Three days in Toyama: Murodo or Suganuma
Visit Kansui Park on day one and the museum on the final day, choosing Murodo or Suganuma for the middle day. For Murodo, arrange your Tateyama cable car reservation; for Suganuma, check return World Heritage Bus connections from Takaoka.
Choose an itinerary for 3 days / 2 nights
Return trip to Murodo on day two
Stay two nights near Toyama Station and use the middle day for a return trip to Murodo. Change between local trains, cable car and highland bus, returning the same way. Murodo's operating season and connections vary; check travel-day timetables and ticket sales conditions.
Return trip to Murodo on day two →3 days / 2 nights BReturn trip to Suganuma on day two
Stay two nights near Toyama Station and visit Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village in Nanto on the middle day. Change at Takaoka to the World Heritage Bus; this trip does not visit Murodo.
Return trip to Suganuma on day two →Return trip to Murodo on day two
Stay two nights near Toyama Station and use the middle day for a return trip to Murodo. Change between local trains, cable car and highland bus, returning the same way. Murodo's operating season and connections vary; check travel-day timetables and ticket sales conditions.
Day 1 · Kansui Park walk
Walk along the canal and waterside at Kansui Park, north of Toyama Station.
- Toyama Station, north exit → Kansui Park
Walk from the station's north exit to Kansui Park. The park walk is free.
- Kansui Park → Toyama Station area, then the same hotel
Return towards the station and check in. Have dinner nearby and spend the first night at your booked accommodation.
Shorten the walk if you arrive late.
Day 2 · Change at Tateyama and Bijodaira for Murodo
See the mountain scenery at Murododaira today. Travel from Toyama by local train, cable car and highland bus; choose walks according to the weather and on-site restrictions. Check your booked Tateyama cable car time together with return connections through to the local railway.
- Accommodation, then Dentetsu-Toyama Station → Tateyama Station
Take a local train bound for Tateyama from Dentetsu-Toyama Station, which uses different platforms from JR Toyama Station. Connect your travel-day train arrival with the Tateyama cable car departure, allowing time for ticketing and platform access. The time specified on a WEB ticket is the cable car departure from Tateyama Station. In busy periods, check the operator's conditions to arrive 30 minutes before the cable car and collect tickets 15 minutes before departure. The standard adult return fare of JPY 10,220 covers the train, cable car and highland bus via Dentetsu-Toyama–Tateyama–Bijodaira–Murodo, without crossing to Kurobe Dam or Ogizawa. Special or reserved seats, meals and accommodation cost extra.
Timetable valid 15 April–3 November 2026WEB ticket guideOfficial fare PDF from 15 April 20262026 Alpine Route timetableReturn timetable for 4–30 November
- Tateyama Station cable car → Bijodaira
Take your booked cable car from Tateyama Station and get off at Bijodaira. After leaving the local train, collect your tickets and go to the cable car boarding area. Follow operator information for your reservation time and the day's services.
- Bijodaira highland bus boarding area → Murodo Terminal
Change at Bijodaira to a Murodo-bound highland bus. After the cable car, go to the bus boarding area and wait as directed. Recheck later connections if services are delayed.
- Murodo Terminal → Rooftop exit and Murododaira, then the terminal
After the bus, first find your return boarding area in the terminal. The rooftop leads out to Murododaira; restaurants and shops are inside. Explore nearby areas according to weather and on-site restrictions, then return to the same terminal for your bus. Meals and shopping cost extra. If long walks are difficult, stay near the terminal rather than taking hiking trails or a full circuit of Mikurigaike.
- Murodo highland bus boarding area → Bijodaira
Take the highland bus from Murodo to Bijodaira. Return to the terminal boarding area before departure, and check onward connections to the Bijodaira cable car and Tateyama local train. The last mountain bus alone does not establish that you can return to Toyama city.
Return timetable for 15 April–3 November2026 Alpine Route timetableReturn timetable for 4–30 November
- Bijodaira cable car → Tateyama Station
Take the cable car down from Bijodaira to Tateyama Station. Walk from the highland bus to the cable car boarding area; recheck local train connections after changes or delays.
Return timetable for 15 April–3 November2026 Alpine Route timetableReturn timetable for 4–30 November
- Tateyama Station local railway → Dentetsu-Toyama Station, then the same accommodation
Take a local train from Tateyama to Dentetsu-Toyama. Allow time after leaving the cable car to reach the platform and wait. Weekday and weekend services may differ; check your travel-day timetable and return to the same accommodation on arrival.
