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The Natural Beauty of Toyama
A Natural Amphitheater/The Mysterious Waters of Toyama Bay/
Warm Snow Country/Source of Delicious Water
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A Natural Amphitheater
Along the eastern border of Toyama Prefecture run the Northern Alps, including the 3,000-meter Tateyama Mountain Range. Tateyama is bounded on the south by the Hida Mountain range, on the west by a band of hills stretching from Mt. Iozen along the border with Ishikawa Prefecture, and at its north-west corner, by the mountains at the base of the Noto Peninsula. In the north, the prefecture opens to Toyama Bay in the Japan Sea.
Surrounded on the east, south, and west by mountains, Toyama Prefecture forms a semicircular basin facing the sea on its northern side. The main geographical feature of this basin is the expansive Toyama Plain.
This is the land formation that so impressed the 19th century mountain climber Walter Weston, who described it as " a magnificent amphitheater enclosed on three sides by tall peaks."
The plain forms a rich alluvial fan traversed by rapidly flowing streams and rivers, such as the Kurobe River, Joganji River, Jinzu River, and Shogawa River, all of which originate high up in the mountains.
The Mysterious Waters of Toyama Bay
Toyama Bay is one of the three great deep bays of Japan,reaching a depth of more than 1,200 meters. The floor of the bay reveals evidence of ancient rivers and mountains. The submarine canyons are referred to locally as aigame, and are home to a variety of deep-sea fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, including such delicacies as shiraebi shrimp, benizuwaigani crabs, and baigai shellfish.
In Toyama Bay, warm-water currents flowing up through the Tsushima Straits are interspersed with cold-water masses that are a feature of the Japan Sea. Thus, the bay supports both warm-water and cold-water marine life, making it a veritable cornucopia of marine produce.
Toyama Bay is the site of a number of unusual natural phenomena, which could almost be called" tricks of nature." These include mirages, the sunken forest at Uozu, the submarine forest off Nyuzen town, and the remarkable sight of firefly squid swarming beneath the water's surface between March and June to spawn. All testify to the mysteries of nature.
Warm Snow Country
The snow that falls in Toyama Prefecture has a special quality typical of the Hokuriku region of Japan. Snow is precipitated when winter winds from the north-west blow over the Japan Sea and cross 3,000-meter mountain ranges that include peaks such as Mt. Tateyama.
The snow season is shorter than in Hokkaido (the northern most of the 5 major islands of Japanese Archipelago) and Tohoku (the northern part of Honshu main island), and generally insufficient to form a continuous snow cover.
Usually, the first snowfalls occur at the end of November in the mountains, and at the beginning of December on the plains. The amount of snow varies from year to year, but historical records point to a pattern of 18-year cycles; i.e., the heaviest snowfalls appear to occur about once every 18 years.
People often remark that it seems too warm to snow in Toyama. The relatively warm temperatures enjoyed in Toyama can be attributed to the prefecture's geographical location in the mid latitudes and the influence of the Tsushima Current, which produces an oceanic climate. Toyama is not subject to the icy winter winds that occasionally assail the Pacific side of Japan.
Source of Delicious Water
Toyama Prefecture is blessed with water resources. The snow that accumulates in the mountains in winter forms a huge natural dam, producing an abundant supply of clear water all year round. Not only is water plentiful in Toyama, but the quality of the water is excellent. It contains an ideal blend of dissolved minerals that enhance its taste and give it a delightful smoothness.
The Japanese Environment Agency has designated what it considers to be the 100 best natural-water sources in the country. The list includes four locations in Toyama Prefecture, the largest number for any prefecture in Japan. The prefecture government has also issued a list of 55 famous-water locations in Toyama, including natural springs, waterfalls, and rivers.
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