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OTHERS WORTH A MENTION IN NIIKAWA
Plant 3 – Namerikawa
Inside Toyama`s megastore is a giant array of goods sure to fulfill any smart shopaholic`s wish list. So, whether you`re hunting for original and wacky Engrish t-shirts, cozy kotatsus, hip snowboarding gear and wear, fave international brand goodies like Cadbury chocolate or Yellow Tail shiraz, stylish yukata sets, bad ass granny bikes, emergency omiyage, the latest and greatest keitai model complete with karaoke features, or made-for-rainy season monster rain boots, Plant 3 is the place to be. With aisles and aisles of fine quality and best-priced home, furniture, electronics, sports, toys, entertainment, and food goods, Toyama`s favorite megastore is every shopper`s paradise.
Getting There: Drive into Namerikawa on Route 8 from Toyama, you`ll eventually come across a big blue building on your left with a Plant 3 sign on it!!
Kosai - Namerikawa
Located at the Hotaruika (Firefly Squid) Museum, this is a really spacious restaurant (table and chairs style). The food there is really good and it is also across from Thalasopia (see below) an invigorating spa which the locals go to go get submerged in sea water goodness! The food is also well priced and the servings are really good too! Pastas are recommended but other items are nice also.
Getting there: From JR Namerikawa it is about a 15 minute walk. It’s very popular with Namerikawian so just ask for the Hotaruika museum and they will show the way!
Thalasopia Spa – Namerikawa
Hours: 10am-9pm
A great little place to relax with friends while soaking in sea water! It’s very cheap (800yen) and during the winter season after 6:00pm it’s only 500yen. You need a swim cap and bathing suit and it is co-ed. They have mud wraps and seaweed wraps too (3000 yen)! Book ahead for those as they are very popular and well priced too. www.thalassopia.com (unfortunately it’s only in Japanese).
Getting There: 10 minutes by car from the Hokuriku Expressway Namerikawa Interchange. 5 minutes walk from JR Namerikawa Station
Pizza Jamboree – Kurobe
Closed Mondays
It’s a good 25 minute walk from JR Kurobe station, but worth it if you’re in the neighbourhood! If there is just one reason to visit Kurobe, it would be to eat at Pizza Jamboree.The owner/cook has obviously had some experience in America and has some freak obsession with '80s music. Nonetheless, he can make a great American style pizza with a real crust (!) and toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, etc. Other highly recommended items on the menu are the milkshakes (vanilla, chocolate), the BLT sandwiches, and the onion rings.
Getting There: Go straight, turn left at the weird double-set light, 5 street intersecton (you will turn left on the second lights and there will be a cosmetic/beauty shop. Go straight and you will see Dentetsu Kurobe station. Go right on the small road that parallels the train tracks until you see the road to cross the tracks on your left. Cross the tracks, go straight past a few stop signs, keep looking left, the restaurant is on a perpendicular street but you will see it because of the clearing.
Totokaka – Kurobe
Closed Mondays
A cute bar located right behind Kurobe City Hall. It’s got a 500 yen seating charge and I believe a one drink minimum. The local ALTs’ bar, it’s a good 20 minute walk from JR Kurobe station.
Getting There: Go straight and turn right on the road that leads to City hall (it’s just before the Welcome to Kurobe sign) Then, walk across the parking lot heading to the back side of the building (It’s a small road to your right) Walk through the back parking lot and Totokaka will be on your right hand side. The food is good but the portions are small and expensive. Definitely more for just drinking and hanging out!
Sakura Sweets – Nyuzen
Closed Wednesdays
A highly recommended restaurant, it has a pink sign in English! One of the nicest restaurants in the Niikawa area because it has amazing desserts!!! Originally only a dessert shop, it expanded and added a restaurant area. A favourite with Niikawa JETs, and everything is recommended! The 1000 yen lunch set is a great deal. No chairs though, Japanese tatami style restaurant with screens to separate tables.
Getting There: It's located on route 8, so its best if you have a car. If not, it’s a good 25 minute walk from JR Nyuzen station. Go straight from the station until you hit route 8 (you will also see Nyuzen High school across the street). Turn right and walk for about 10 minutes. It will be on your right hand side.
Nabe/Japanese restaurant - Nyuzen
Closed Wednesdays
Another great reason to visit Nyuzen! This restaurant is just off of route 8 (but visible) on your left hand side if you’re coming from Toyama. The restaurant stands alone, and it’s off to the side of McDonald’s. There is a road before the lights that is easy to miss which takes you to the restaurant, but if you do miss it, turn at the McDonald’s lights and do the mini detour through the plaza. You definitely need a car to get here, but the nabe (basically a healthy delicious soup) is amazing!! I personally love the duck nabe! They have a Japanese style lunch set for about 1000 yen and other food items are good too.
Nyuzen Athletic Centre (Nyuzen Taikukan) restaurant (name unknown)
In the building across from the Nyuzen athletic centre, there is a great Italian restaurant. You need a car to get here but the food is really good. Highly recommended is the Ebi (shrimp) cream pasta. The coffee is also excellent. There are pictures of the popular dishes so you can see what you're ordering too!
The Unazuki Brewery - Unazuki
In the small town of Unazuki, a huge German brewery has sprung up. There are always 3 types of beer to taste. The food ranges from wieners and edamame to steaks and a yakiniku restaurant on the 2nd floor. With very high ceilings, light brown wooden tables and fluorescent lights, it more closely resembles a family restaurant than a brewery. However, the beers are good and that is reason enough to go and try it.
Kusanoko – Asahi
Closed Tuesdays
If you're in Asahi and you really like soba noodles, this is the place to go! The interior is beautiful and the soba is delicious. It’s probably one of the best soba places around! The owner studied in Tokyo but decided to come back and open a restaurant in Asahi. Highly recommended if you have a car. It’s located amidst houses so it can a little tricky to get to, but there are signs once you get to the road where the new hospital is located.
Half Moon (aka Seaside) - Asahi Another great little restaurant overlooking the sea! It’s actually a pasta restaurant with some great desserts! It’s also got some pictures in the menu for those who can’t read Japanese. It’s very cozy and beautiful and the food is really good as well. However, you definitely need a car to get to this place. From route 8, once you are in Asahi town, turn left at the lights where the Sunkus is. Go straight until the end of the street (this is the old hospital) turn left and then take a right headed toward the sea. It’s a small restaurant right at the corner of the small road that is parallel to the sea.