Toyama, known for its incredible aesthetic, rich greenery, and incredible sights, is a holistic hot spot for eateries sourcing local ingredients, high-end boutiques offering uncompromising attention to detail in their crafted products and grand architecture. Tantalise your senses with jaw-dropping views or exquisite, mouth-watering dishes on offer down the streets of Toyama or up the winding mountains that linger close by. Sitting at the crossroads of traditional Japan and contemporary progression, Toyama offers the best quality of life and well-being.
Text by Adrian Bianco
After working as a senior digital creative and editor-in-chief for VICE Media Germany, he became independent. As a social media editor, photographer and director, he has worked for a wide range of fashion brands and cultural media in Europe, US and Japan. Major clients: VICE, VOGUE, New Balance, NIKE, adidas, ANA, OCVB, Nagasaki Mastercard and many more.
Wakatsuru Saburomaru Distillery
With passion passed down for generations, Saburomaru Whiskey takes the foundations it laid in 1952 and trickles them down to create fine liquor with as much care and attention as their very first batch. Taking inspiration from all around the world, and adding a rich Toyama twist, this distillery is as aesthetically beautiful as the drinks are in taste. Open to the public allowing visitors to witness this legacy first-hand, the Saburomaru Distillery allows you to discover time-preserved techniques whilst also still providing an unforgettable experience.
The distillery invites you to indulge in its intricate layers of flavour in its small batch whiskey, putting fire in your belly and a blanket around your body with each sip. Using strictly local ingredients, from the water to the wood used within the casks, Saburomaru’s alcohol is the true taste of Toyama. With various casts, techniques and cellars, you can dive deep and explore the diversity of flavours this luxurious whiskey distillery has to offer. One-of-a-kind whiskey for a one-of-a-kind prefecture.
ADDRESS
208 Saburomaru, Tonami-city, Toyama, 939-1308
ACCESS
By train: From Hokuriku Shinkansen, Shin-Takaoka St. to JR Johana Line, get off at Aburaden station, walk 1 minute.
PARKING
Parking lot: 15 standard-sized cars
NOTE
If you would like to visit, please refer to the recommended tours below.
The experience of L'évo starts right from the moment you walk towards it. Tucked away in the beautiful landscape of Toyama’smountains, this incredible restaurant and hotel is one with the stunningscenery only to be found in Toyama. It is as premium as it gets, but it is a visit that is well worth it. Every detail has been thought about, from the furniture to the locally sourced produce used in the kitchen, all the way through to the art hung on the walls. L'évo never compromises on quality and offers their guests an unparalleled immersive experience.
In their fine dining restaurant one can indulge in all the locally sourced ingredients from local suppliers as well as their very own farm on site. Through this, you can be sure to taste a diverse and dynamic array of Toyama’s local flavour. The ever-evolving menu of regional avant-garde cuisine will have you relishing in rich flavours, and their hotel offers you a place to rest with breathtaking views of Toyama’s nature. This is old meets new, tradition meets contemporary, and rural meets luxury, all at its very finest.
Restaurant: 12:00~ or 12:30~ (Lunch), 18:00~ or 19:00 (Dinner) Hotel: Check in 15:00, Check out 11:00
DAYS CLOSED
Restaurant: Wednesday
PRICE
Restaurant: ¥22,000 per person (Course meal only, and excluding service charge)
ACCESS
By car: 1hour 30minutes from Hokuriku Shinkansen, Toyama St. By car: 1hour 10minutes from Toyama airport.
NOTE
- Because L'évo is located in a mountainous area, it is sometimes closed to traffic due to road construction, heavy rains, or other circumstances. - During the winter season, the area is covered with deep snow. Studless tires or tire chains are required for those traveling by car. 4WD vehicles are recommended. - In early summer, deep fog can occur. - Cell phone reception is difficult in some sections of each route. There are also sections where there are no lights at night.
Symbiotic with the land surrounding it, Rakudo-An is at one with nature. This culmination of experiences will leave your senses calm and collected as you indulge in master craftsmanship, fresh, local food and activities that bring you peace and serenity. A hotel in which you can rest your head in a beautiful room, with the heart of Toyama’s nature just steps away, Rakudo-An is where luxury and the land come together in balance.
Sitting alongside a rice field, being embraced by the landscape, one feels nestled in this hotel. It is a place where every attention to detail is accounted for. Discover fine crafts and artwork throughout the inn, including works by folk art artists, local craftsmen, and contemporary artists. Indulge yourself in Italian cuisine courses that make the most of the rich local ingredients, including seafood from local bay. With all of this, you can be sure that every passing day in Rakudo-An is as unique as it is tranquil. A trip here is well worth the visit.
ADDRESS
645 Nomurajima, Tonami, Toyama 939-1334
CONTACT
info@rakudoan.jp
DAYS CLOSED
Tuesday (Open on national holidays)
ACCESS
By train: From Hokuriku Shinkansen, Shin-Takaoka St. to JR Johana Line, get off at Takagi station, walk 10 minutes.
NOTE
- If you are coming by car, you may use the parking lot on the premises. Please let us know in advance how many cars you will be driving. - If you wish to be picked up from the station or airport, we can arrange a cab or hired car (for a fee).
A place where the serenity of nature surrounds you, Healthian-wood is a facility that allows you to immerse yourself in a ideal setting and feel a sense of calm. Snuggled into Toyama’s nature, with the mountain range in sight and vast oceans of green at your doorstep, Healthian-wood invites you on a journey of modern well-being and luxury. Pleasant herbal scents, beautiful sights, and locally sourced food to energise your senses, whilst also lulling them into a sense of relaxation.
As you walk through the stunning views of Healthian-wood’s grounds, it is clear to see that this is where nature and modern luxury meet in blissful harmony. Offering sauna hotel, spa treatments, aromatic experiences, and locally sourced food prepared and cooked freshly in the restaurant – this is an unforgettable experience for all ages. With beautiful architecture and every detail thought through, one stay will simply not be enough.
* Located in the center of Toyama City, "Tsuriya" functions both as a retail store selling local marine products and sake, and as a private lodge limited to one couple per day.
* Bed and Craft is the accommodation with private villas in the town of woodcarving. Travelers can experience of the classic lifestyle that persists today.