Takayama's old town, the thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa's Kenroku-en garden and Matsumoto Castle make a classic Japan Alps loop. Spring, autumn and winter snow are all beautiful.
Good to know
- Shirakawa-go is busy by day; stay overnight in a gassho house for quiet.
- The Hokuriku Arch Pass can save money on trains.
- Winter roads may close; check ahead.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
One of Japan's three great gardens, lovely in every season.
Wooden teahouses, gold leaf shops and tea ceremonies.
Kanazawa's lively covered market, where stalls serve kaisen don bowls of crab, prawn and sea urchin.
Circular glass museum with installations, including the Swimming Pool.
Mysterious temple with hidden stairs and tricks.
Preserved merchant lanes with sake breweries and morning markets.
Marbled local wagyu served grilled on a magnolia leaf, as sushi or on skewers in Takayama's old town.
Open-air museum of relocated thatched farmhouses beside a pond, showing rural mountain life.
UNESCO village of steep thatched farmhouses, magical under snow.
Original black wooden castle with views of the Alps.
Pristine alpine valley with crystal rivers and snowy peaks.
Mountain hot spring baths, some outdoors with Alps views.