1-Day Tour Kanazawa: Samurai, Matcha, Gardens and Geisha
ID: GYG499677-881791
Category:
Country: Japan
Duration:
1 days
Description
Once one of the wealthiest domains in old Japan, Kanazawa. Enjoy exploreing Nagamachi Samurai District, Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en Garden, and the Higashi-chaya Tea District with your tour guide
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.
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.
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.
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 your guide will grant you some free time to use as you see fit.
The next stop 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.
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.
Refreshed and ready to continue, the tour will head through the Kanazawa Castle grounds before crossing over to the entrance to the Kenroku-en garden. As it will be a perfect time for lunch, your guide will recommend some restaurants on the street in front of the garden
Once everyone is well-fed, your guide will lead you into the Kenroku-en garden. 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.
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.
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.
Highlights
- Visit the Nagamachi Samurai District and enter the house of a Japanese Warrior
- Taste Matcha and traditional Japanese sweets
- Stroll through the handsome and well tended traditional Japanese garden
- Learn about Geisha while visiting the Higashi-chaya Tea District
Guiding languages
IMPORTANT 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.
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 large ‘?’ inside of a circle, which is the sign under which 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.
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
Cancellation is not possible. If you cancel it anyway or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity and the money you paid will not be refunded.
