Where to visit along the new Golden Route between Tokyo and Osaka

Waving to schoolchildren, glimpsing farmers planting rice and hopping off in lesser-visited towns – no wonder we’re charmed by the romance of rail travel.

Due to carbon footprint concerns, convenience and ease of use, more and more people are choosing to travel by train. Japan's new Golden Route, connecting Tokyo and Osaka via the Hokuriku Shinkansen, is helping to revive the golden age of travel.

Alight at these stops between Tokyo and Osaka to discover regional cuisine, traditional crafts and natural beauty – and spark your curiosity for the unknown.

1. Tokyo prefecture

Tokyo Great Cycling Tour has been guiding visitors on two wheels around the capital’s backstreets and bike lanes since 2006. This Tokyo-savvy team has guided 20,000 visitors to Japan from 70 countries, and is your best choice to learn more about Tokyo's attractions. For a glimpse into everyday life, don't just visit the famous attractions, but also spend time pedalling along blossom-scented riverbanks and shopping streets frequented by locals.
Get there: Kayabacho Station.

2. Saitama prefecture

The Great Earthquake struck in 1923, triggering Tokyo’s bonsai artisans to escape the capital and they ended up settling in Omiya, attracted by its fertile soil, clean water and abundant nature. Two years later, they opened their first bonsai garden on the present site, and Omiya Bonsai Village was started. Today you can meander around gardens and browse a museum to learn about the Japanese art form. 
Get there: Omiya, Omiya Koen and Toro stations.

3. Gunma prefecture

The trailhead for one of Japan’s 100 most loved peaks, Mt Tanigawa, begins in Minakami, an hour north of Tokyo. Prized for its pure spring water and pristine forests, the town and surrounding area was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2017. Better known as Minakami UNESCO Eco Park, it’s home to 1,500 plant and animal species. Gunma-based companies offer rafting and canyoning, making it an ideal destination for those who want to experience the natural beauty of Japan and enjoy wild activities.
Get there: Jomo-Kogen Station.

4. Nagano prefecture

Step back in time on the Nakasendo, a 540km trail between Tokyo and Kyoto that dates back to the 17th century. Traipse the 8km track from Magome to Tsumago in the Kiso Valley, which takes three hours. Further north, Ontake is nestled on the shores of its namesake lake. Pop into the tourist information centre and see Satomiya Shrine before tackling 3,067m Mt Ontake – Japan’s second largest volcano. Follow the historic Ontake Kodo trail to the summit or take the cable car halfway and hike the rest.
Get there: JR Kisofukushima Station

5. Niigata prefecture

Unearth the mysteries of Japan’s geology around the northern seaside town of Itoigawa. Home to 24 geosites – areas of unique geological interest – Itoigawa is prized for its limestone, volcanoes and for producing more jade than anywhere else in the country. Since the mineral was selected as Japan’s national stone in 2016 (it was also designated as a prefectural stone in November 2022), visitors have flocked here to collect pebbles on the beach and have them appraised at Fossa Magna Museum. Through hands-on exhibitions, the museum tells the geological story of the earth’s origin and the formation of Japan’s islands.
Get there: Itoigawa Station

6. Toyama prefecture

Gokayama Gassho-Zukuri Village is a World Heritage Site in the southwestern corner of Toyama Prefecture, home to traditional buildings including gassho-zukuri houses where people still live.

Shirakawa-go, over in Gifu, is also a World Heritage site and was named one of the 100 most sustainable tourist destinations in the world for its valuable landscape featuring gassho-zukuri houses which represent the Japanese wooden culture, and for the traditions that have been passed down for generations. In Gokayama, there are 40 villages, including the World Heritage-listed Aikura and Suganuma, where visitors can experience traditional Japanese lifestyle and original Japanese landscapes. 
Get there: Johana, Takaoka, Kanazawa, Takayama and Toyama Stations

7. Gifu prefecture

The castle town of Gujo Hachiman in Central Gifu has been known for indigo dyeing ever since it was developed in the Edo period. While there were as many as 17 dyehouses in the 1920s, the Watanabe Somemono Dyehouse, established around 1580, is the last one remaining and is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property. The dyehouse still employs traditional techniques of shō-aizome indigo dyeing which uses natural indigo to dye things like clothes and furoshiki (wrapping cloth). The longer fabric is soaked in indigo, the deeper the hue – known as Japan Blue around the world.
Get there: Gujo Hachiman Station

8. Ishikawa prefecture

Nestled on the Noto Peninsula and surrounded by peaks, Shunran no Sato encapsulates satoyama and satoumi – the concepts of villagers living in harmony with the mountains and sea. Hamlets scattered across farmland are fringed with forests, grasslands and rivers, which are valued for their biodiversity. Thanks to its seafood, mountain delicacies and rich culture, the region is a UNESCO World Agricultural Heritage Site. As well as sampling regional cuisine, witness local events such as Noto’s Abare fire festival or Nanao’s Issaki Hoto lantern festival.
Get there: Nanao and Anamizu Stations

9. Fukui prefecture

Collectively known as Mikata Goko, Mihama and Wakasa’s five biodiverse lakes – Kugushi, Hiruga, Mikata, Suigetsu and Suga were formed 500,000 years ago. Their varves, or sediment layers, reveal the area’s environmental history like tree rings divulge the past. With a varve researcher as a guide, discover more about the precious wetlands on a cruise around Lake Suigetsu, then take a cable car to Rainbow Line Summit Park. The summit, dubbed Terrace in the Sky, has 360° views.
Get there: Mikata Station

10. Shiga prefecture

Convenient and eco-friendly, cycling is also fun – especially when gentle descents make it a breeze. You can loop the 200km around Lake Biwa in a day, but why rush? In total, there are 11 Biwaichi Plus cycle routes that will take you to numerous points of interest around the prefecture, As well as the abundant nature, this is an important area in Japanese history too and you will see Hachiman-bori Canal where the remnants of the castle town are still alive as well its charming water villages and many temples.
Get there: Omihachiman Station

11. Kyoto prefecture

Conveniently located between Kyoto and Osaka, Discover Kyoto Nagaokakyo hosts workshops ranging from pottery and pickling. You can also weave baskets or mould, sharpen and engrave swords while learning about samurais – your masterpiece will be posted to you, so you can breathe easy going through customs. Celebrate your achievements over sake and regional dishes in the hotel bar. Built from native timber by local craftsmen, the lodge received the Good Design Award in 2020.
Get there: JR Nagaokakyo Station and Hankyu Nagaoka Tenjin Station.

12. Osaka prefecture

For a taste of typical Japanese life, stay in Higashiosaka City (Fuse Shopping District), a manufacturing town in eastern Osaka. Sekai Hotel’s mission is to help you experience authentic, everyday life, so it has transformed Higashiosaka City into a living hotel. The front desk, baths and guest rooms are dispersed throughout the town making mingling with residents easy. Meet them in a neighbourhood café, on a bar crawl or in a shop while making traditional Japanese sweets and you may discover that ordinary life is actually pretty special. Get there: Fuse and Kawachi Eiwa Stations.

Make it happen

Set your Japan adventure in motion by taking advantage of the Hokuriku Arch Pass (¥24,500 (if purchased overseas), valid for 7 days), which allows unlimited rides on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Thunderbird, Narita Express (N'EX) and other trains, and tour as many tourist destinations as possible.

For more information about Japan's new Golden Route and the Hokuriku Arch Pass, visit newgoldenroute.jp