Perfect ONE DAY in KANAZAWA – 7 Things to Do (BEST TRIP from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka)

Kanazawa is one of the most beautiful and historical cities in Japan. It lies just below the base of the Noto Peninsula, bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and the Japanese Alps to the east. And, it is an absolutely perfect destination for a trip from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka

Here is an exciting one day in Kanazawa itinerary that ticks off 7 unique things to do!

Kanazawa is a perfect destination for a trip from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. And, the best way to reach Kanazawa from Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, Osaka, and most other cities on Honshu (Japan’s main island) is by train.

If you have a JR Pass, all the options of travel listed below are covered by the pass.

By the way, if you are planning a trip to Japan, then make sure to purchase a JR Pass before going. Having the pass will save you a lot of money! You can buy JR Pass here.

• How to Get to Kanazawa from Tokyo

From Tokyo Station take JR East Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa Station. The travel time is about 2 hours and 28 minutes. You can reserve the seats online at JR East Train Reservations and then pick up the tickets at any JR Ticket Office.

• How to Get from Kyoto to Kanazawa

From Kyoto Station take JR West Thunderbird Express Train to Kanazawa Station. The travel time is 2 hours and 13 minutes.

• How to Get from Osaka to Kanazawa

From Osaka Station take JR West Thunderbird Express Train to Kanazawa Station. The travel time is 2 hours and 30 minutes.

The best way to get around in Kanazawa is to use the buses. The following are two options that work well if you are visiting Kanazawa:

• JR Buses in Kanazawa

If you have a JR Pass then you should use JR Buses and the cost of your travel will be covered by the pass. When you arrive in Kanazawa, locate JR Office at the Kanazawa Station and pick up the JR Bus Routes and Timetables Booklet.

JR Buses depart from Kanazawa Station, terminal 4, located near the Kenrokuen Gate (East Gate). Look for white buses with blue trim and the JR symbol on the front.

JR Buses in Kanazawa have two routes: Korinbo (starts running from 6:45 am till 8:10 pm) and Owaricho (6:20 am to 9 pm). The buses leave from the station every 20 minutes and stop at all the major attractions.

• Kanazawa Loop Bus

The Kanazawa Loop Bus is another option to travel in Kanazawa. It is more frequent than JR Bus and it is reasonably priced. I recommend that you purchase the One Day Pass, which is very convenient as you can use it for the Kanazawa Loop Bus, the Kenrokuen Shuttle (which takes you to Kenrokuen Garden), and also all other bus routes within Kanazawa.

You can purchase the pass at Hokutestsu Ekimae Center – Kanazawa Kenrokuen Gate (East Entrance at Kanazawa Station) or you can purchase the pass from the Loop Bus driver once you board the bus.

The buses leave from terminal 7 located at the Kanazawa Station.

If you are planning on spending the night in Kanazawa then there are some good options worth checking out:

Onyado Nono Kanazawa would be my first choice! I have stayed at many hotels and this one is definitely a good one. First of all, the breakfast is great in terms of Japanese cuisine. The hotel also has so many amazing amenities with free noodles and popsicles at night for guests. The location is also perfect! Right within walking distance to Kanazawa castle park. And, did I mention onsen?

UAN Kanazawa is another great place to stay in Kanazawa. The location is excellent! However, what I liked is the traditional Japanese feeling about this place. The rooms are spacious and nicely designed. I think you will enjoy the reception area and the lounge. It is perfect for grabbing a bite to eat and relaxing.

I think that Higashi Chaya District is one of the most picturesque parts of Kanazawa. It is a part of Japan that is still untouched by time. You will feel like you stepped back in time when you are there.

First of all, ‘Chaya’ means tea house, and some of these traditional tea houses are still used as places of entertainment in Kanazawa.

Still even today, geisha perform dances and play traditional Japanese musical instruments, such as the shamisen (a three-stringed musical instrument), bamboo flute, and drum.

For one thing, Higashi Chaya District is a great place to just wander around for a while and soak up the ancient Japanese atmosphere.

As you are strolling around, you will notice that most of the streets in Higashi Chaya District are lined with wooden two-story buildings. The upper floors of the buildings are faced with sliding wooden shutters.

These shutters would be usually open if the party was happening inside.

The ground-floor levels are adorned with superbly fine latticework that is known as ‘Kaga lattice’

Interestingly enough, the construction of the tea house is very similar to the layout of the merchant house. However, unlike the merchant houses, where the second floor at the front was for storage, and thus very low, the second story of tea houses is much higher, because the upper floor was used as the main entertaining area.

