Takaoka

Takaoka (高岡) is a port city in Toyama, Japan. While the prefecture's second-largest city, the main reason for travellers to visit is the ferry to/from Vladivostok, Russia.

Get in

By train

Takaoka has two main train stations. Takaoka Station, in the center of town, was once operated by JR and is now operated by the private Ainokaze Toyama Railway, with IR Ishikawa Railway trains offering one-seat service from Kanazawa. JR's primary services have moved to Shin-Takaoka Station to the south, served by the Hokuriku Shinkansen since March 2015. The two stations are connected with a short 3 minute trip on the JR Johana Line (¥140).

Hourly Hakutaka shinkansen services from Tokyo stop at Shin-Takaoka, taking 2 hours 45 minutes. Local trains to Takaoka connect with Hakutaka arrivals from Tokyo, and vice versa. The trip costs ¥13,580 for reserved seating. The Hakutaka, and the short trip from Shin-Takaoka to Takaoka, are fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass with the exception of premium GranClass seating.

Direct trains used to operate to Takaoka from the Kansai cities of Kyoto and Osaka, but this changed after the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Thunderbird limited express trains now only run as far as Kanazawa (2 hours 45 minutes, ¥7,650 from Osaka).

  • To access Takaoka Station from Kanazawa you can change to the IR Ishikawa Railway (30 minutes, ¥820). This short journey is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
  • You can access Shin-Takaoka Station from Kanazawa by changing to the Shinkansen Hakutaka or Tsurugi service for a quick 15 minute trip (Total fare ¥9,210 from Osaka). This is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass, but if you wish to continue from here to Takaoka station the wait times for the train can vary - a bus, a taxi or a walk may be faster depending on the time of day.

By ferry

Fushiki-Toyama Port (伏木富山港 Fushiki-toyama-kō) is located a fair distance from central Takaoka. From the port, it's a ten-minute walk to JR Fushiki station, three stops away from Takaoka on the JR Himi Line (氷見線) — which, incidentally, means "Ice-Watching Line". While JR Rail Passes are valid for this trip, beware that if you're entering Japan this way, the passes cannot be validated at Fushiki station; the nearest station that officially accepts them is Kanazawa, over 100 km away.

The Far East Shipping Company , represented in Japan by Bisintour , has services roughly once a week between Takaoka and Vladivostok, Russia. The ferry crossing takes two nights and one day, leaving around 6 PM and arriving around 9 AM both ways. Fares start from US$360/person sharing a 4-berth cabin, with meals. Students can travel for US$330, while return tickets are US$600.

station list
  • JR Hokuriku Railroad
    • 北陸本線(Hokuriku Line)：（越中福岡(Ettyu-Fukuoka) - 西高岡(Nishi-Takaoka) - 越中高岡(Ettyu-Takaoka)
    • 羽高線(Ukou Line)：（越中高岡(Ettyu-Takaoka) - 越中中川(Ettyu-Nakagawa) - 能町(Noumachi) - 伏木(Fushiki) - 越中国分(Ettyu-Kokubu) - 雨晴(Amaharashi)－ (Hakui direction)
    • 城端線(Jouhana Line)：（越中高岡(Ettyu-Takaoka) - 二塚(Futastuka) - 林(Hayashi) - 戸出(Toide) - Jouhana direction)
  • 高岡万葉電鉄(Takaoka Manyo Electric Railway)
    • 射水本線(Imizu Line)：越中高岡駅前(Ettyu-Takaoka Front of the station) - 末広町(Hirosuemachi) - 片原町(Kataharacyou) - 坂下町(Sakashitacyou) - 本丸会館前(Honmarukaikanmae) - 広小路(Hirokouzi) - 志貴野中学校(Shikino-Cyugakko) - 高岡市民病院(Takaoka-Hospital) - 江尻(Eshiri) - 旭ヶ丘(Asahigaoka) - 荻布(Ogino) - 新能町(Shin-Noumachi) - 米島口(Yoneshimaguchi) - 能町口(Noumachiguchi) - 南吉久(Minami-Yoshihisa) - 吉久(Yoshihisa) - (Toyama direction)

Get around

The Man'yōsen Tram Line trundles through town, starting at JR Takaoka station. Fares are ¥150-350 depending on the distance.

See
Takaoka Great Buddha Statue
Zuiryū-ji Temple

There are a few sights of mild interest in Takaoka.

  • 🌍 Takaoka Great Buddha Statue (高岡大仏 Takaoka Daibutsu) (near tram Sakashita-machi (坂下町) stn). Claims to be one of Japan's Top 3 Buddhas, although it's actually only in the top three if the height of the halo is included. 
  • 🌍 Zuiryū-ji Temple (瑞龍寺) (10 min from JR Takaoka south exit). Daily 9 AM-4:30 PM. A large Soto Zen temple, three of whose buildings have been designated as National Treasures. ¥500. 

Do

Zuiryū-ji Temple

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Connect

Go next
  • Gokayama — World Heritage village famous for its gassho-zukuri houses
  • Tonami
  • Himi
  • Imizu
  • Oyabe
  • Nanto
  • Toyama
  • Tsubata
  • Kanazawa — perhaps the best-preserved major Edo-period city in the country


Routes through Takaoka

Joetsu ← Toyama ←  N  S  → Oyabe → Kanazawa


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