Things to Do in Chubu, Japan
Central Japan: Mount Fuji, the Japan Alps, historic post towns and the Sea of Japan coast.
183 destinations across 9 prefectures
Festivals in Chubu
Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up
11 January 2027
Gifu · Lantern festival
Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival
15 January 2027
Nagano · Fire festival
Kawazu Sakura Matsuri
6 February 2027 to 7 March 2027
Shizuoka · Festival
Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri
19 February 2027
Aichi · Festival
Tokamachi Snow Festival
19 to 21 February 2027
Niigata · Snow and ice festival
© Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Takayama Matsuri
14 to 15 April 2027
Gifu · Float procession
© Koichi_Hayakawa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Nagaoka Fireworks
2 to 3 August 2027
Niigata · Fireworks festival
Gujo Odori
13 to 16 August 2027
Gifu · Dance festival
© 信州高原青馬写真クラブ / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Lake Suwa Fireworks
15 August 2027
Nagano · Fireworks festival
Owara Kaze no Bon
1 to 3 September 2027
Toyama · Dance festival
© Kropsoq (talk) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Katakai Fireworks
10 to 11 September 2027
Niigata · Fireworks festival
Suggested Itineraries
Places to Visit in Chubu
© Alexkom000 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Kanazawa
A preserved castle town with Kenrokuen Garden, samurai districts, geisha quarters, and 99% of Jap...
© 金沢市 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.1 jp)
D.T. Suzuki Museum
Contemplative Museum for a Zen Philosopher
A quiet museum in Kanazawa devoted to the Buddhist philosopher Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, built arou...
© Oilstreet / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Kenroku-en
One of Japan's Three Great Gardens
One of Japan's three great landscape gardens, named for the six qualities a garden was said to need.
© 金沢市 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.1 jp)
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
Kanazawa's Round Contemporary Art Museum
A striking circular glass museum by SANAA architects, famous for its interactive Swimming Pool in...
© Hirorinmasa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Nagamachi Samurai District
Atmospheric Streets Where Samurai Once Lived
A preserved samurai residential district with earthen walls, private gates, and narrow lanes. The...
© Yusuke.ogawa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Oyama Shrine
Shrine with a Three-Style Shinmon Gate
A Kanazawa shrine dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, known for a front gate blending Japanese, Chinese a...
Photo: HIRO / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Toki Messe
Niigata's Waterfront Tower with Panoramic Views
Niigata's tallest building with a free observation deck on the 31st floor offering 360-degree vie...
Echizen Daibutsu
Echizen Great Buddha at Seidaiji Temple
Japan's tallest seated Buddha statue (17m) inside a massive five-story pagoda temple complex, riv...
© 金沢市 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.1 jp)
Nishi Chaya District
Kanazawa's Smaller Western Teahouse District
The smallest of Kanazawa's three former geisha teahouse districts, in the Nomachi area west of th...
© MaedaAkihiko / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Oshino Hakkai
Eight Sacred Ponds of Mount Fuji
Eight crystal-clear spring ponds fed by Mount Fuji snowmelt filtration, designated a UNESCO World...
© 松岡明芳 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Omicho Market
Kanazawa's Covered Food and Fish Market
A covered market in central Kanazawa with about 170 shops selling fresh seafood, produce and prep...
Fuji-Q Highland
A thrilling amusement park at the base of Mt. Fuji known for record-breaking roller coasters and ...
Mount Fuji
Japan's Sacred Mountain
Japan's highest mountain at 3,776 meters, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and active stratovolcano s...
© Asturio Cantabrio / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sado Island Gold Mine
Once Japan's largest gold mine producing gold for the Tokugawa shogunate, the Sado Island Gold Mi...
Oasis 21
The Spaceship-Aqua Glass Water Roof in Central Nagoya
A landmark complex in Sakae crowned by Spaceship-Aqua: a giant oval glass roof topped with a shal...