Japan The Japanese Alps

Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japanese Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. Kanazawa is known for its traditional Kaga Cuisine. Seafood is a specialty, jumbo shrimp, followed by sushi and sashimi. The sake produced in this region is of high quality, smooth and sweet, derived from the rice grown in Ishikawa Prefecture as well as the considerable precipitation of the Hokuriku region, allowing for an ample supply of clean, fresh water. Omicho market is a market in the middle of the city, originally open-air, and now covered, which dates back to the Edo period. Most of the shops there sell seafood.

Takayama is a city located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Takayama was settled as far back as the Jomon period. The town and its culture, as they exist today, took shape at the end of the 16C, when the Kanamori clan built Takayama Castle. However, the high altitude and separation from other areas of Japan kept the area fairly isolated, allowing Takayama to develop its own culture over about a 300-year period. Its main attractions include the surrounding nature, shrines, museums, and architectural curios.

Matsumoto is a Japanese city in the Chūbu region on the island of Honshu. It is a city located in Nagano Prefecture. Matsumoto is designated as a Special City. The current city of Matsumoto is a merger of the old city of Matsumoto with four villages. Matsumoto officially absorbed those villages without creating a new municipal organization. Matsumoto is surrounded by mountains and is acclaimed for its beautiful views. Hiking and climbing locations are readily accessible by local bus transportation. Matsumoto has several historic features, such as Matsumoto Castle, Kaichi School Museum, and Temari (traditional Japanese handball).

Hakuba is an internationally renowned ski resort town in the northern Japan Alps. As the surrounding valley has an annual snow fall of over 11 meters, it is the central hub for 10 ski resorts with more than 200 runs. The village was the main event venue for 1998 Winter Olympics (Alpine, Ski Jump, Crosscountry). Hakuba was once part of the route called the Salt Road used to bring salt and other marine products from the coast.

Niigata is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, in the Chubu region and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island. With a long history as a port town, Niigata became a free port following the Meiji Restoration. Niigata's city government was established in 1889. Mergers with nearby municipalities in 2005 allowed the city's population to jump to 810,000. The annexation of the surrounding area has also given the city the greatest rice paddy field acreage in Japan.