01
Iiyama and Jōetsu-Myōkō飯山・上越妙高
Hakutaka only
Snow country. Iiyama is the station for Nozawa Onsen; Jōetsu-Myōkō for the Myōkō resorts.
From Nagano
11–25 min
Oct–NovThe same Shinkansen that brought you from Tokyo carries on under the Alps and along the Sea of Japan. No change.
Nagano to Kanazawa is a direct Shinkansen in 1h 5m on the Kagayaki (¥9,170 reserved). The Hakutaka takes about 20 to 30 minutes longer and stops at Iiyama, Jōetsu-Myōkō, Itoigawa, Kurobe-Unazukionsen and Toyama. Nagano to Toyama is 45 minutes (¥7,290).
Between Nagano and Kanazawa the Hakutaka stops at five places most visitors never leave the train for: Nozawa Onsen (from Iiyama), Myōkō, Itoigawa, the Kurobe Gorge and Toyama. With a pass, each is a free stop. Without one, break the journey once and buy two tickets.
| Route | Train | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nagano → Kanazawa | Kagayaki (reserved only) | 1h 5m | ¥9,170 |
| Nagano → Kanazawa | Hakutaka | about 1h 25m–1h 35m | ¥9,170 reserved |
| Nagano → Toyama | Kagayaki | 45 min | ¥7,290 |
| Toyama → Kanazawa | Any | 18–23 min | ¥3,390 |
| Nagano → Itoigawa | Hakutaka | about 40 min | see Itoigawa |
The Kagayaki has no unreserved cars. The Hakutaka does.
Sit on the right for the sea, the left for the mountains.
Snow country. Iiyama is the station for Nozawa Onsen; Jōetsu-Myōkō for the Myōkō resorts.
Where the line reaches the sea. Jade beaches, a UNESCO geopark and the branch line to Hakuba. Itoigawa guide.
Change for the Kurobe Gorge Railway and Unazuki Onsen. The railway runs to 30 November.
Sushi, the Alpine Route, and the Tateyama range filling the left-hand windows (the E seat) on a clear day. Toyama guide.
On its own this leg never justifies a pass. It is where a pass you already hold earns the most.
Tokyo–Nagano–Toyama–Kanazawa–Kyoto with stops is exactly what the Arch Pass is for.
See on Klook ↗Find your whole route, not just this leg, before you buy.
Rail pass hub →Hot-spring baths and a 2-minute walk to the Shinkansen. A soft landing after Nagano's snow country.
Out of the ticket gates and into the lobby. Easiest for early Kagayaki departures.
Mid-range base near Ōmichō market and Kenrokuen, 5 minutes by bus from the station.
Yes. The Hokuriku Shinkansen runs direct: 1h 5m on the Kagayaki and about 1h 30m on the Hakutaka.
¥9,170 one way with a reserved seat at regular-season 2026 fares.
Yes. Stay near Nagano for the snow monkeys, then take the direct Shinkansen to Kanazawa in about an hour.
No. It is valid only as far as Jōetsu-Myōkō. The Hokuriku Arch Pass and the Japan Rail Pass cover the whole leg.
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