Chubu Region

The mountainous rooftop of Japan, hiker’s playground and host of iconic Mt. Fuji

Prefectures:

Prefectures:

The Chubu Region (中部地方, Chūbu Chihō, literally "central part") consists of nine prefectures and is located in the center of Japan's largest island Honshu. It it the site of many of Japan's tallest mountains, inlcuding Mount Fuji and the Japan Alps.

The prefectures along the Sea of Japan (Fukui, Ishikawa, Toyama) are also known as the Hokuriku Region, while the southern part (Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu) is also known as the Tokai Region. Yamanashi, Nagano and Niigata make up the Koshinetsu Region.

1

Nagoya•
Japan's third largest economic center.

3.3
★★★★★

3,537
2

Inuyama
Former castle town north of Nagoya.

3.5
★★★★★

653

1

Izu Peninsula•
Hot springs and natural scenery.

3.8
★★★★★

1,182
2

Shizuoka
Prefectural capital with views of Mount Fuji.

3.3
★★★★★

736
3

Fujinomiya
City at the southern base of Mount Fuji.

3.1
★★★★★

260
4

Lake Hamanako
A seaside lake with hot spring baths.

2.6
★★★★★

490
5

Kakegawa
Small city famous for tea.

20

1

Shirakawago & Gokayama••
Mountainous region, known for its farmhouses.

4.5
★★★★★

1,045
2

Takayama••
Preserves one of Japan's nicest old towns.

4.2
★★★★★

1,677
3

Okuhida•
Hot springs in the mountains above Takayama.

4.0
★★★★★

260
4

Gujo-Hachiman•
Small town in rural Japan with castle.

3.8
★★★★★

267
5

Furukawa•
Small town 15 minutes north of Takayama.

3.5
★★★★★

161
6

Gero Onsen
Famous hot spring resort south of Takayama.

3.7
★★★★★

400

1

Sado Island•
Large island off the coast of Niigata.

3.9
★★★★★

242
2

Yuzawa•
One of Japan's leading ski resort towns.

3.6
★★★★★

345
3

Echigo Tsumari•
Idyllic countryside staging modern art.

3.5
★★★★★

86
4

Myoko
Volcano with multiple ski areas along its slopes

9

1

Kamikochi••
Popular mountain resort in the Japanese Alps.

4.4
★★★★★

523
2

Kiso Valley••
Valley with nicely preserved post towns.

4.4
★★★★★

556
3

Yamanouchi••
Home of hot spring bathing monkeys.

4.2
★★★★★

350
4

Matsumoto•
City famous for its beautiful original castle.

3.8
★★★★★

1,349
5

Hakuba•
One of Japan's best ski resorts.

3.7
★★★★★

659
6

Nagano•
Former olympic city famous for its temple.

3.5
★★★★★

1,754
7

Takato Castle Park
Castle ruins covered by cherry trees.

4.0
★★★★★

35
8

Nozawa Onsen
Old fashioned hot spring and ski resort.

3.8
★★★★★

230
9

Norikura
Mountain and highland in the Northern Japan Alps.

3.7
★★★★★

108
10

Obuse
Pleasant town famous for chestnuts and Hokusai.

3.7
★★★★★

124
11

Karuizawa
Upmarket mountain resort town.

3.5
★★★★★

911
12

Bessho Onsen
Small hot spring town with beautiful temples.

3.4
★★★★★

107
13

Togura Kamiyamada
Foreigner-friendly onsen town with historic fortress.

32

1

Mount Fuji•••
The country's most iconic landmark.

4.5
★★★★★

1,544
2

Fuji Five Lakes•
Lake resort at the foot of Mount Fuji.

4.1
★★★★★

2,697
3

Kofu
Prefectural capital surrounded by vineyards.

2.8
★★★★★

181

1

Alpine Route••
Spectacular route through the Northern Alps.

4.5
★★★★★

433
2

Kurobe Gorge•
Scenic gorge with a small sightseeing train.

4.2
★★★★★

204
3

Takaoka
Famous for its bronze casting industry.

3.0
★★★★★

52
4

Toyama
Capital city of Toyama Prefecture.

2.9
★★★★★

147

1

Kanazawa••
City rich in culture and history.

4.0
★★★★★

1,995
2

Noto Peninsula
Rural peninsula with beautiful coastlines.

3.8
★★★★★

301
3

Kaga Onsen
A collection of four historic hot spring towns.

3.4
★★★★★

214

1

Fukui
Prefectural capital nearby Eiheiji Temple.

3.2
★★★★★

456
2

Tsuruga
Mid-sized city with a prominent port.

7

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Page last updated: December 12, 2023