Finding wonderful summer scenery in Toyama after being rejected by 'Closed on Mondays'!
1. I went for a ride on the Kurobe Gorge Railway
I took a day off on the Monday of Obon week and went for a ride on the Kurobe Gorge Railway, one of Toyama's major tourist spots.
At first, I thought about going to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, another major tourist spot in Toyama, but the tickets available for advance purchase were sold out. Since there weren't many same-day tickets and there was a possibility I wouldn't be able to ride, I changed my plans to the trolley train.
I headed to Unazuki Station, the starting station for the trolley train. It takes about an hour from my house using the expressway.
2. Even though it's a weekday, it is Obon, after all!
The station premises were crowded with many tourists. The station announcements also mentioned that the trains were busy today.
I bought a ticket at the counter and lined up in front of the ticket gate. Looking at the monitor above, the train I planned to take was already full. If I had been a little later buying my ticket, I might have had to take the next one.
The trolley train normally runs about 20 kilometers from Unazuki Station to Keyakidaira Station, but it is currently under restoration work due to damage from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake the year before last. It turns back at Nekomata Station along the way.
3. I'm riding in a car without windows!
There are cars with windows on the trolley train, but this time I headed to Nekomata in an open-air car without windows.
Once it started moving, naturally, the wind hit my body. It felt comfortable and refreshing. It's especially cool inside the tunnels, which is great for summer!
It slowly moved forward, squeaking its rails through a series of curves.
You can see the beautiful scenery of the green trees, the flow of the river, and the scattered power plant buildings.
4. Arriving at Nekomata Station.
I arrived at Nekomata Station after a ride of about 50 minutes.
This station is not one where passengers usually get off, but since it is currently the terminal station, temporary observation decks and the like have been set up.
Since the restoration work is scheduled to be completed in October of this year and the full line will be open, getting off at this station will only be possible for a little while longer.
5. Heading back down to Unazuki Station.
After about 20 minutes of walking around, I boarded the return train.
Both on the way there and back, I was seated on the mountain side, opposite the river, but someone sitting behind me called out, 'Weren't you sitting on the mountain side on the way there too?' and let me sit in a seat closer to the river. I am grateful for their kindness!
Thanks to them giving up their seat, I was able to look out over the flow of the Kurobe River.
6. What should I do for lunch...
I arrived at Unazuki Station at 12:30, so it was time for lunch, but the shops around the station were quite crowded, so I decided to get in my car and look for a place to eat.
However, I couldn't find a place easily, and in the end, I settled on this shop.
7. I completely forgot that today is Monday
After lunch, when we were deciding where to go, the first candidate that came up was the Nizayama Forest Art Museum.
It is an art museum that utilizes a building that used to be a power plant, and it exhibits large-scale sculptural works.
When I checked the website, it was closed on Mondays.
So, I looked for somewhere else, but every single place was closed on Mondays.
I gave up on public facilities and decided to go to a hot spring, choosing Ogawa Onsen Motoyu in Asahi Town. It is a hot spring located about 10 kilometers up the mountain from the city area. I went there because I heard they also have day-trip bathing.
When I arrived at the hotel and headed to the entrance, I saw the words, 'Day-trip bathing is closed today.'
Is it because it's the Obon season? I was rejected by the hot spring as well.
8. Changing to places that are always open.
So, I switched to places that I could visit.
First, I went to the dam site of the Asahi Ogawa Dam near the hot spring. It's quite a view.
Next, I went to the offshore wind power plant that I had been curious about for a while.
It's quite impressive when you see it from up close.
And then, I went to a place nearby called the 'Jobenoma Ruins'.
It's not a place people usually go for sightseeing, but it is nicely maintained and the scenery is quite good.
The last place I visited was 'Sugisawa no Sawa Sugi'.
It is a rare place where a natural forest has formed around spring water.
When you go inside, it's a little cool. It was a place that calmed the heart, where you could only hear the sound of flowing spring water and the chirping of cicadas.
My plans changed quite a bit, but it was a day where I was able to fully enjoy nature nonetheless!
○AI Summary
・An alternative trip after the Alpine Route was fully booked
Unable to get tickets for the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route during the Obon holiday, I hurriedly changed my plans and headed for the popular Kurobe Gorge Railway.
・The refreshing feeling of summer and warm interactions experienced on the trolley train
While enjoying the return service to Nekomata Station due to the earthquake and the cool breeze in the windowless cars, I was able to fully enjoy the superb views thanks to the warm consideration of fellow passengers on the way back.
・Hidden spots encountered after falling into the 'Closed on Mondays' trap
Although I encountered the mishap of my intended art museum and hot spring being closed on Monday or temporarily shut, I had a satisfying day visiting hidden nature spots like dams, wind power generators, and swamp cedars.