The Shinminato district in Imizu City faces Toyama Bay, with a canal called the Uchikawa River running through it from east to west.
Fishing boats are tied up along the river, and both of its banks are lined with narrow, machiya-style houses built one right next to the other.
Here you will find dusky alleys surrounded by walls of rusted, galvanized iron; banya workshops where the local fishermen gather; and narrow streets lined with shops selling fresh mochi rice cakes or konbu (kelp) by the gram.

Each stroll through the neighborhood brings new discoveries, uncovering the true appeal of this old town.
This is what we call Uchikawa sanpo--the art of getting the most out of a simple walk along the river.