Return timetable for 15 April–3 NovemberHotel access2026 Alpine Route timetableReturn timetable for 4–30 November
First check your Tateyama cable car reservation and travel-day operating notices. Shorten mountain walks for weather or restrictions and prioritise return connections through to the local railway. If bookings are unavailable or services suspended, do not follow this mountain itinerary unchanged.
Day 3 · Museum collection, then depart Toyama
See the collection at the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design, then return to Toyama Station.
- Toyama Station, north exit → Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design entrance
Walk from Toyama Station's north exit to the museum entrance; the official estimate is about 15 minutes. Leave in time for the 9.30 am opening, allowing extra for crossings and station walking. Check travel-day temporary closures and exhibition changes.
Official access guideMuseum visiting guideHotel accessLuggage storage FAQ
- Museum entrance → Collection exhibition rooms
Standard adult collection admission is JPY 350. The museum closes at 6 pm, with last admission at 5.30 pm; special exhibitions cost extra. Return towards the same station after viewing the collection.
- Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design → Toyama Station, north exit
After your visit, retrace your route to Toyama Station's north exit. Add crossing waits and station walking to the roughly 15-minute walk when choosing your departure. Buses cost extra if used.
Check museum closures and rooftop access, and leave time to reach the station after your visit.
Included: Standard return Dentetsu-Toyama–Tateyama–Bijodaira–Murodo JPY 10,220 (train, cable car and highland bus) Standard museum collection admission JPY 350
Extras and conditions: Two hotel nights, meals, travel into and out of Toyama, limited-express or reserved-seat supplements, and museum special exhibitions cost extra.
The Murodo return journey uses standard fares valid from 15 April 2026. It does not reach Kurobe Dam or Ogizawa. Check travel-day return mountain connections and WEB ticket sales conditions. If choosing a WEB ticket, select the departure time of the cable car at Tateyama Station. For dates without WEB ticket sales, check the operator's same-day ticket guide.
Return trip to Suganuma on day two
Stay two nights near Toyama Station and visit Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village in Nanto on the middle day. Change at Takaoka to the World Heritage Bus; this trip does not visit Murodo.
Day 1 · Kansui Park walk
Walk along the canal and waterside at Kansui Park, north of Toyama Station.
- Toyama Station, north exit → Kansui Park
Walk from Toyama Station's north exit to the park. The official estimate is about nine minutes. Allow extra time for station walking and crossings.
- Kansui Park → Toyama Station, north exit
After the free waterside walk, retrace your route to the station, then go to your booked accommodation. The towers open 9 am–9.30 pm, separately from the park. Shorten the walk for a late arrival, heavy rain or strong wind.
Shorten the walk if you arrive late.
Day 2 · Change at Takaoka for Suganuma
See Suganuma's gassho-style houses and mountain village lanes today. Take the World Heritage Bus from Takaoka and get off at Suganuma (菅沼). Walk around the village in daylight, then return to the Takaoka-bound boarding point in time for your bus.
- Toyama Station → Takaoka Station, bus stand 7 outside
Take a westbound ordinary Ainokaze Toyama Railway train from Toyama to Takaoka, rather than Shin-Takaoka Shinkansen station. The adult single fare is JPY 390. For the World Heritage Bus, go to stand 7 outside the station and leave time between leaving the train and boarding the bus.
Ainokaze 2026 station timetablesToyama–Takaoka faresKaetsuno World Heritage Bus guide
- Takaoka Station, bus stand 7 outside → World Heritage Bus to Suganuma · 菅沼
Take the World Heritage Bus from stand 7 outside Takaoka Station and get off at Suganuma (菅沼). First check travel-day services and unreserved versus reserved-seat conditions. Follow the access path on the village's official area map; do not enter residents' homes. Explore the lanes, and check opening and separate admission fees if visiting individual exhibition buildings.
Currently linked World Heritage Bus outbound timetable: revised 1 April 2025Bus stops and area map on the village's official access pageOfficial village access guide
- Suganuma village → Walk and meal, then Takaoka-bound Suganuma (菅沼) stop
Village visiting hours are 8 am–5 pm from April to November. Walk in daylight and have a meal or break at an open business. Use the village area map to find your Takaoka-bound boarding point in time for the return bus. The walk between Suganuma stop and the village is about one minute. Check the return stop location on the official map; ask the village in advance if you need a route without stairs.
