1-Day Tour from Kanazawa: Samurai, Matcha, Gardens and Geisha

On the coast of the Sea of Japan lies the city of Kanazawa, once one of the wealthiest domains in old Japan. While today it is far smaller than cities on the Pacific coast like Tokyo and Osaka, it still boasts a rich cultural heritage and is famed for its scenic avenues, roasted green tea, and numerous historical sights. Kanazawa also boasts the highest production of gold leaf in Japan, and throughout the city you can find edible art including ice cream and Takoyaki topped with sheets of gold. Luckily for travelers, Kanazawa is relatively compact and all of the major sights are within walking distance of each other – including the Nagamachi Samurai District, Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en Garden, and the Higashi-chaya Tea District. Few places in Japan can claim such a density of attractions, and even fewer still allow for all of their major points of interest to be seen on foot in one day. However, the streets of Kanazawa can be hard to understand, and getting lost is rarely fun. On this tour, you will be led by an experienced, English speaking guide through Kanazawa along a route we have devised and tested to ensure you enjoy your time in this amazing city.

Highlights

• Visit the Nagamachi Samurai District and enter the house of a Japanese Warrior from the days of the Shogun

• Taste Matcha and traditional Japanese sweets while overlooking a beautiful garden on the Kanazawa Castle grounds

• Stroll through the handsome and well tended traditional Japanese garden known as the Kenroku-en, created over two centuries ago on the order of the Lord of Kanazawa

• Learn about Geisha while visiting the Higashi-chaya Tea District, enter a tea house where Geisha once entertained customers, and step into the backstreets of the Kazue-machi Tea District where Geisha still work today

*For those looking to join the tour from Tokyo, please see the FAQ Section below

Note: The location for the matcha tea tasting and sweets will occasionally change depending on availability. There are multiple possible locations for the matcha tea tasting throughout the tour that the guide will choose from if a change is necessary.

Note 2: This tour has a decent amount of walking so please make sure to wear some good shoes!

Description

This tour will start at Kanazawa Station at 9:00 A.M., where your guide will meet you in front of the Information Center near the Shinkansen Ticket Gates. You will have the opportunity to put your belongings in a coin locker at the station as well if you feel the need.

Once you have left the inside of the station building, the first sight to see on the tour will be immediately visible. The Tsuzumi-mon gate, a modern take on a traditional building style and a new symbol of Kanazawa is a great spot for some photos to commemorate your trip.

Next, you will begin to walk towards the Nagamachi Samurai District, using a side street lined with local residence and the occasional wooden temple. At the end of this road there is a small neighborhood with several houses that once belonged to low-ranking samurai. You will have the chance to enter these houses and see how samurai of modest means lived their lives. The signs here are mostly in Japanese, so your guide will come in handy to explain what is written in each room.

Afterwards, you will enter into the Nagamachi Samurai District and stroll its long, crooked main street. Here there are also plenty of options to buy local Kanazawa crafts and wares, and so pop in one and see some of the beautiful pottery. Of course, the guide will also be available to help you take photos on this historic street that will make your friends and family envious.

The next stop on the tour is the Oyama Shrine, a unique shrine that combines both Japanese and Western elements in a fusion that testifies to the history of Japan in the 19th century. At the back of this shrine is a koi pond and a small garden, as well as a path which leads to a big wooden bridge. This is the bridge you will cross before passing through an impressive gate to enter the Kanazawa Castle grounds. Once a place reserved for high ranking warriors, now it is open for you to enjoy its spacious gardens and lawns.

Here we will take a well deserved break to have some Matcha Tea. Located in an especially spectacular position, the Gyokusen-an tea house commands a view over a fabulous garden that lies at the base of some of the castle’s enormous stone walls. The interior of this tea house is purely Japanese, and boasts an elegance and refinement that is not commonly found. The Kimono-clad staff will bring you Matcha and artistic Japanese ‘Wagashi’ sweets, while the guide will explain the proper way to enjoy drinking Matcha. Feel free to spend some time here contemplating the garden which is spread out before you while sipping some high quality tea.

After the mental refreshment of the beautiful garden, we will stop somewhere nearby for lunch. Feel free to ask your tour guide for some ideas for delicious places to eat. Kanazawa is famous not just for sushi but also a special kind of curry as well. There are all different kinds of restaurants all over the central area so don’t be afraid to try something new!

Once everyone is well-fed, your guide will lead you through the castle and into the Kenroku-en garden and introduce you to its main points of interest. Designed and created over 200 years ago on the order of the Lord of Kanazawa Castle, this garden is a perennial favorite with Japanese tourists and often listed as one of the best gardens in Japan. The winter time scenery is particularly beautiful, so it is well worth it to brave the cold and stroll the area.

Following the Kenroku-en Garden, the tour will head to the famous Higashi-chaya Tea District, the symbol of Kanazawa and perhaps the most famous Tea District in Japan outside of Kyoto. Here the streets are lined with tall, 2-story wooden tea houses, some of which are painted red – a unique design feature you will only see in Kanazawa. After window shopping and searching for delicious snacks, your guide will take you inside Shima, a Geisha Tea House which has been well preserved and will give you a glimpse into Geisha life in the heyday of Kanazawa. The walls here are painted with bright but sophisticated colors, a symbol of the wealth and highly developed culture that existed in Kanazawa at that time.

Leaving Higashi-chaya the tour will begin to head back to the station, passing through the maze-like backstreets of Kazue-machi along the way. This district is lesser known and less crowded than Higashi-chaya, and still has Geisha entertaining customers to this day. If you listen carefully, you might hear the soft sound of a shamisen being plucked, and you will feel as if you were transported to a different time.

The road back to the station will pass through the Omi-cho Market, and guests who wish to eat dinner here or are free to leave the tour at this time. Otherwise, you will return to the station and say your goodbyes there. Feel free to ask the guide for dinner recommendations or instructions back to your hotel, and they will happily help.

TOUR MEETUP POINT

1 / KANAZAWA STATION @ 9:00 A.M.

The meetup point is outside of the Shinkansen ticket gates, in front of the information center. If you are heading out from the gates, look forward and to the right and you will see a four large sumo wrestlers lined up. This is where we will be meeting. For those coming from outside the station, you will find this sign immediately inside of the East Entrance of Kanazawa Station. You may wait nearby there until the tour begins at 9:00 A.M. Be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag.

NOTES

Included

• English speaking guide
• Matcha Experience
• Entry fee at Kenroku-en garden
• Entry Fee at Shima (Geisha Tea House)

Excluded

• Lunch
• Accommodation

Other Information

• This tour involves several hours of walking in the outdoors. We recommend that you wear shoes and clothes which are easy to walk in. Please check the weather forecast before you head to the meetup point and prepare an umbrella or rain coat if necessary.

• In winter the temperatures will be below 10℃ at the high , and in the morning and evening may be close to or below 0℃. Please wear warm clothing and footwear appropriate for snowy and cold conditions. There may also be snow and ice on the road/sidewalk, and so you should take care to not slip by preparing the correct shoes for such conditions.

• There will be free time along the way for guests to enjoy the locations at their own pace. However, please make sure that you are at the respective meetup points at the time stated by your guide. If you get lost or need assistance, feel free to call the number which is listed on your tour pass, and our staff will assist you immediately.