Recently the New York Times announced its annual “52 Place to Visit” list, an assembly of travel destinations that the newspaper’s experienced travel writers deem worthy of a visit.
The 2025 version of this list includes well-known destinations, such as Sydney, Amsterdam, and New Orleans. However, one surprise was the inclusion of Toyama City, the largest city in Toyama Prefecture, which is Oregon’s sister state, and in which Hokusei North America’s parent company (Hokusei Products) is located.
Toyama City is a charming, mid-sized metropolis that offers the excitement of larger Japanese cities, but without the stress, and hustle & bustle. It is often referred to as the Japanese analog to Portland, Oregon.
Just an over 2-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo, Toyama City is easily accessible, but without the throngs of tourists now typically found in Kyoto and Osaka. A trip is highly recommended!
For more, please see: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/travel/places-to-travel-destinations-2025.html
