Wagyu Teppanyaki, Toyama Castle, Market Tour & Rainstorms | Our Toyama Japan Adventure!

Wagyu Teppanyaki, Toyama Castle, Market Tour & Rainstorms | Our Toyama Japan Adventure!

we’re here in Toyama for those of you new around here I’m Stephen and I’m Ela toyama is located in the northwestern part of Japan just outside of Toyama Bay we’ve never been all the way over here before it’s our first time we only have a 3-day weekend so we’re going to cram as much as we can into this short time we’re super excited so many cool things we can’t wait to show you all there is to do around this area stay tuned [Music] ohio we can’t believe it but we are here today at the Toyama Castle [Music] we should probably tell you how we got here [Music] good morning all right we’re going to show you around this room but first we’re going to get some breakfast and even before we do that we got to fix this all right time to head down to breakfast to show you the amazing breakfast buffet [Music] this is Elaine’s Japanese breakfast she got some yellow tail in that hand and some natto in that hand okay breakfast was amazing delicious so many options favorite part is the coffee for sure i love a cappuccino in the morning a special treat they have so many different choices and different styles of food of course they have Japanese breakfast and they also have western style breakfast there were eggs cooked three or four different ways there’s scrambled sunny side up rolled omelette hard-boiled i love the little holders for the hard-boiled eggs then they had different meats they had sausages soft bacon hard bacon ham they also of course have fish even for breakfast they have the little tiny fish at a buffet with natto and other Japanese breakfast items seaweed and different things i’m not sure what all the different items are they also had mackerel and some kind of a sauce that’s amazing two of the mornings they had salmon locks which were fantastic but they were out today anyway there were so many choices between the coffees and the fruits and different things it was fantastic we absolutely love it yeah about that so the sign at the buffet says the breakfast is 2,850 yen but I think if you bought it in advance it was only 2,000 yen so it definitely benefits to purchase it in advance it’s finally time for us to give you a room tour this is our room and one of the cutest things is it has this little doorbell and this is for a newspaper so today is Sunday so we didn’t get a paper but the other day we got a paper it was super exciting because we didn’t know that that was going to happen we got a Japanese paper this is got that means month this is yobi that means day right right right getsu getsu not gatsu getsu watch this magic it goes this way all right let’s show you the room all right so this is 1411 our room for the last couple of days so one of the cool things about this room they of course have laundry service that’s pretty common but in Japan you often get either robes or like a house coat it’s just a button down it doesn’t have a tie string there is a bath house like a block down i don’t think you would wear this outside to go to the bath house but anyway you could wear it in and around and for lounging we didn’t choose to do that there are actually three different places to eat here the first floor has a cafe we tried that last night for dinner but our favorite was definitely the night before where we went upstairs to the Japanese style tempyaki restaurant [Music] [Applause] [Music] heat heat [Music] the chef cooked it to perfection it was amazing [Music] [Applause] [Music] steven had a Wagu steak i had Wagyu sushi it was all delicious [Music] and then we happened to find happy hour up on the 19th floor we just went up there to check out the view and to our surprise it was happy hour so we thought why not had a couple of drinks which came with cute little appetizers we had a meat one and then a chocolate one so we ended up actually doing the happy hour two nights in a row the prices were too good to pass up two drinks and the little appetizer was 2,000 yen which is like $14 great deal for now let’s continue the room tour this area is super cute i’ve been using this area for my makeup and jewelry and things we haven’t had to use these so they have coffee and things kettle we just haven’t needed to use it cuz we’ve gone downstairs they have an amazing coffee machine down there we also have a refrigerator it came with two waters and there are also some snacks for the mini bar but you have to go down to the front desk to get these and the prices aren’t that bad but instead of doing that we walked over to the local 7-Eleven and got ourselves some snacks in the hotel we we’ve been eating breakfast downstairs at the buffet and then we’ve been grabbing something either at happy hour or for dinner we had a nice cozy dinner down there one night it was the same buffet style but a twist on some of the other things they had pork and beef and they had fried oysters which became my favorite real quick I made a huge salad there were lots of salad toppings and options with sesame dressing which is one of my favorites this is the closet steven’s been the only one using this he hung his coat up in here i’m not sure what this thing is i can’t figure it out yeah I think it’s a treadmill how do you open it oh is it like an iron anyway I’ll put it back before I break it we have an extra blanket on this side we have some hangers a shoe brush shoe horn slippers which I know surprising we didn’t use and a safe i normally love using the slippers but I don’t know we’ve been kind of busy the last couple days we stayed indoors the last two days because it was super rainy pouring down rain just drenching we did go out a little bit to go to 7-Eleven [Music] the hotel lobby gives you umbrellas if you ask okay so it’s pouring outside we’ll show you that in a second but in Japan you can ask to borrow umbrellas from hotels and places and then when you come back you return them let’s go show you how much it’s raining it’s crazy out here you’re not bringing your umbrella up oh I would love to if I could stop recording you you can but it was just a quick scurry and then we came right back all right the bathroom nice and big for a Japanese bathroom it’s actually like a western style bathroom which is surprising it does have a Japanese style bedet toilet which we love a huge shower with tons of space and then all these cute amenities so it comes with a toothbrush a little towel like a scrubby towel i like to use these at the onens or the bathous bath powder which I think is like bath salts is what we would call it vanity it’s a hair tie and like a cotton makeup remover there’s a little teeny tiny unfoldable brush we’re not going to open that we don’t need those a nice little soap and just lots of little extras in case you need them all right so this is our bedroom we I should say I am the one who booked online unfortunately I made a couple of mistakes one I booked two what I thought were queen beds they’re actually doubles although they’re more like an American single and I didn’t put two guests so when we checked in we gave them both our passports of course then we had to pay a little more to cover my breakfast and the second person taxes and fees for the room so we each had our own bed which what ended up being kind of nice but we’re just not used to that we also each had our own chairs which was nice for lounging and editing which we did since it was raining we just stayed in and did that it also has a desk but I didn’t use this i just edited over here we did watch a little bit of TV it was all in Japanese and we don’t speak that much Japanese yet so we mostly just watched movies and things on our laptops good news we would normally have to check out in about 30 minutes but because of our IHG status and our IHG credit card we get to have a late checkout till 200 p.m so we’re going to take advantage of the next couple of hours head across the street and check out this castle we’ve been enjoying the views out the window of the castle with the colorful leaves on the trees in front when it hasn’t been raining when it was raining it was a little bit hard to see but today it’s been good and we want to go check it out all right let’s get ready this is the entrance to our hotel and then right across the street is the castle [Music] so behind me here is Toyama Castle i think the city was named after it we don’t know anything about it but we’re excited to go inside and find out [Music] one of the really cool things that we love about traveling in Japan is that the palaces and castles usually have gardens and they’re free entry so you do usually have to pay to get into the main buildings but if you don’t want to do that you can walk around and enjoy all of the beautiful statues there’s a waterfall at this one a little Japanese garden just a lot to see and do totally free [Music] okay the original walls from Toyama are thought to have been built in6005 by Maida Toshinaga the second lord of Kaga domain added them into this Toyama Castle part about 100 years later but they look super old [Music] so many cool things [Music] okay the market is super cute one side has a ton of different uh food options coffees drinks ice creams tacos everything you can think of and the other side this side that we’re over here at now has textiles and scarfves jewelry lots of little toys and things for kids so many different things it’s really cute they’ve closed down the street for everything but the tram of course it’s a cute little trolley and I don’t know there’s a bunch of cute little dogs and lots of stuff out here so anyway a nice fun little Sunday morning stroll in a market perfect way to end our stay in Toyama [Music] [Music] we’re packing up and heading out to go catch our train and head back to Zushi all right guys that is it from us here in Toriyama wishing you safe and enjoyable adventures bye Johnny [Music] be free with me [Music] let’s go let’s be

