Itoigawa

Itoigawa (or more specifically Oyashirazu, in the west of the city) is situated at the northern terminus of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, a fault line geologically separating North-Eastern and South-Western Japan.

Itoigawa is home to the Itoigawa Geopark.

Tourist Information Site:

The local tourist association maintains an English guide site, Discover ITOIGAWA.

By plane:

The nearest airport is Toyama, which is a little over an hour away by car. By public transport, take the bus to Toyama Station and change there to the train (see below).

By train:

The main way into Itoigawa is the Hakutaka service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Times and prices are as follows:

Tokyo: 2 hr 10 min, ¥10,800

Takasaki: 1 hr 20 min, ¥8110

Karuizawa: 1 hr 5 min, ¥6580

Nagano: 40 min, ¥4470

Toyama: 26 min, ¥3480

Kanazawa: 50 min, ¥5180

Trains connect at Kanazawa to Limited Express trains (Thunderbird towards Osaka, Shirasagi towards Maibara and Nagoya):

Komatsu: 1 hr 15 min, ¥6030

Fukui: 1 hr 45 min, ¥7330

Tsuruga: 2 hr 20 min, ¥8730

Maibara (Shirasagi): 2 hr 50 min, ¥9550

Gifu (Shirasagi): 3 hr 40 min, ¥10,200

Nagoya (Shirasagi): 4 hr, ¥10,740

Kyoto (Thunderbird): 3 hr 40 min, ¥10,200

Osaka (Thunderbird): 4 hr, ¥10,740

From Nagoya, a better route is to take the Shinano Limited Express to Nagano and change there; this takes about 4 hours and costs ¥10,100.

When the Shinkansen opened in 2015, the Hokuriku Main Line through Itoigawa was transferred to the new non-JR Echigo Tokimeki Railway and became its Nihonkai-Hisui Line. While it offers a few direct trains to Toyama and Kanazawa, most services require a change at Tomari. Taking this line, Toyama is 2 hours and ¥1520 away, and Kanazawa is 3 hr 20 min and ¥2830 away.

From Niigata, the best way to Itoigawa is to take one of the five Shirayuki Limited Express trains a day to Jōetsu-Myōkō, where you can change to the Shinkansen; this takes about 2 hr 30 min and ¥6700. Japan Rail Pass users will have to pay ¥450 to travel on the non-JR section between Naoetsu and Jōetsu-Myōkō. Those who do not have a rail pass may wish to change at Naoetsu to the Nihonkai-Hisui Line; this takes 2 hr 40 min and ¥5090.