Hidden Gems of Chubu: Japan's Mountain Heart

The Middle Ground

Chubu sits between Tokyo and Osaka, a geographic in-between that most tourists pass through on the shinkansen without stopping. This is a mistake. The region spans the Japanese Alps, the rugged Sea of Japan coast, the craft traditions of Kanazawa, and some of the most dramatic scenery in the country. Over 100 hidden gems are here, many in towns that don't appear in standard guidebooks.

Wajima Morning Market (Wajima)

On the Noto Peninsula, the crooked finger of land jutting into the Sea of Japan from Ishikawa Prefecture, Wajima has held a morning market for over 1,000 years. Roughly 200 stalls line the main street from 8am, selling fresh seafood, pickled vegetables, Wajima-nuri lacquerware, and homemade mochi.

This isn't a tourist market. The vendors are local grandmothers who've been selling here for decades. Prices are low, quality is high, and the place still runs the way Tsukiji Outer Market hasn't in years. The lacquerware alone justifies the trip, Wajima is Japan's most famous lacquer center.

Kappa Bridge (Kamikochi)

Kamikochi is a high-altitude valley in the Northern Alps that closes entirely from November to April. During its open season, it's one of Japan's finest mountain landscapes, the Azusa River running crystal-clear beneath snow-capped peaks, with Kappa Bridge as the iconic viewing point.

Despite being well-known among Japanese hikers, Kamikochi sees relatively few international visitors. Private cars are banned, you must take a bus from Matsumoto or Takayama, which keeps the crowds manageable. The walk from the bus terminal to Kappa Bridge takes 5 minutes. From there, trails of varying difficulty radiate into the mountains.

Nagaragawa Cormorant Fishing (Gifu)

Every summer evening from May to October, fishermen on the Nagara River in Gifu practice ukai, cormorant fishing. They stand on narrow wooden boats, controlling teams of cormorant birds on leashes. The birds dive for sweetfish (ayu), which the fishermen collect. The entire scene is lit by hanging fire baskets.

It sounds theatrical because it is, this is a 1,300-year-old tradition that's equal parts fishing technique and performance. You can watch from the riverbank (free) or from a viewing boat (¥3,400-4,100). The firelight on the water, the birds diving, the fishermen calling, it's an experience that exists nowhere else.

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum (Katsuyama)

Japan's best museum is not in Tokyo. It's in rural Fukui Prefecture, in a silver dome surrounded by rice paddies, and it's dedicated to dinosaurs. The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is one of the top three dinosaur museums in the world (alongside the Royal Tyrrell in Canada and the Natural History Museum in London).

Fukui Prefecture has produced more dinosaur fossils than anywhere else in Japan. The museum has 50 complete skeletons, including animatronic reconstructions that are startlingly lifelike. The building itself, designed by Kisho Kurokawa, is architecturally significant. ¥1,000 entry. Allow 2-3 hours.

Dogashima Coast (Nishi-Izu)

The western coast of the Izu Peninsula is dramatically eroded volcanic coastline, sea stacks, natural arches, blue caves, and wave-carved cliffs. Dogashima is the most accessible point, with a boat tour (¥1,300) that threads through narrow sea caves and under rock arches. The light inside the Tensodo sea cave, where sunlight filters through a collapsed ceiling, is otherworldly.

Izu is popular with domestic tourists but mostly on the eastern (Atami/Shimoda) side. The west coast is quieter, wilder, and more interesting geologically. Pair it with one of the area's many onsen towns, Shuzenji or Shimogamo.

Zuiryuji Temple (Takaoka)

In Toyama Prefecture, Takaoka's Zuiryuji is a National Treasure, one of only a handful of Zen temples in Japan to receive the designation. The symmetrical layout, the massive sanmon gate, and the lead-roofed Buddha Hall are architecturally perfect in a way that photographs can't convey. The proportions are extraordinary.

Takaoka is a 15-minute train ride from Toyama city. Almost no international tourists visit. Entry is ¥500. On a clear day, the Northern Alps are visible behind the temple grounds.

Why People Skip Chubu

The honest answer: it's harder to reach. Chubu's best places require local trains, buses, or rental cars. The shinkansen bypasses most of the region's hidden gems. But this is precisely what preserves their character. The extra hour of travel is the filter that keeps these places unspoiled, affordable, and quiet.