[No Car] 3-Day Solo Trip to Toyama (July 2026)
Three days at the mercy of the weather forecast.
I traveled around Toyama without a car, using only public transportation.
What I was looking forward to most this time was the Kurobe Gorge Railway.
However, what left the biggest impression on me was the botanical garden.
If I hadn't read "Do Not Say Mystery," I probably would never have gone there in my life.
Travel brings you scenery you wouldn't choose for yourself.
That's what these three days were like.
🚄 Trip Overview
3 days, 2 nights (weekdays)
Tokyo to Toyama
No car, public transportation only
Day 1
Toyama Prefectural Botanical Gardens -> Glass Art Museum -> Toyama Castle
Day 2
Kurobe Gorge Railway -> Kansui Park
Day 3
Amaharashi Coast -> Takaoka Daibutsu -> Zuiryuji Temple
🌲 Places I especially liked on this trip
🥇 Kurobe Gorge Railway
"Ao no Sumika" was playing in my head the whole time.
The blue of the sky and the blue of the river.
The wind, the sounds, the swaying as we crossed the bridges.
There was definitely a charm that photos and videos just can't fully convey.
🥈 Toyama Prefectural Botanical Gardens
The dark horse of this trip.
I came here because of the manga, but the plants were really well cared for.
The giant water lilies, the greenhouse, and the meticulously managed plants.
I walked for two hours, but I never got bored.
🥉 Amaharashi Coast
The highest temperature in Japan.
The Tateyama Mountain Range was slightly hazy.
But I liked that hazy scenery; it felt like summer.
👯 Thoughts on traveling without a car
They say Toyama is a car-dependent society, but I was able to enjoy it enough just using public transport and walking.
However, you need to be careful with the buses.
At the botanical garden, I thought, 'I'll check the schedule on the way back,' and it turned out there were only three buses a day.
This was my biggest regret of the trip. I ended up spending 3,000 yen on a taxi.
Also, there are times when IC cards aren't accepted, so it's safer to carry cash.
🎁 Supermarkets are also recommended for souvenirs
You can buy some things cheaper than at the station souvenir shops.
The 'Coffee' drink was nearly 200 yen at the station, but it was 98 yen at the supermarket.
Not everything is cheaper, but I think it's worth stopping by once.
🎒 Things I wish I had brought
Muhi (itch relief).
You don't just get bitten by mosquitoes in nature.
I didn't expect them to be in the hotel.
I was completely caught off guard.
❀ What left the biggest impression on me in Toyama
The Kurobe Gorge, the sushi, and the Amaharashi Coast were all amazing.
Time flowed slowly, without being chased.
The bus that didn't go as planned, and the 3,000-yen taxi.
Including those little mishaps, it was all part of my Toyama trip.
I'll come back in a different season to see different scenery.
