Toyama has its own airport, from which buses run to the city center (25 min, ¥400). Toyama Kitokito Airport has international flights to Shanghai, Seoul, Vladivostok, and Dalian and local service to Tokyo, Sapporo, and Fukuoka. However, flight schedules change heavily with the season so it would be worth checking out in advance what is available for when you will be traveling. With the recent start of the Hokuriku Shinkansen and relative inaccessabilty except by car or bus, the burden is on Toyama airport to keep customers. When travelling to Toyama on a budget, be sure to check flight prices to see if you can't get a cheaper deal over the Shinkansen.
From [wiki=62413a57c5e3dc51177995fa175d3286]Tokyo[/wiki] Station, Toyama can be reached in just over two hours by taking a Kagayaki-class train on the recently opened Hokuriku Shinkansen. At 310 km, a one-way trip regularly costs ¥12,730 for a reserved seat, ¥17,360 for Green Class, or ¥25,580 for a "Grand Class" seat, though JR Rail Pass holders pay no extra costs for a basic reserved seat. The first train departs Toyko Station at 6:16am and the last leaves at 10:04 in the evening. If you're a fan of scenic travel, be sure to stay awake through the last leg of the trip after the long strech of tunnels from Itoigawa Station. The view of the towering Tateyama mountain range on a clear day is really spectacular.
Frequent Thunderbird (サンダーバード) limited express trains run to Toyama from [wiki=0d70a380fe641d8206c6d43c185b9c23]Osaka[/wiki] and [wiki=492379b2b8f7ac3f7cc8e0ca6254f4b1]Kyoto[/wiki] in Kansai, and will take you as far as Kanazawa, where you'll need to transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen. From there, Kagayaki trains are the most direct, whereas Hakutaka and Tsurugi trains will stop at ShinTakaoka Station along the way. The full trip will take at least three hours - not including transfer time - and costs ¥9430 one-way with reserved seats (free for JR Rail Pass holders). If you need to save a little money and time isn't an issue, an unreserved seat and a transfer to the IR Ishikawa Railway at Kanazawa will save you a marginal amount at ¥8350.
Toyama is also a morning stop on the Twilight Express (トワイライトエクスプレス) overnight train from [wiki=e9d6eb12ff84740501a444198e2675c2]Sapporo[/wiki], and Nihonkai (日本海) overnight train from [wiki=157e0bc725227811a9a89993dab2be42]Aomori[/wiki].
Seibu runs three daily buses (one of which is overnight) to Toyama from [wiki=159ec059f6aadff9767562ae9581ece5]Ikebukuro[/wiki] and the Sunshine City Prince Hotel. It costs ¥7340 one-way (¥13210 round-trip) and takes seven hours to make the journey.
Several companies have bus runs from Osaka and Kyoto to Toyama. West JR Bus has a morning run (5 1/2 hours) and an overnight run (8 hours) from JR Osaka station, while Hankyu has an evening run (5 hours) and an overnight run (7 3/4 hours) from Umeda. The one-way cost for these lines is roughly ¥5200 from Osaka and ¥4800 from Kyoto.
There are regular services roughly once per week to [wiki=e5aa23b540ec1892cc88127073613ec0]Vladivostok[/wiki], [wiki=5feb168ca8fb495dcc89b1208cdeb919]Russia[/wiki].
Contact EURAS [http://www.euras.co.jp/en/] to arrange your tickets. Fares start from ¥25,200 ($235) one-way.
Two light rail systems operate directly from the north and south sides of Toyama station with trains running several times an hour throughout the day.
*CENTRAM[http://www.chitetsu.co.jp/?page_id=656] - This light rail system south runs 3 lines - the Loop Line(環状線)circling the downtown area, a line running south to Minami Toyama Station(南富山駅), and one westward line which runs to the gates of Toyama University(大学前). Each line offers connections to various regional rail lines except the westbound line.
*PORTRAM - PORTRAM operates from the north of the station (駅北) to the seaport and Iwasehama (Iwase beach), though construction is currently underway.
Toyama station is served by the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen, as well 3 regional lines, Ainokaze Toyama Railroad (servicing all major stations from east-west), the Toyama Chiho main line, and the Fujikoshi line (from southeast), all of which may be used to get around town and/or beyond. The Hokuriku Shinkansen continues toward [wiki=1eaa61ae1075ea7af55c8fb33bad65db]Kanazawa[/wiki], the [wiki=09b340fc0161eaed3c955b89a48ce41e]Takayama[/wiki] main line heads southwest.
To complement the 4 light rail lines and 4 regional rail lines are the riverboats going north-south through the center of town and a bus system.
Toyama Suiboku Museum(富山県水墨美術館)[url=http://www.pref.toyama.jp/branches/3044/3044.htm]]- A small museum dedicated to Japanese ink-wash or suiboku paintings - more popularly known as sumi-e. Its permanent collection includes works from 19th and 20th century artists important to the style, as well as local suiboku artists. General admission is 200 yen to view the permanent collection, with special exhibition tickets at about 900 yen, but visitors with no money to spare can still enjoy the small, beautiful gardens around the facility.
*Toyama Folk Village(富山民俗民芸村)[url=http://museums.toyamaken.jp/en_museum/e_toyama_municipal_folk_craft_village/[/url]]- A series of small cultural museums located about a half hour from the station. Buses leave at regular intervals from a bus stop located near Toyama Station. Each museum is located in a traditional house and they feature a large number of crafts, tools, toys and furniture. There is a also a beautiful shop full of traditional Toyama clay crafts made on the premises.
