Things to Do in Chubu, Japan
Central Japan: Mount Fuji, the Japan Alps, historic post towns and the Sea of Japan coast.
105 destinations across 9 prefectures
Festivals in Chubu
© Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Takayama Matsuri
9 to 10 October 2026
Gifu · Float procession
© Koichi_Hayakawa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Nagaoka Fireworks
2 to 3 August 2027
Niigata · Fireworks 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
© 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
Shinhotaka Ropeway
Double-Decker Ropeway to a Northern Alps Viewpoint
A ropeway in the Okuhida hot spring area of Takayama that carries passengers to a viewpoint over ...
Ghibli Park
Theme Park Based on Studio Ghibli Films
A theme park within the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park that recreates scenes from Studio Ghib...
Amaharashi Coast
Coastline with Views of the Tateyama Range Across the Bay
A stretch of coast in Takaoka known for views of the snow-capped Tateyama mountains rising across...
Maruoka Castle
One of Japan's 12 original castles, and a long-standing contender for the oldest surviving keep.
Gifu Castle
Mountaintop Castle atop Mt. Kinka Reached by Ropeway
A reconstructed castle on the summit of Mt. Kinka, reached by the Kinkazan Ropeway from Gifu Park.
Narai-juku
Narai-juku - The Best-Preserved Nakasendo Post Town
The best-preserved of the Nakasendo's eleven post towns in the Kiso Valley, with a kilometer-long...
Takeda Shrine
Takeda Shrine is dedicated to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen, one of Japan's most famous sa...
Eiheiji Temple
Eiheiji Zen Temple
One of two head temples of Soto Zen Buddhism, Eiheiji is an active monastery where over 100 monks...
Kazuemachi Chaya District
Riverside Teahouse District on the Asano River
A former geisha quarter of latticed teahouses along the Asano River, quieter than the nearby Higa...
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...
Hida Furukawa
Old Town of White-Walled Storehouses and Carp-Filled Canals
A preserved old-town district in Hida city with white-walled storehouses lining the Setogawa cana...
Togakushi Shrine
Five-Shrine Complex with a Cedar-Lined Approach
A Shinto shrine complex of five shrines at the base of Mount Togakushi, with an Okusha approach l...
Karuizawa
Highland Resort Town with Shopping and Waterfalls
A highland resort town in eastern Nagano known for cool summers, outlet shopping, and nearby wate...
Kurobe Dam
Japan's tallest arch dam at 186 meters, set within a dramatic alpine gorge along the famed Tateya...
Unazuki Onsen
Hot Spring Town and Gateway to the Kurobe Gorge
A hot spring resort town in Kurobe that serves as the starting point for the Kurobe Gorge Railway.