The geisha areas were out of bounds to samurai. Conversely, they were patronized by rich merchants and artisans.

While it is no longer possible to see a samurai, Kanazawa is one of the few places in Japan where geisha still work.

The Meiji Restoration of the 1860s was the beginning of a period of major modernization and westernization in Japan.

In 1871, extensive reforms were passed and executed, abolishing the han system, and thus ending feudalism and the class system.

In 1876, samurai were banned from carrying swords, practically ending the legacy of the samurai.

Nowadays, many of the tea houses have been converted into cafes, restaurants, and boutiques however several are still used by geisha.

There are two places worth checking out in Higashi Chaya District:

• Kaikaro Tea House and
• Shima Tea House

Both are located on the main street in Higashi Chaya District.

Kaikaro Tea House is the largest tea house in the Higashi Chaya District. It was built in 1820.

First of all, before you step inside, notice large, barred panels on the windows called kimusuko, that let in the sun but prevented outsiders from peeking in inside the building.

Kaikaro will offer you a rare chance to see the traditional tea house’s exquisite interior.

You enter through the wooden slide door and the first thing you will see is the vermilion-colored staircase.

Continue upstairs to view Ozashiki banquet rooms with lustrous red walls decorated with bold fusuma-e paintings.

Book Enyukai Geisha Party offered by Kaikaro. It is one of the most unforgettable experiences that you will ever have. It consists of an hour and a half of dancing, music, conversation, and a full-course meal.

Shima Tea House catered to the upper-class merchants of the Edo Period.

It is fascinating to tour the geisha’s private quarters in Shima Tea House. They are all located in the front of the house. You will get to see where geishas used to put their makeup on and prepare to meet their guests. In addition, you will see a great collection of accessories used at that time.

Right next to the geisha quarters, you can view the reception room and the office, where the okami-san, the mistress of the house, kept her records.

The rooms for entertaining guests are all located on the second floor.

Visiting Gold Leaf Museum is one of the most fascinating things to do in Kanazawa. You will learn all about the gold leaf manufacturing process, the history of gold leaf, and its uses.

Gold leaf is made by mixing a small amount of silver and copper with pure gold to make it into an alloy.

The mixture is put in between two pieces of paper, and, then, it is hammered to make it into an extremely thin sheet. As a result, the finished gold leaf is only 1/10,000th mm thick.

Considering this, it is hard to imagine how labor-intensive this process was before mechanization.

The gold leaf sheets have many uses, primarily they are used for decoration.

The technique of producing gold leaf was imported from China during the late Nara Period or the early Heian Period (ca 800), and it is estimated that it was brought to feudal lord Toshiie Maeda in 1593.

Maeda proceeded to order craftsmen of the Kaga region to produce gold leaf.

The museum is filled with gold beating tools and artistic handicraft articles collected by Komei Yasue, a famous gold leaf artisan.

It exhibits a large number of works including folding screens, Noh costumes, Kutani porcelain, a Kanazawa Buddhist altar, Kaga lacquer work, and Kaga incrustation work.

Notably, 99% of the gold leaf produced in Japan is made in Kanazawa.

Across the Asanogawa Ohashi Bridge from Higashi Chaya District is another tea house district you should not miss.

It is Kazue-machi Chaya District, a very picturesque and atmospheric neighborhood.

This area is one of my favorite places to visit while in Kanazawa. You will immediately notice that it is much quieter here and not as many tourists wandering around.

In the heart of Kazue-machi, you will come across Kuragarizaka (a dark slope), which connects to the Owari-cho hill area. It is a passage that served as an access route from the business district to the entertainment district.

This avenue was used by businessmen and merchants to conceal their movements during the Edo period, allowing a slick transition from the business world to the entertainment world.

Chaya Districts are equally stunning at night when the tea houses are illuminated. Just wander around and as the sun sets down keep an eye out for geisha.

Also, observe how Chaya Districts will slowly start coming alive in the dusk and the sounds of shamisen begin to be faintly heard.

The stunning white Kanazawa Castle sits on a hill that offers 360-degree views of the city. You will see from a distance its striking white tile roof made of weathered lead.

Kanazawa Castle dates back to 1580 when Oda Nobunaga ordered his retainer, Sakuma Morimasa to build the castle. Yet, Oda Nobunaga did not get to reside in the castle.

