ITINERARIES

2 days & 1 night

Essential Kanazawa
Kanazawa is a must for lovers of Japanese culture, history andarchitecture. Much of ancient samurai houses and geisha districts
have been beautifully preserved because the area has escaped
major natural disasters and war damage.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS‒ A visit to Kenrokuen Garden, Japan’s most iconic
landscape gardens.
‒ Head to the Nagamachi Samurai District for an insight
into samurai life.
‒ Stroll through the picturesque, well-preserved HigashiChaya geisha district.

Kanazawa

ITINERARYDayActivities

StayDay 1Kanazawa
Visit Oyama Jinja Shrine, Kanazawa Noh Musuem, D.T. Suzuki Museum and Kanazawa
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.

Day 2Kanazawa
Visit Namagachi Samurai District, Omicho Market, Kenrokuen Garden,
Kanazawa Castle Park, Higashi Chaya District.

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Day 1
11:00 Arrive at Kanazawa Station and drop off luggage at hotel.
15 minutes

1

14:00 Oyama Jinja Shrine ［尾山神社］
A Shinto shrine dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the founder of the Kaga domain(present-day Ishikawa and around), and his wife. The shrine’s three-storied
shinmon gate was designed to blend Japanese and Chinese architectural styles
with Wester touches such as stained glass.

10 minutes

2

14:30 Kanazawa Noh Museum［金沢能楽美術館］
Noh (a major from of classic Japanese musical drama) has been promoted amongpeople in Ishikawa since Edo period. Immerse yourself in the world of Noh bytrying on masks and costumes and playing musical instruments.

10 minutes

3

15:10 D.T. Suzuki Museum ［鈴木大拙館］
This museum is dedicated to the life and ideas of Daisetz Suzuki, a prominent
Buddhist philosopher who was born in Kanazawa and popularized Zen in the West.
Take time for thoughtful meditation in the three idyllic landscaped gardens, which
include a glassy pond for self-reflection.

10 minutes

4

16:00 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art,
Kanazawa ［金沢21世紀美術館］
This progressive museum situated in the center of Kanazawa is quite popularamong the locals and tourists alike with the unique exhibits and installations. The
outdoor exhibits and surrounding lawns make the museum grounds feel akin to afamily park.

Stay in Kanazawa

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The hidden nightlife of Kanazawa – local’s favorite drinking quarter
Kanazawa’s elegant and sophisticated cultures fascinate travelers around the world. Foodies enjoy premium
culinary delights it offers - multi-course Kaiseki dinner at a century-old Ryotei (Japanese traditional fine dining)and best sushi carefully prepared by a legendary master chef. Well, this is just the stage face of the city -Just like other cities in Japan – Golden Gai in Tokyo and Hozenji Yokocho in Osaka – Kanazawa has its
own back-alley drinking quarters which have been favored by the locals for decades. In the back of Katamachi, the commercial center of the city, there are a couple of streets lined with Izakaya pubs and barswith ‘Showa’ (the period between 1926 and 1989, referred to ‘Golden Age’ when Japan experienced thedramatic economic growth) nostalgia still alive.
Shintenchi, literally meaning ‘New World’, started to flourish
some seventy years ago with 65 small businesses - small
restaurants, sushi bars and coffee shops. Still today, local office
workers and students are flocking to this district to party atkaraoke bars and shop at a record shop and a vintage clothing
store.
In the end of the Shintenchi street, you will come across an even more retro lane just like a movie set. InChuo-Mishokugai, literally meaning ‘central gourmet street’, merely two-meter-tall hall-in-the-wallestablishments, which once used be mobile stalls, are standing side by side.
All the taverns and bars in these areas are rustic
and reasonably priced, yet serve the best quality
local dishes of the season. More than anything,most of them have less than 10 counter seats,
which enables you to enjoy casual chats withregular customers.
Do not be afraid and take an adventure even if
you do not know a lot of Japanese. Warm andfriendly drinkers will welcome you and help makethe best memory in Japan!

Day 25

10:00 Nagamachi Samurai District ［長町武家屋敷］
Nagamachi is a well-preserved neighborhood of samurai houses. The cobblestone
streets and tiled earthen walls are characteristic of wealthier samurai districts inKanazawa. One highlight is the Nomura Residence. Enjoy its inner garden withtranquil streams and a miniature waterfall.

10 minutes

6

11:00 Omicho Market ［近江町市場］
Omicho Market has been the largest fresh food market in Kanazawa since the Edo
period. Its busy network of covered streets holds over 180 stall and restaurantsthat sell fresh seafood, vegetables, fruit, and many other local products.

(Lunch: Omicho Market)

10 minutes

7

12:30 Kanazawa Castle Park ［金沢城公園］
Kanazawa Castle was home to the Maeda family during their rule of the Kaga
domain. Some buildings including Kahoku-mon Gate and Gyokusen’inmaru
Garden have been faithfully renovated.

85 minutes

13:30 Kenrokuen Garden［兼六園］Kenrokuen was constructed by feudal lords of Kaga clan as the outer garden ofKanazawa Castle. The garden’s appearance changes dramatically every
season, with cherry blossoms in spring and Yukizuri (a set of ropes to protect
trees from the region’s heavy snowfall) in winter.

9

14:30 Seisonkaku Villa［成巽閣］
A large villa on the edge of Kenrokuen Garden built by the 13th lord of the Kaga
domain for his mother. The villa’s architectural style blends traditional Japaneseelements with Western touches that were coming into fashion at the end of theEdo period.

10 minutes

10

15:10 Kaga-Yuzen Kimono Center ［加賀友禅会館］
The small museum dedicated to Kaga-Yuzen, a high-end silk dyeing techniquecharacterized by five basic colors and intricate designs. The center displays
Kaga-Yuzen kimono made by notable artisans and houses a workshop wherecraftsmen demonstrate the dyeing process.

15 minutes

11or

5 minutes

16:00 Higashi Chaya District ［ひがし茶屋街］
The district’s traditional buildings and lattice-work windows retain theatmosphere of their 200-year history. Today, many of these buildings function
as cafes, restaurants, sweet shops and craft shops, but some are still geisha
teahouses. Two traditional teahouses, ‘Shima’ and ‘Kaikaro’, are open to public.

Stay in Kanazawa

ITINERARY

9 days & 8 nights

DayActivities

StayDay 1

TokyoArrive at Tokyo Airport

TokyoDay 2

Tokyo
Visit Asakusa Kannon Temple, Tokyo National Museum, the Imperial East Tokyo
Garden and Meiji Shrine

Day 3

Full day excursion to Fuji-Hankone-Izu National Park

Day 4

Kanazawa
Depart by shinkansen (bullet train) to Kanazawa. Visit Oyama Jinja Shrine,Kanazawa
Kanazawa Noh Musuem, D.T. Suzuki Museum and 21st Century Museum ofContemporary Art, Kanazawa.

Day 5Kanazawa
Visit Namagachi Samurai District, Omicho Market, Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa
Kanazawa Castle Park, Higashi Chaya District.

TokyoKyoto
Day 6-7 Travel by express train to Kyoto. Visit Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market, Kiyomizu Kyoto
Temple, Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavillion) and Ryoanji Temple.
Day 8

Full day excursion to Hiroshima

Day 9Transfer to Osaka Airport and board a flight back homeKyoto