This autumn, Toyama invites travelers to experience the season through all five senses, centered on the Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route, which opens for sightseeing tours on Friday, October 2. Alongside spots around Tateyama Kurobe worth visiting together with the new route, this guide picks out destinations that capture Toyama's craftsmanship spirit during the art-filled autumn season, fragrant seasonal flavors, and hidden autumn foliage spots best enjoyed with snow-capped peaks in the background.
There's also the latest news on why Toyama can rightfully claim to be a sushi destination, along with sushi ingredients coming into season this September.
October 2: The Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route Tour Finally Begins
The Kurobe River has long been well suited to hydroelectric power generation, yet its harsh, remote terrain kept people at bay for generations. In search of power for aluminum production, the first survey for hydroelectric development began in 1917 (Taisho 6). Workers faced sheer cliffs, drove the “高熱隧道” (High-Heat Tunnel) through rock exceeding 160°C, and pushed through the “破砕帯” (fracture zone), where massive volumes of earth and groundwater burst forth violently — overcoming numerous difficult construction challenges to build the Kurobe River No. 3 and No. 4 power stations, among others.
Incline
The construction route built for these power station projects was later designated for public opening and development as a travel product, following a 2018 agreement between Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. and Toyama Prefecture. Closed to general tourists for many years, this construction route connects Kurobe Dam with Keyakidaira in the Kurobe Gorge, letting visitors trace the footsteps of the engineers who once took on this untouched wilderness while taking in the untamed nature of the gorge's deepest reaches.
The tour's opening had been postponed after the Kurobe Gorge Railway was unable to resume full service due to the Noto Peninsula earthquake, but it is now set to begin on Friday, October 2.
[Series, Part 4] The Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route
Nearly 70 Years in the Making: The Long Road to Opening the Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route
Part four traces the long journey of the Canyon Route, now just weeks away from its tour debut.
Photo courtesy of Kansai Electric Power
The history of the Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route dates back to 1956 (Showa 31), when construction began on the Kurobe River No. 4 power station.
At the time, the construction route was expected to eventually open to the public, but safety concerns and power station operations kept it closed to general visitors for many years.
A turning point came in 1996 (Heisei 8), when Kansai Electric Power began offering public tours by application. Then in 2015 (Heisei 27), the "Kurobe Gorge Panorama Viewing Tour" launched, gradually giving more people the chance to experience this remote landscape.
In 2018 (Heisei 30), Toyama Prefecture and Kansai Electric Power signed an agreement on opening the Kurobe Route to the public and developing it as a travel product. Preparations moved forward under the new name "Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route" to open it as a commercial tour. The opening was later postponed due to the 2024 (Reiwa 6) Noto Peninsula earthquake, but with recovery and preparation work underway, the tour is finally set to launch on October 2, 2026 (Reiwa 8). Nearly 70 years after it was first conceived, this long-closed remote route is now opening as a new sightseeing route.
A Five-Senses Autumn Journey Through Toyama
Art, fragrance, flavor, and color — a special journey to experience Toyama's autumn through all five senses.
Here's a look at the season's highlights, from Toyama's distinctive craftsmanship and seasonal flavors to its autumn foliage.
Takaoka's Autumn, When the Whole City Becomes a Stage for Craft
Ichibamachi 2026 (TAKAOKA CRAFT ICHIBAMACHI)
Celebrating Its 15th Year, Three Days of Enjoying Takaoka's Craftsmanship Across the Whole City
In Takaoka, where craftsmanship techniques have been passed down for over 400 years, the autumn craft event "Ichibamachi" takes place September 18 (Friday) to 20 (Sunday). Centered on the historic Yamacho-suji district and the surrounding city center, the event features a wide range of programs, including the "Mono no Ichi" market showcasing craft works, open-factory tours through workshops normally closed to the public, opportunities to meet artisans, art exhibitions, and limited-time food. This year marks the event's 15th anniversary, offering visitors the chance to experience the full spirit of "Takaoka, the town of craftsmanship" — its artisan skills, crafts, food, and historic streetscape — all on foot.
Also Happening: "Mirare Kanaya-machi"
Experience Craft and Art in Everyday Life, Up Close
Set against the historic townscape, this event features art exhibitions inside traditional townhouses not normally open to the public, along with exhibitions and sales of traditional crafts and craft pieces.
Dates: September 19 (Saturday) and 20 (Sunday)
Industrial Exhibition of the Craft Region
Tsugi no Te, Craftspeople from Across Japan Gather
128 makers, from manufacturing companies to craft artists, gather for this event, where visitors can experience the full range of Toyama's craftsmanship through demonstrations, workshops, and food.
Dates: October 24 (Saturday) and 25 (Sunday)
Toyama's Fragrant Autumn Flavors
Kazumi Apples
A rare apple variety with limited distribution, sold mainly at farmers' front-yard stands. Left to ripen fully on the tree, it's packed with honeyed sweetness and juice, along with a wonderfully rich aroma.
Genge (Eelpout)
A deep-sea fish caught in Toyama Bay from around September. Its fragrant dried version pairs beautifully with Toyama sake, and "Genge no Tatsuta-age" (deep-fried genge) even appears in the manga Oishinbo.
An Inn Where You'll Discover Traditional Craft Beauty
Private-House Hotel "Kin no Sanzun"
Built around the concept of "using, experiencing, and living with Takaoka copperware," this hotel is located in Kanaya-machi, a town known for its foundry artisans, and incorporates traditional Takaoka copperware throughout the property.
Toyama's Hidden Autumn Foliage Spots, Paired With Snow-Capped Peaks!
Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village
A UNESCO World Heritage site preserving the historic scenery of Gokayama, this village is lined with gassho-zukuri thatched-roof houses built roughly 100 to 350 years ago. Toward the end of the autumn foliage season, snow can fall on the surrounding peaks, and on clear days you may catch a "three-tone" view of red foliage, white snow, and blue sky all at once.
Best time for autumn foliage: October to mid-November
Jinzu-kyo Gorge
Shaped by the Jinzu River and the surrounding mountains, this roughly 15-kilometer gorge is so scenic that it has been designated a prefectural park. The stretch known as "Kataji-kyo," between Terazu Bridge and Yoshino Bridge, is especially famous for its beautiful autumn colors.
Best time for autumn foliage: Late October to around November