Official Suganuma tourism guideBus stops and area map on the village's official access page
- Suganuma (菅沼), towards Takaoka → Outside Takaoka Station
Take the World Heritage Bus from Suganuma's Takaoka-bound stop. Check travel-day return services and suspension notices, including the onward Ainokaze connection to Toyama. The JPY 2,800 adult Gokayama pass is for ordinary unreserved seats. It cannot be used with a reserved-seat ticket and does not guarantee a seat.
Currently linked World Heritage Bus inbound timetable: revised 1 April 2025Kaetsuno World Heritage Bus guideAinokaze 2026 station timetables
- Outside Takaoka Station, then railway ticket gates → Toyama Station, then the same accommodation
After the World Heritage Bus, enter Takaoka Station and change to an eastbound ordinary Ainokaze Toyama Railway train towards Toyama. The adult single fare is JPY 390. Allow time after leaving the bus for station walking, ticket purchase and reaching the platform. If the bus is delayed, check station information for the next Toyama-bound train.
Ainokaze full-line timetable: revised 14 March 2026Toyama–Takaoka faresHotel access
Check travel-day bus schedules, notices and unreserved-seat availability. Indoor exhibitions cost extra. Ask the village in advance if you need a route without stairs.
Day 3 · Museum collection, then depart Toyama
See the collection at the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design, then return to Toyama Station.
- Toyama Station, north exit → Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design entrance
Walk from Toyama Station's north exit to the museum entrance; the official estimate is about 15 minutes. Leave in time for the 9.30 am opening, allowing extra for crossings and station walking. Check travel-day temporary closures and exhibition changes.
Official access guideMuseum visiting guideHotel accessLuggage storage FAQ
- Museum entrance → Collection exhibition rooms
Standard adult collection admission is JPY 350. The museum closes at 6 pm, with last admission at 5.30 pm; special exhibitions cost extra. Return towards the same station after viewing the collection.
- Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design → Toyama Station, north exit
After your visit, retrace your route to Toyama Station's north exit. Add crossing waits and station walking to the roughly 15-minute walk when choosing your departure. Buses cost extra if used.
Check museum closures and rooftop access, and leave time to reach the station after your visit.
Included: Return Toyama–Takaoka ordinary trains on the village day: JPY 390 × 2 = JPY 780 Gokayama pass JPY 2,800 (unreserved seats; valid for two days from first use) Standard museum collection admission JPY 350
Extras and conditions: Two hotel nights, meals, travel into and out of Toyama, indoor village exhibitions and museum special exhibitions cost extra. This pass-based partial total does not apply if you choose a reserved-seat ticket.
This partial total uses the Gokayama pass. It cannot be combined with a reserved-seat ticket; choosing two single tickets changes the cost. The JPY 1,000 conservation contribution for an ordinary passenger car is not an admission charge for bus passengers.
Toyama–Takaoka faresKaetsuno World Heritage Bus guideMuseum visiting guide
Frequently asked questions
Do Toyama and Dentetsu-Toyama use the same platforms?
Tateyama-bound local trains leave from Dentetsu-Toyama Station. Go to the local railway rather than the JR platforms.
Which station does the cable car reservation time refer to?
On the Toyama side, the WEB ticket time is the Tateyama Station cable car departure, rather than the local train from Dentetsu-Toyama. Check visit-day availability and operating notices. In busy periods, arrive at Tateyama at least 30 minutes before the cable car and collect your tickets at least 15 minutes before departure.
Sources and dates checked
- Hotel access ·
- Luggage storage FAQ ·
- Toyama City Tourism Association park guide ·
- Museum visiting guide ·
- Official access guide ·
- 2026 Alpine Route timetable ·
- WEB ticket guide ·
- Return timetable for 15 April–3 November ·
- Return timetable for 4–30 November ·
- Official village access guide ·
- Kaetsuno World Heritage Bus guide ·
- Ainokaze 2026 station timetables ·
- Toyama–Takaoka fares ·
- Timetable valid 15 April–3 November 2026 ·
- Official Suganuma tourism guide ·
- Official fare PDF from 15 April 2026 ·
- Currently linked World Heritage Bus outbound timetable: revised 1 April 2025 ·
- Currently linked World Heritage Bus inbound timetable: revised 1 April 2025 ·
- Bus stops and area map on the village's official access page ·
- Murodo Terminal, rooftop and restaurant guide ·
- Ainokaze full-line timetable: revised 14 March 2026 ·
- JR West Hokuriku pass coverage, price and eligibility ·
- Official JR West Hokuriku pass route map ·