Welcome to the Shoryudo

The Shoryudo is located in the very center of Japan. The Shoryudo offers regional sightseeing routes that provide the best this region has to offer, with themes that include “mountains”, starting with Mt. Fuji, Japan’s most famous mountain; “food and famous sake brands” that are produced by the region’s abundance of clean water; history and traditional cultures shaped by the “samurai”; and “manufacturing” that is the creation and the legacy of master artisans. This part of Japan, the Chubu and Hokuriku regions (Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, and Shiga Prefectures), is called the Shoryudo Route (which means the “way of the rising dragon” in Japanese) because of its shape, which resembles a dragon. We can’t wait for you to come and visit the Shoryudo!

See detailed descriptions of the four Shoryudo routes.

Dragon Course

This route, which symbolizes the Shoryudo, is shaped like a dragon rising to the sky with the Noto Peninsula as its head.

Nostalgic Course

This route let you experience the spirit of the Japanese people, providing encounters with the nation’s good old days.

Great Nature Course

This route puts you in touch with the bustle and magnificence of the great outdoors, including mountains, fantastically-shaped rocks, and ancient lakes.

Ukiyo-e Course

This route lets you enjoy crafts and experience castles related to the samurai, who played a formative role in the period we see depicted in ukiyo-e paintings.

Special feature on highways

The Shoryudo offers such diverse attractions.
In addition to World Heritage sites Shirakawago and Gokayama, cities like Kanazawa and Hida-Takayama that remain strongly influenced by their historical culture, and onsens and natural scenery, visitors can enjoy the combinations of traditional culture, food, and famous sake brands that local communities offer.