*Toyama Glass Museum(富山ガラス美術館)[http://visit-toyama.com/jp/entry.php?nid=10001[/url] Open August 2015. One of the centerpieces of Toyama's efforts to brand itself as a "Glass City". The Glass Art Garden on the sixth floor will have a collection of local modern works. The facility will also house a library, cafe, and gift shop.
Many festivals can be enjoyed in Toyama and the surrounding region year round. National holidays and festivals also provide opportunities to catch events in Toyama, including Tanabata, Kaze-no-bon, and cherry blossom viewing in spring. The Toyama International Center [url=http://www.tic-toyama.or.jp/english/]has]up-to-date listings on notable events in Toyama and the surrounding area in several languages including English.
*Toyama Festival (富山まつり)Held the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of August around the city center and Toyama Castle Park. Visitors can enjoy a festive atmosphere with a fireworks display, several food stalls, and various local activities. The Yosakoi dance festival usually coincides with the Toyama Festival, and some of the best spots for viewing displays of this modern Japanese dance style include around Toyama Castle, Kencho-mae Park, and the Sogawa shopping arcade.
*Owara Dance Festival(おわら風の盆)(September 1-3) Held every year in the town of [[Yatsuo[/url]], this festival attracts tourists from all over Japan. Running for three days, lanterns line the streets of this picturesque town and dancers and musicians parade through the streets demonstrating this traditional dance style. There are also many food and souvenir stalls. Rumor has it the best time to enjoy the atmosphere is after midnight.
LOTTERIA (ロッテリア) - Toyama Chiho Testsudo Station. One of Japan's original fast-food burger joints. The food is a tad pricey for the portion size, though not outside the norm for Japan. Located in the small Esta complex in front of the ticket gate of Toyama Chiho Testsudo Station.
*Yakeru Yanka Chibo (やけるやんか千房) 1-3-9, Shintomicho, 11:30-2:30AM(3:30AM Friday and Saturday). A small Osaka-based Okonomiyaki chain with authentic Osakan food and a nice, grungy atmosphere perfect for a late night visit. Stop by Fridays for their 94 yen kushi katsu special. Chibo is located right outside the back door of the CIC building on the corner.
*Saizeriya (サイゼリヤ) CIC Building, 4th floor, 10AM-10PM. An inexpensive Japanese Italian restaurant. Check it out when saving money means more than enjoying a satisfying meal.
*Menya Iroha (麺屋いろは)[http://www.menya-iroha.com/] CIC Building, B1, 11:00-2AM. A Toyama-based award-winning ramen shop near the station. Though it's not the pioneer of Toyama Black ramen, Iroha has consistently taken home several awards for it's take on the dish, considered slightly more mild than the original.
±0cafe (ゼロカフェ) 2-14 Uchisaiwaichou, tel: 076-441-0029, 11:30-12:00AM. Closed Thursdays. A nice fusion of Okinawan and Hawaiian cuisine with a cozy atmosphere. Located on the 3rd floor in the same building as South by Southwest Cafe.
*Uotami (魚民) CIC Building, 6th floor - For an inexpensive Izakaya experience, you can try this chain on the 5th floor of the CIC building opposite the south gate of Toyama Station. Like most izakaya, the prices for individual menu items aren't so much, but neither are the portions. With a few drinks and a chunk of time, your bill can quickly add up.
*Airport Kitchen (エアポートキッチン)4-5-11, Sougawa, tel: 076-461-4726 12:00-11PM. Closed Mondays. Originally requiring a trip to Toyama Airport to enjoy, you'll find a good variety of Italian cuisine here. The highlight is undoubtedly the brick-oven pizza, which is perhaps the largest you can find in the whole prefecture for the price. Located on the corner next to Toyama Shimin Plaza, just away from Ote Mall Station on the CENTRAM.
*La Yuuki (ラユウキ)3-2-22, Sougawa, tel: 076-422-1039, 11:30-2PM and 5PM-9:30 (8:30 Sun). Closed Monday and every third Sunday. Decent Mexican-style food and perhaps the only Mexican restaurant in the prefecture. If you're used to Mexican food you may not find anything spectacular, but it's a good option for first-timers or those with a craving.(near Daiwa)
*South by SouthwestCafe (サウス・バイ・サウスウエスト・カフェ) 2-14, Uchisaiwaichou, tel: 076-441-7087, 11:30-11PM. Closed Monday. Authentic hamburgers in the heart of Toyama. The fries leave a little to be desired, but the burgers are big, with no filler and plenty of toppings. Located just one minute from Shintomicho Station.
*Santoshi (サントシ)[http://www.m-henna.com/santoshi/top.htm] - 1-3-17 Jinzuuhonmachi, tel: 076-432-3104, 11:30-2:30PM and 5PM-11PM. Open year round. Perhaps Toyama's best Indian restaurant within walking distance of Toyama Station. Try the Tandoori Lunch set (1050 yen) for a filling meal.
Trattoria Viva la Vida[http://www.ric.hi-ho.ne.jp/viva-la-vita/] - 3-14、Yasudamachi, tel: +81-076-413-7166, 11:30-2PM(weekdays only) and 5PM-11PM. Closed Monday. An authentic Italian eatery tucked away in the quiet neighborhood near Shintomicho Station. Lunch is very affordable, but expect to pay 7000 yen or more for a special dinner for two. Has a good selection of imported wine, and a cozy, intimate atmosphere.
Many weddings held here but good service, comfortable beds and great breakfast. Traditional Japanese breakfast on 5th floor at the Unkai restaurant.
Business travelers hotel. The price is very reasonable (
A slightly upscale version of the popular hotel chain. Has an Italian bar that does authentic brick-oven pizza.