Planning Your Time

A quick loop of the major towns and destinations—the Alps, the Noto Peninsula, the Chubu Coast, and Sado Island—takes more than a week. To enjoy the unique scenery and culture of the region, it is best to choose two or three cities as sightseeing hubs. In the Alps region, frequent trains run north and south through the mountain valleys, while cutting across the mountains east to west, and visiting smaller towns requires more planning. Local tourist offices can supply you with detailed bus and train information for the surrounding area.