Central Japan’s Chubu region offers one of the country’s most geographically dramatic travel corridors — the Japan Alps, three parallel mountain ranges running north to south through Nagano, Gifu, and Toyama prefectures, creating a landscape of 3,000-meter peaks, deep valleys, traditional alpine villages, and the kind of outdoor environment that draws hikers, skiers, and landscape
Japan’s Sea of Japan coast — running from Niigata through Toyama, Kanazawa, and out toward the Noto Peninsula — offers a quieter, less internationally trafficked version of Japan’s cultural richness. Kanazawa’s preserved Edo-period geisha districts and one of Japan’s most celebrated gardens have made it the region’s clear highlight, drawing increasing numbers of travelers since