Fugan Canal Kansui Park
富岩運河環水公園
A canal-side park about 10 minutes' walk from Toyama Station. See the Tateyama range from Tenmon Bridge on clear days, and seasonal lights at night.
A city-centre waterfront built on canal history
Fugan Canal Kansui Park is a prefectural park in the centre of Toyama city. It opened in 1997 and covers about 9.7 hectares.
At its heart is the Fugan Canal, which links central Toyama with Iwase, a port town that prospered from the trade of the kitamaebune (merchant ships that sailed the Sea of Japan from the Edo period to the Meiji era). The park was designed around this history of water transport, and it is listed among Japan's 100 Best Historical Parks.
Tenmon Bridge and the red string telephone
The park's symbol is Tenmon Bridge (Tenmonkyo). At each end is an observation tower with a lift, from which you can look out over the whole park and, on clear days, the Tateyama mountain range.
The two towers are joined by a 58 m red "string telephone": you speak into a mouthpiece like a paper cup and talk from one tower to the other. It is out of use from December to March.
A waterside cafe, fountains and a sightseeing boat
Beside the canal is a Starbucks known for its big windows looking over the water. Toyama's official tourism guide, Toyama Kanko Navi, introduces it as "the world's most beautiful" Starbucks.
At the Fountain and Waterfall Plaza at the eastern end of the park, a waterfall like a curtain of water pours down every 20 minutes. At night it is lit up with themes for each season: cherry blossom in spring, Toyama's sea in summer, autumn leaves in autumn and the aurora in winter.
The Fugan Suijo Line sightseeing boat takes you down the canal towards Iwase. On the way is the Nakajima Lock (Nakajima Komon), a national Important Cultural Property. A lock is a device that raises or lowers boats between stretches of water at different levels by adjusting the water height.
Getting there
The park is about 9 to 10 minutes' walk from Toyama Station. The Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design is next door. If you come by car you can use the park's car park, which started charging in March 2026. Check the official website for the observation towers' opening hours and the boat's operating days.
Tips
- If you want to see the Tateyama range, go up the observation towers of Tenmon Bridge on a clear day when the air is crisp.
- The string telephone is out of use in winter (December to March). If you are visiting as a pair, try it in the other seasons.
- The illuminations begin in the evening and give the park a completely different look from the daytime. If you have time, wait until after dark.
Sources
Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
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