Kanazawa: Ninja Temple & Bamboo Brush Calligraphy

Try calligraphy with a rare handmade bamboo brush, then visit Kanazawa’s famous Ninja Temple, Myoryuji. Discover Japanese craftsmanship, hidden architecture, and samurai-era history.
Discover two very different sides of traditional Kanazawa in one compact 2-hour cultural experience: rare bamboo-brush calligraphy and the mysterious architecture of the city's famous Ninja Temple.

Begin at Kanazawa Takefude no Sato Ikiru, a specialist shop dedicated to handmade bamboo brushes in the historic Nomachi and Teramachi area.

Unlike an ordinary Japanese calligraphy brush made from animal hair, the tip of a bamboo brush is made from natural bamboo fibers.

The strong yet flexible fibers hold plenty of ink and create distinctive textures, bold lines, and beautiful natural fading that are difficult to reproduce with a conventional brush.

Learn about the characteristics of this unusual traditional tool before picking up a bamboo brush yourself.

Choose a Japanese character or word that you would like to write, practice the movement of the brush, and experience how its texture changes every stroke.

Rather than trying to create something perfectly uniform, enjoy the expressive lines and natural variations created by the bamboo fibers.

After your calligraphy experience, walk just a short distance to Myoryuji Temple.

Myoryuji is better known by its nickname, the "Ninja Temple."

Despite the name, the temple was not actually home to ninjas.

Instead, it earned the nickname because of its fascinating defensive architecture, including hidden staircases, trapdoors, concealed rooms, confusing corridors, and other ingenious features that make the building feel like something from a ninja story.

Before entering, your English-speaking guide will explain the historical background of the temple, the Maeda clan, and why this part of Kanazawa became an important defensive temple district.

Enter Myoryuji with your advance reservation already arranged and join the temple's official guided visit through the building.

The official interior explanation is conducted in Japanese, so your Alva Japan guide will provide important historical context before entering and help recap the experience afterward.

After leaving the temple, discuss what you saw with your guide and learn more about the hidden design, local samurai history, and the surrounding Nomachi and Teramachi temple district.

By combining a hands-on artistic experience with one of Kanazawa's most unusual historic attractions, this tour offers more than a standard sightseeing visit.

It is ideal for travelers interested in Japanese culture, calligraphy, craftsmanship, samurai history, unusual architecture, and hidden local traditions.

Para garantizar la disponibilidad de la reserva lo antes posible. Vale la pena reservar con antelación, especialmente si planeas el viaje durante la temporada alta, como los días festivos o los fines de semana.

Esta excursión se puede cancelar sin costo alguno hasta :tiempo de cancelación horas antes del inicio del viaje. Si lo cancela después de 24 horas o no se presenta en la excursión, se le cobrará el precio total de la actividad. El retraso en la recogida o en la salida se considerará como no presentarse.