Hokuriku: From Tokyo…to culinary delights

With everything from Michelin-starred sushi to bustling izakaya (casual bars), and humble noodle joints, Tokyo has cemented its reputation as one of the great gourmet capitals of the world.

You can sample that culinary culture on even the most fleeting visit to the Japanese capital, perhaps stopping between trains at Tokyo Station to visit Tokyo Ramen Street in the station’s maze of underground malls. The eight ramen shops there each make a different version of Japan’s beloved noodle dish, including the salt-based broth of shio ramen and the heartier stock of miso ramen.

Of course, being at Tokyo Station, you could also hop on a bullet train for an epicurean adventure in other parts of Japan. This includes the Hokuriku Shinetsu region to the north, where the prefectures of Fukui, Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama boast some of Japan’s best seafood, rice, and sake, while also offering insights into the country’s rich culinary heritage.

Niigata: Japan’s rice and sake heartland

A Hokuriku journey could begin with a Joetsu Shinkansen bullet train ride 70 minutes north of Tokyo to Niigata Prefecture, a part of Japan synonymous with rice. An off-the-beaten-path option here is to venture into the paddies of Minamiuonuma for FARM FRONT SEKI NOEN, where you could try salted rice balls made from pesticide-free rice, cooked over an open flame in a clay pot, and served alongside views of paddies that are lush green in summer before yellowing ahead of the autumn harvest.

FARM FRONT SEKI NOEN is only a few miles away from the Echigo-Yuzawa bullet train station, which as well as being the gateway to great skiing in winter is also a good place to try sake made with local rice. Pop into the Ponshukan store at the station where over 100 Niigata sakes can be sampled from a wall of self-serve vending machines.

Toyama’s seafood specialties

Heading west along the coast from Niigata, Toyama Prefecture is easily reached by a combination of JR express train and Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train (which also has direct Tokyo links), although you could just as easily fly from Tokyo to Toyama Kitokito Airport with ANA. With 500 or so species of fish and shellfish inhabiting Toyama Bay, the ports here land some of the finest seafood in Japan, with specialties including firefly squid and various types of crab. The local food culture has also traditionally incorporated seaweeds such as konbu (kelp).

For the latter, stop by Craftan in Takaoka City where you can try all sorts of konbu specialties and seafood, including kobujime, a traditional Toyama dish that sees seafood, meat and vegetables sandwiched between kelp. You could also visit Imizu for Shinminato Fishing Port’s lively seafood auctions, which take place at 12:30 on most days between September and May, and then try the neighboring Kittokito Market’s kaisendon, bowls of rice topped with freshly caught seafood, such as red snow crab and salmon roe.

Ishikawa’s culinary traditions

A 20-minute Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train a little farther west from Toyama (or flying about one hour directly from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Komatsu Airport with ANA or JAL), the next region of Hokuriku you’ll encounter is Ishikawa Prefecture, home to the historic city of Kanazawa.

With its old samurai and geisha districts, arts and crafts, and sites like the magnificent Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa is a city that wears its long-lasting traditions with pride. That extends to its food, especially in Omicho Market.

In business since the 1700s, when Kanazawa was ruled by samurai, this indoor market is still a key hub for fresh produce, seafood, and regional specialty dishes, with stalls selling everything from regional sake to highly sought after seasonal delicacies like the snow crab of late autumn to early spring. There are also sushi and other seafood restaurants in the market serving up dishes with super fresh market produce.

Immersive culinary experiences in Fukui

With the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen in 2024, direct bullet train services from Kanazawa, Toyama and Tokyo now reach the city of Tsuruga, from where local and regional JR trains spread out across Fukui Prefecture. That includes reaching the small, coastal city of Obama, which during the Edo era (1603-1867) was one of the starting points of the Saba Kaido (Mackerel Road) highways along which the region’s prized seafood was transported into Kyoto.

That heritage is detailed at the Miketsukuni Wakasa Obama Food Culture Museum in Obama, where travelers can also learn about Japanese food’s designation as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage and experience authentic cooking and crafts. At the museum’s cooking classes, you can even learn how to make Fukui specialties like kamaboko fish cakes (made from wild white fish, egg whites, salt, sugar, fish sauce and sake), pressed mackerel sushi, and kudzu (arrowroot) starch dumplings—recipes that will allow you to cook up Hokuriku flavors when you get home.

Discover more sights and delights just a short trip from Tokyo here.