading off to Kanazawa via the Shinkansen.
 

Day 3: Enjoy the spectacular Kurobe Gorge by tram

On my second day, I visited Kurobe Dam. I was excited as I heard there is a hidden hot spring resort nearby called Unazuki Onsen. If you are on a trip to Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture, along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, I definitely recommend dropping by this hidden location. A big fan of onsens, I always add an onsen destination into our trip whenever we can. My plan is to do some sightseeing in the area first before returning to the onsen to relax, so stay until the end of this article to read all about it.

Shin-Kurobe Station is located near Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station, which is one of the stops for the Hokuriku Shinkansen. From there, take the Toyama Chitetsu Main Line to Unazuki Onsen Station to board the Kurobe Gorge Railway Torokko Train, a super adorable sightseeing train. Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station itself is a convenient gateway to access the city of Kurobe and its surrounding attractions, as well as Tateyama Murodo.

If you take the cute Torokko Train, there are many spots in between to drop off and explore before reaching Keyakidaira Station, the final stop at an altitude of 599m.
One of those spots is the unusual river Kanetsuri Kawara, where both cold and warm water currents meet. Surrounded by mountains, fresh air and clear rivers, the pleasant temperature of Kurobe Gorge makes it the perfect spot to relax. You can alternate between soaking in a bathing suit in the hot springs and cooling off in the cold river water.

WAIT, DO YOU KNOW I ALMOST GOT EATEN BY A ROCK? After a hundred rounds of fighting, I thankfully managed to survive.... Just joking. 
Actually, the Hitokui Iwa, also known as ‘Human-Eating-Rock' is an eye-catching tourist destination in Kurobe, Toyama prefecture. The inspiration of this name came from the giant cave that looks like a big gaping mouth, ready to swallow people whole.

The Kurobe Gorge Railway's Torokko Train journey allows for leisurely outdoor sightseeing, where you can relax to the view of the Kurobe Gorge and travel across the Meiken Bridge gorge. 

The scenic Kurobe Gorge Railway was originally built to aid in the construction of Kurobe Dam. The architecture of the railway is amazing and has become popular as one of the most iconic sightseeing Torokko Train rides, running between Unazuki and Keyakidaira Stations. 

As the day draws to a close, I’m ready for a bath and some dinner. From Toyama Station to Unazuki Onsen, it’s a 2-hour long ride by train. When I arrived at Unazuki Onsen, I was blown away by the amazing view. This had to be one of the most stunning views I’ve ever seen at an outdoor hot spring. 
From the ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) Unazuki Yamanoha, you can enjoy a beautiful view of Shinyamabiko Bridge, where the Torokko Train passes by, and Yamabiko Bridge over Kurobe Gorge. Being surrounded by Mother Nature makes us excited to try out the onsen! After a relaxing dip in the onsen bath, a delicious and rich black ramen was served for dinner at Unazuki Onsen. It is authentic Japanese ramen dressed with thickly flavored Japanese soy sauce. Oishi!

Day 4, Kanazawa, a city of culture and tradition

Bright and early on day four, I headed to the city of Kanazawa in Ishikawa prefecture. It is just 36 minutes via the Hokuriku Shinkansen, from Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station to Kanazawa Station. The Hokuriku region overall is highly accessible by Shinkansen. 
Historic Kanazawa is known for its Edo period districts, museums, and traditional crafts. Today, I’m visiting one of Japan's top three gardens: Kenrokuen, which is a classic garden that incorporates ponds and fountains. All spots that we visited in this article are either very close to Kanazawa Station or located around Kanazawa Castle Park, convenient for enjoying the charms of Kanazawa in one day.

There are several gardens in Kanazawa, but one of the most interesting is the Nomura Family Bukeyashiki. This mansion is the former residence of members of the highly-ranked Nomura Clan, and is a perfect opportunity to experience a slice of feudal era Japan. The Nomura-family Samurai Residence is a quiet, relaxing place filled with history amidst lush greenery and peaceful surroundings. Here, you can take in the tranquil atmosphere, enjoy some traditional matcha tea and dress up in a kimono to stroll around town.

If you are a big fan of art, join a tour to visit the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa. The photo below shows a well-known art installation, Leandro Erlich's “Swimming Pool”. It is meant to present the meaning of a place where, slowly, with time, different perspectives and perceptions of self and others all come to intersect. 

Ishikawa Prefecture is a region popular for producing Japanese sake due to its high quality water and rice. Kanazawa Jizakegura located in Kanazawa Station is a specialty sake store that stocks products from 34 breweries across Ishikawa Prefecture. In this store, there is even an automatic sake testing machine that sells local sake in cups. I tried the Comparison Sake Set so I could taste their most popular sakes. It’s so nice to end the day with a few sips of local sake!

Day four is about to end! 
From day five onwards, I will be going to Nagano to explore the areas of Karuizawa, Matsumoto Castle and Kamikochi. Stay tuned!

1st Article is here
3rd Article is here