Join us today, as we take you along on our weekend getaway to the beautiful city of Toyama, Japan — and trust us, this trip had everything: incredible food, stunning scenery, a few surprises, and even a little bit of unplanned comedy (yes, we’ll explain).

Our adventure kicks off as we check into the ANA Crown Plaza Hotel in the heart of Toyama. From the moment we arrived, we knew we were in for a treat. The hotel offers spacious, modern rooms with amazing views of the city — though in our case, we learned an important travel lesson: double-check the room reservation details. Thanks to a minor booking error (Elaine swears she clicked the right button 😅), we ended up with two single beds instead of a queen. Hey, at least it gave us something to laugh about!

After settling in, we headed down to enjoy the hotel’s happy hour. There’s something magical about sipping cocktails while overlooking the city skyline, and ANA Crown Plaza didn’t disappoint. The drinks were fantastic, and the relaxed atmosphere was the perfect way to unwind after traveling.

Of course, no trip with us is complete without food — and lots of it. We started our culinary journey at the hotel’s dinner buffet, sampling a variety of local and international dishes. But the real highlight came the next evening when we booked a teppanyaki dinner right at the hotel. Watching the chef expertly prepare our wagyu steak right in front of us was mesmerizing — and biting into that perfectly cooked wagyu? Absolute heaven. It was tender, buttery, and full of flavor — definitely one of the best meals we’ve had in Japan so far!

In between meals, we set out to explore Toyama’s famous sights. One of our favorite stops was the beautiful Toyama Castle and its surrounding gardens. Even on a cloudy day, the castle grounds were stunning, with lush greenery, peaceful water features, and plenty of photo opportunities. It’s hard not to feel like you’ve stepped back in time when walking through these historic grounds.

As often happens with our travels, the weather decided to throw in a little adventure of its own. On a quick run to 7-Eleven for snacks, during a rainstorm making for some funny memories and footage. Thank goodness for free hotel umbrella rentals and hot drinks!

Before wrapping up our trip, we discovered the Toyama market — a fantastic spot filled with local foods, seafood, snacks, crafts, and textiles. From fresh sushi to beautifully woven fabrics, the market was a perfect last stop before heading back. We love finding these kinds of local spots where you get a true taste of the region’s culture and daily life.

After our quick but memorable Toyama getaway, we packed up and made our way back to Zushi. As always, this trip reminded us that some of the best travel memories come from the unexpected — whether it’s rainstorms, single beds, or a surprise market discovery.

If you enjoyed this Toyama vlog, don’t forget to hit that LIKE button, leave us a comment (especially if you’ve ever had your own funny travel mishap!), and SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss any of our upcoming Japan adventures. We have so much more to share as we continue our journey!
✨ Thanks for watching! Wishing you Safe & Enjoyable Adventures!✨

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We have been working and traveling the world together since 2016. We have decided to “risk it all”! We quit our jobs, sold our cas and are hoping to ‘live like locals’ as vagabonds traveling the world. To record and share our experiences with family & friends we are creating these short videos from our travels. We hope you enjoy!
Steven & Elaine

INSTAGRAM: @SandEAssets
FACEBOOK: @SandEAdventure

Travel vlog 156 | Filmed November 21st-24th 2024