Explore the Nagamachi Samurai District, Kenroku-en garden and a Geisha Tea House - Full-Day Tour

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 neighbourhood 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 colours, 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.