When in Doubt, It Comes Down to These Two Lines
For sightseeing in central Toyama, the trams are all the transport you need. A visitor has only two lines to keep in mind: the loop line that circles the city center, and the Toyama Port Line heading north toward the port town of Iwase.
- The loop line — circles the city center; good for getting your bearings and for moving around town on a rainy day
- The Toyama Port Line — from Toyama Station toward Iwase; pair it with a stroll through the port town streets for a half-day excursion
- A trick for riding — circle once with no destination, then get off next time wherever caught your eye
The tram stops are small islands floating in the middle of the road. The lights change, and a tram comes slowly toward you across the lane in front of you. The platform sits almost as low as the sidewalk; boarding takes a single step.
A Window at the Height of a Walker's Eyes
The view from a tram window sits at nearly the same height as a person walking the sidewalk. The lettering on shop signs, the flow of people crossing an intersection, the Tateyama mountain range opening up without warning from a bridge, the shine of the street on a rainy day. Scenes that a car would pass in an instant come into view one by one.
Step into a low-floor car and you ride together with students on their way to school and people carrying shopping bags. You are not boarding a tourist attraction; you are hitching a ride on a tool of the town's daily life. That feeling may be the finest view the tram has to offer.
The Port Line, Where the Scenery Keeps Changing
Ride the Toyama Port Line and the view outside shifts from downtown buildings to residential streets, and finally to a seaside under a wide sky. Get off toward the end of the line and you can walk the streets of Iwase, where merchant houses from the age of the kitamaebune trading ships still stand. Travel time becomes, in itself, time spent drawing nearer to a port town — a line made for travelers.
After dark, the lit-up cars drift slowly through the town. It is a vehicle worth watching from the sidewalk even when you do not ride.
Get off at a stop that interests you and walk the town until the next tram comes. Not chased by a timetable, but matching your own pace to the town's. The tram is a vehicle for exactly that.