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Located roughly midway along the Japanese archipelago, the seven prefectures of CENTRAL HONSHU , known as Chubu , offer a wide choice of terrain and travel possibilities. Dominating the region are the magnificent Japan Alps , rising up in Nagano-ken and Gifu-ken, and providing spectacular mountain scenery, top onsen and ski resorts, old castle and temple towns, and villages in remote valleys caught in a time warp. Just as appealing is the rugged northern coast, Hokuriku , which covers Toyama-ken, Ishikawa-ken and Fukui-ken. Shaped by the savage waves of the Japan Sea, it feels very much set apart from the rest of the country. Expressways and train lines plough a direct route between Tokyo and Kansai through the hideously industrialized south-coast prefectures of Shizuoka-ken and Aichi-ken, yet even here there are places worth stopping to see, including Japan's fourth main city, Nagoya . Even on the shortest trip, make time for the majestic Japan Alps, now more accessible than ever, thanks to the new Hokuriku Shinkansen line that zips from Tokyo to the 1998 Winter Olympics city of Nagano in one hour and thirty minutes. Nagano's highlight is its venerable and atmospheric temple, Zenko-ji , while southeast of the city, close to the summer resort of Karuizawa , don't miss the stunning lava landscape at Onioshidashien . Of the region's many skiing and onsen possibilities, perhaps the best is the charming village of Nozawa Onsen , northeast of Nagano, where you'll find excellent slopes and thirteen free hot-spring baths. Northwest of the city, Togakushi offers ancient shrines surrounded by spiritual forests, and a wacky Ninja warrior museum. The focus of the southern half of Nagano-ken is the charming castle town of Matsumoto , easily reached from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. The town is also the jumping-off point for the remote and pristine Alps resort of Kamikochi , popular with mountaineers and hikers in summer, and for a handful of immaculately preserved post towns which line the old Nakasendo route from Kyoto to Tokyo. Between the best of these - Tsumago and Magome - is a lovely one-day hiking route. Across the Alps, the small convivial city of Takayama is the centre of the Hida area famous for its skilled carpenters. Their craftsmanship is evident in many of the preserved houses and temples of the city, as well as in the unusual A-frame thatched houses of the nearby Shirakawa-go and Gokayama valleys where three villages - Ogimachi, Suganuma and Ainokura - have been designated World Heritage Sites. Pretty as these villages are, you'll have to stay overnight to avoid the crowds. The same is true in Kenroku-en, one of Japan's top three gardens, in the historic and elegant city of Kanazawa, on the Japan Sea coast. To really escape, head for the tranquil fishing villages dotted around the rugged coastline of the Noto Hanto, northeast of Kanazawa, or the thriving Zen Buddhist community in Eihei-ji, a rambling temple in the forested foothills of Fukui-ken's mountains, to the south. While the ugly, urbanized southern coast is generally best passed through as quickly as possible, Nagoya's Tokugawa Art Museum is worth a visit, and the city is the main access point for the attractive castle town of Inuyama, where you can see summertime displays of the ancient skill of ukai , or cormorant fishing. Inuyama is also close to the impressive Meiji Mura, a vast outdoor museum of turn-of-the-century architecture. Wherever you go in Chubu, there are regional foods to be sampled, but the dish you'll come across most frequently is soba, noodles made from buckwheat flour. Nagano is renowned for its fresh fruit and chestnuts, while the Hida region of neighbouring Gifu-ken specializes in beef, mountain vegetables ( sansai ) and miso, fermented bean paste. Ayu river fish are often served in the inland regions while, on the Japan Sea coast, you should make the most of the wonderful fresh seafood. Kanazawa has a particularly refined style of cooking, known as kaga ryori , where each dish is exquisitely displayed, while in Nagoya the local favourite is chicken with flat kishimen noodles. Nagoya is home to Chubu's main airport, but it's more likely that you'll approach the area by train, either from Tokyo or Kyoto. A couple of train lines cut across from the southern to the northern coasts, but many of the places in the mountains are only served by buses, which can be infrequent and expensive. It's well worth considering renting a car to tour this area, although note that some of the most scenic routes, such as the Skyline drive across the Alps from Gifu-ken to Nagano-ken, are toll roads and are closed in winter because of deep snow. The mountain resort of Kamikochi and the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine route are similarly off limits between November and April
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