1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Shirakawa-go, Gokayama and Wood Carving Village

Deep in the mountains of Japan lies the quaint villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, with their beautifully preserved gassho-style houses. These UNESCO World Heritage Sites, of which some of the buildings are over 250 years old, gives a glimpse into the ways of Japanese traditional farming communities. On the way from Kanazawa to those stunning sites, there are other historic towns such as the woodcarvers of Inami. Being far from the large cities of Tokyo and Osaka, enjoy walking through a town which continues its tradition of woodcarving to this day. On the shops, in the temples and on signs are beautiful examples of this living history. The entire region was once home to many different kinds of local crafts, such as Japanese style paper making, an activity that you can do on this tour. Enjoy a day long bus tour from Kanazawa where you can see expert wood carving, try your hand at paper making and see the UNESCO World Heritage sites Shirakawa-go and Gokayama traditional homes.

Highlights

• Visit the town of wood-carvers in Inami, where you will walk through a street that is still home to masters of the craft and then see Zuisenji, a 300 year old temple known for its beautiful carvings.

• Try your hand at traditional Japanese paper making in Gokayama.

• Explore the UNESCO World Heritage site village of Shirakawa-go and enter one of the homes to get more of a feel for the history and excellent craftsmanship of the area.

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

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; however, you can of course store your belongings on the tour bus as well.

The tour begins at Kanazawa Station, where you will get on the bus at the bus terminal on the Kanazawa Port side of the station. After boarding the bus, you will ride about an hour on the highway through the beautiful mountains and then plains of the Hokuriku Region.

As you get off the bus in the middle of a small town near the mountains, you will have arrived in Inami. This area is famous for its woodcarving and there are over 100 professional traditional woodcarvers in the area, mostly on the main street. From the parking area we will walk towards that main street, where even on the way you can see some great examples of the woodcarving specialty of Inami.

The main street of the thoroughfare leads towards the centerpiece of Inami, Zuisenji Temple. As you go along you can find examples of National Historic Treasures in woodcarving on and above many of the shops. Also, look for the cats hidden everywhere. The town association says there are 32 but many other shops have their own secret cats in interesting locations. Try to find them all!

Finally, you will arrive at Zuisenji Temple, with its giant walls. As you approach you may feel like you’re about to enter a castle. Originally built in the 1300s, it burned down in 1735. That prompted a rebuilding that brought a famous wood carver from Kyoto. The locals learned from him and created a specialized industry in the city that became nationally renowned. There are many intricate designs that include not only patterns on the gates but also dragons, lions, elephants and many of the other famous animals all over the grounds. You can get up pretty close to many of them, they’re really a unique sight to see.

After seeing the temple it is time for an early lunch in the town. There are two soba restaurants that your guide will recommend, but feel free to walk around and enter some shops. Eat wherever seems good to you!

Meeting back up at the parking lot, we will then head towards Gokayama, one of the two areas of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first stop is Ai-no-kura, one of the best preserved villages in the area. Here is a short stop where you can walk around and get those beautiful shots from the observation point.

This area, secluded from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities, was vital to the economic prosperity of the entire state. The production of various agricultural products and sake were very important but also was the manufacture of gunpowder and paper. You will get your hands wet making paper using traditional Japanese methods. First you will better understand the history and methods before participating in the final step of the actual creation process. When done, you can take the paper you made home as a souvenir!

The next bus ride will take about 40 minutes before arriving at the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is Shirakawa-go. This beautiful village is famous for its picturesque townscape with the gassho farmhouses. We will start from the end of the main street of the village and weave our ways through the historic farming town. You can really feel the history as you walk on wooden bridges, under the thatched roof house and simple admire the majestic mountains all around. We will even enter into one of the historic houses. After seeing the inside of a gassho farmhouse, you have free time to walk around, eat and shop.

After a long day exploring around the region, we will return to the bus and head back to Kanazawa. The ride is a little over an hour so relax and enjoy the ride back to the station/hotel. If you have any questions about any other parts of your trip, this is a perfect time to ask!

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

• Transportation to and from Shirakawa-go and all other destinations
• English speaking guide
• Entry fee at Zuisenji Temple
• Guided Tour at the Wood Craft Town Inami and Shirakawa-go UNESCO site
• Japanese Paper-Making Experience Fee

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.