In 1583 Maeda Toshiie claimed the castle and its grounds. And, from 1583 until the coming of the Meiji Restoration in 1871, Kanazawa Castle was the seat of power of the Maeda clan.

Many of Kanazawa Castle’s buildings were burnt down in repeated fires through the years, but several structures such as Ishikawamon Gate and Sanjikken Nagaya, are still standing.

In recent times there has been a project to rebuild the historic buildings of the former castle.

For example, Hishi Yagura Turret, which overlooks the northern approach to the castle, Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura Turret, which guards the entrance to the central area of the castle grounds, and Gojikken Nagaya Storehouse, which runs between the turrets were the first buildings to be reconstructed.

They were completely rebuilt to their original appearance using traditional techniques and materials and opened to the public in 2001.

Make sure to visit the turrets and the storehouse. It is fascinating to see how the buildings were restored using the traditional wooden construction method.

Admission to the castle grounds is free and it is open year-round. Opening hours are 7 am to 6 pm from March 1st to October 15th and 8 am to 5 pm from October 15th to the end of February.

Admission to the turrets and storehouse area is 310 yen. Opening hours are 9 am to 4:30 pm. It is open year-round.

Kenrokuen Garden is ranked by the Japanese as one of the top three most beautiful gardens in Japan.

In my opinion, it is a must-see place for any visitor to Kanazawa and one of the best things to do in Kanazawa no matter when you are visiting. You will be amazed by the beauty of this place.

Kenrokuen Garden gives an impression of naturalness. Yet, do not be misled. There is nothing natural about it. Kenrokuen Garden is a result of two centuries of dexterous remodeling of nature by the master gardeners of the feudal era.

And the final result is an expression of idealized nature where various elements of vegetation and topography are incorporated to enchant and surprise the senses.

Make sure not to miss Fountain (Funsui). It is the oldest fountain in Japan.

Its water comes from Kasumigaike Pond, and it works by natural pressure caused by the difference in the levels of the two ponds.

Normally the fountain is 3.5 meters high, but its height changes depending on the surface level of Kasumigaike Pond.

Also, make sure to take a few pictures of the stone lantern.

Kotoji-toro stone lantern is the most famous structure in the garden. It is built with two legs to represent the bridge of a koto—a traditional Japanese stringed instrument similar to a harp. The lantern has come to symbolize the city of Kanazawa

Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District located in Kanazawa is the only samurai district still in existence in Japan.

To start your visit, take a stroll on the cobblestone streets and follow the path along the peaceful Onosho Canal.

The path is surrounded by old towering mud walls. The mud walls were made of mud mixed with gravel and then hardened. Today, the mud walls are covered with shingled roofs to shield them from the elements. In winter, they are protected with straw covers.

The samurai who flourished in Kanazawa during the Edo Period (1603-1868) were almost nothing like samurai in the other parts of Japan.

Under the Maeda rule, the Edo Period was a peaceful, golden age. The samurai focused their attention and energy on scholarly pursuits and craftsmanship instead of military quests. They built and lived in beautiful residences with surrounded by opulent gardens.

One of the places worth visiting in Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District is Nomura Samurai House.

The Nomura Samurai House offers insight into the life of one of the highest-ranking samurai during the Edo Period.

And, the Nomura Samurai House was occupied for 11 generations by the Nomura family.

The drawing room of the Nomura Samurai House is made of Japanese cypress wood with elaborate designs in rosewood and ebony.

The alcove panel is made of a paulownia tree and every nail is kept out of sight with black persimmon wood.

Every sliding thick-paper door has a grand landscape drawn by Sasaki Senkei, who is highly ranked in the Kano School.

Personal effects of the Nomura family are displayed including a samurai outfit, swords, lacquer pieces, and the family altar.

Nomura Samurai House / One Day in Kanazawa

If you step into the garden you will get to experience the so-called Kobori Enshu-style garden. It is beautiful and skillfully laid out.

A waterfall and a winding stream are running through several stones, a bridge made of cherry granite, and charming garden lanterns. In addition, there is a unique, more than 400-year-old myrica tree.

As Kanazawa is situated on the Japan Sea coast it is famous for its seafood.

A stroll through Omi-cho Market will give you an idea of the incredible and colorful variety of marine products available in this town.

Omi-cho Market has been in operation since 1721 and it is nicknamed “Kanazawa’s Kitchen”.

All in all, there are at least 186 different stores, selling seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables, and confectionery. There are also a number of grocery stores, clothing stores, flower stalls, and restaurants.