Toyama

About Toyama

Toyama Prefecture covers 4,247.60 km2, 33rd nationwide, 977,740 people density 230 per km2, capital Toyama City Shinsokurawa, smallest municipality count at 15 due to Heisei mergers. Mainland surrounded north by Toyama Bay 120 km of Sea of Japan, a semi-enclosed deep bay up to 1,000 m creating upwelling nutrients, east Oyashirazu cliffs bordering Niigata, south Hida Mountains Northern Alps including Tateyama 3,015 m and Tsurugi 2,999 m hosting Japan's only currently confirmed glaciers discovered 2023, west Hogotaka hills toward Ishikawa. Central plains Toyama and Tonami formed by seven major rivers Kurobe, Katakai, Hayatsuki, Joganji, Jinzu, Sho, Oyabe combining into composite alluvial fans with scattered isolated farmhouses called kaze-no ie windbreak forests. Historically Etchu Province separated from Koshi in 701, legend of Saeki no Ariyori opening Tateyama faith 701 hunting white hawk, 746-751 Otomo no Yakamochi as Etchu kokushi composed 337 poems in Man'yoshu including Tateyama snow melting. In Edo Kaga Domain and subsidiary Toyama Domain ruled, promoting kitamaebune sea trade and Etchu Toyama no Kusuriuri medicine peddlers who carried terriko case on back nationwide, developing ikedamohando herbal tradition. After haihan chiken provisional Toyama and Nii-kawa prefectures merged into Ishikawa 1871, flood control of Jinzu and Joganji neglected fueling separation movement culminating May 9 1883 modern Toyama reinstated. Climate Japan Sea side entirely heavy-snow zone, special heavy south mountains; Toyama City January 2.5°C August 26.1°C precipitation 2,200 mm, peak snow Dec-Jan 255 mm, coastal summer foehn hot humid over 35°C days; Tateyama Murodo 2,450 m snow wall April persists over 5 m, subalpine. Industry core Hokuriku industrial region: abundant hydropower cheap spawned 1930s aluminum smelting with Nippon Light Metal roots leading to YKK zipper world share 45%, Sankyo Tateyama building sash, plus steel electric furnaces, chemicals pharma cluster Toyama Chemical, Fujifilm Toyama, medicine heritage 17th century; Fushiki-Toyama Port international hub connecting Vladivostok; fisheries Toyama Bay esteemed firefly squid spawning April surface light show natural monument and white shrimp transparent delicacy. Tourism highlights impressive Alpine Route crossing 3,000 m vertical from Tateyama Station 475 m to Murodo 2,450 m via cable, buses, tunnel trolleybus, to Ogisawa in Nagano, cutting 20-meter Yukino-Otani snow corridor each April, Kurobe Dam 186 m arch highest in Japan built 1956-1963 costing 171 lives, UNESCO Gokayama gassho-zukuri thatched steep roofs 60° shedding snow, Zuiryuji Temple National Treasure Zen 1583, Takaoka Great Buddha and craft, Uozu mirage phenomenon Fata Morgana spring, and Toyama City's glass art museum by Kengo Kuma, making compact Japan of sea to 3,000 m alpine.