The Chubu region lies almost in
the geographical center of Japan. Here you have the soaring peaks of the
"Japan Alps," the Japan Sea coast which retains much of the nation's
older and traditional lifestyles, all the way to the Pacific coast that thrives
with highly developed modern industry. These are the varied faces that
constitute this region.
Nagoya & Vicinity
Nagoya is 366 km. (229 mi.), or
1 hr. 50 min. By Shinkansen super express from Tokyo and 1 hr. From Shin-Osaka.
Japan's fourth largest city, Nagoya is an old castle town, with a fine network
of streets and wide boulevards. The region is noted as the center of Japan's
porcelain industry, lacquer ware, the "shibori-zome" tie-dyed cloth,
and other arts and handicrafts. Near the center of the city stands Nagoya Castle, originally a residence
and military headquarters for the Tokugawa clan. The Tokugawa Art Museum
is
well worth a visit as it houses over 10,000 articles handed down by the
Tokugawa family.
A number of pottery producing
centers can be found in the environs surrounding Nagoya. Seto, 30 min. by rail from
Nagoya, is one of the largest pottery producers in Japan well known for its
pottery and many local kilns. Throughout the town there are many shops as well
as studios offering a potterymaking hands-on experience to visitors. Reasonably
priced small souvenir plates are highly popular. Also Tokoname, 40 min. by train from
Nagoya, has long been known for its Tokoname-yaki pottery.
Inuyama, 30 min. by rail from
Nagoya, is famous for its white-walled castle, Japan's oldest existing fortress.
Museum Meiji-mura, about 1 hour ride from
Nagoya, is an impressive outdoor museum of buildings collected from the Meiji
period (1868 -1912).
Side Trips from Nagoya
Ise-Shima National Park harbors the Ise Grand Shrine
as well as numerous pearl fisheries along its magnificent seacoast. The Ise Grand Shrine, about 1 hr. 30 min. by
rail from Nagoya, is the most venerated of all Shinto shrines in Japan. The
main shrine is completely rebuilt every 20 years.
Toba, 20 min. by rail or 40
min. by bus from Ise, is a port town famous for its "Wedded
Rocks," a pair of islets linked by a giant rope, and is a
sacred Shinto spot of worship. Don't pass up a visit to Mikimoto Pearl
Island, where pearls were first artificially cultured.
Takayama, 2 hrs. 10 min. by
limited express from Nagoya, is an old castle town situated in a valley surrounded
by the Japan Alps. Takayama retains much of the atmosphere of old Japan. The
whole town is museum-like, dotted with attraction after attraction, including a
variety of small museums devoted to traditional crafts embodying the town's long-standing
tradition of the finest in craftsmanship.
1 hr. 40 min. bus ride takes you
to mountainous Shirakawa-go Village. Nestled in a rural
setting reminiscent of the old Japan, Shirakawa-go is worldfamous for its
steeply thatch-roofed or "gasshozukuri"- style traditional
farmhouses, some offering an overnight stay as family-run inns.
Other Areas
The mountains of the Japan Alps are a series of volcanic
peaks running from north to south through the central and widest part of
Honshu. They are often compared to the Alps of Europe in ruggedness and beauty.
The Northern Alps form the core of Chubu-Sangaku (Japan Alps)
National Park.
Nagano became world-famous as
the host for the 1998 Winter Olympics. Its highland areas offer superb skiing
in winter and their refreshingly cool summer is ideal for walking and trekking.
Zenkoji Temple in central Nagano City
has been highly revered for 1,400 years as a primary center of Buddhistic
faith. Its imposing main building is a national treasure.
The main donjon of Matsumoto Castle in the city of Matsumoto
is nicknamed the "Crow Castle" because of its black walls. The castle
was built during the Age of Civil Wars, and therefore it has little decorative features,
yet shines with a simple and masculine beauty.
Kanazawa, 3 hrs. by limited
express from Nagoya or Osaka, originated as a castle town that retains much of
the flavor of those early feudal times.
The prevailing practices of Noh
drama, tea ceremony, and flower arranging among the citizens came about as a
result of the long period of unbroken peace which their ancestors enjoyed from
the 17th to 19th centuries. Kenrokuen Garden, created in 1822, lies
in the center of the city, and is known as one of the three most beautiful
landscape gardens in Japan, along with Kairakuen Garden in Mito and Korakuen
Garden in Okayama.
A 1 hr. 30-min. train ride from
Kanazawa via Fukui takes you to Eiheiji Temple, celebrated as one of
the headquarters of the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism. It was founded by Priest
Dogen (1200 - 1253), who brought Zen Buddhism to Japan from China.
Northeast of Kanazawa, the Noto Peninsula projects into the Japan
Sea. Its long coastline features a diversified geography. The outer coast is characterized
by its ruggedness while the inner coast is rich with bays and inlets with
numerous photogenic fishing villages.
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
is
a magnificent, mountain-sightseeing route winding its way from Tateyama Sta. in
Toyama Prefecture of the local Toyama-Chiho Railway and passing through the center
of the Northern Japan Alps to its terminus in Omachi in Nagano Prefecture. One
can enjoy a superb view of 3,000-m-high class mountains from the convenience of
a cable car, bus, ropeway and trolley bus.
Niigata Prefecture, 1 hr. to 2
hrs. from Tokyo, is one of the world's snowiest areas and, as such, attracts
large numbers of skiers throughout the winter.
Sado Island, 1 hr. by hydrofoil
from Niigata, is the fifth largest of Japan's islands, and is home to many small
rice farms nestled between its twin parallel mountain chains.
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