Description
Everybody knows Kyoto is a great place to visit for history buffs, but how about a trip to Kanazawa, a less-discovered treasure in on the west coast of Honshu?
Since the shinkansen line got extended to include Kanazawa visiting this beautiful, historic city became a lot easier. Only 2,5 hours away from Tokyo and 2 hours from Kyoto, Kanazawa should be on your itinerary if you want to beat the crowds, learn about Japanese history and eat some amazingly fresh (sea) food. Of course, there are also plenty of photogenic spots that will look very good in your picture album or on Instagram!
Our Kanazawa Tour
You will either be picked up by your guide at your hotel or meet the guide on Kanazawa station. First on the itinerary will be a visit to the Nagamachi samurai district, where your guide will bring the past to life with interesting stories about these warriors. A stop at the Michelin guide’s recommendation old samurai’s residence including an amazing garden is also on the program.
You will then continue on to the fish market for an amazing lunch. Kanazawa is revered for its incredibly high-quality seafood and the way the locals prepare it does it justice. The guide knows the very best spots, and this will no doubt be one of the best lunches during your trip in Japan!
After lunch, it is time for some art and craft. Your guide will have a reservation made for you to make your own gold painted plate or chopsticks in one of the many shops dedicated to gold. This is not a coincidence, as Kanazawa literally means ‘marsh of gold’, and most gold leaf in Japan is produced in Kanazawa. You can even eat ice cream wrapped in gold leaf!
You will then have a delicious cup of matcha tea in one of the many tea houses in the old geisha quarters. There are still active geisha in the city, but the real ones can only be visited by invited members at a very grand cost. Your guide will, however, be able to tell you more about the secret life of geisha, and what they really do while you enjoy your tea. This part of town is gorgeous and reminds one strongly of Kyoto with its wooden tea houses and cobbled streets.
A tour in Kanazawa would not be complete without a visit to the Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s most impressive landscaped gardens. Each season has something different to offer, and no matter when you come, you will always be impressed with its beauty. The guide will explain you more about the meaning behind the landscape and history of the garden to make you appreciate what you see even more.
The last stop of your tour will be at the restaurant your guide has reserved for you based on your preference and honest opinions of locals, and it will be one of the best restaurants in Kanazawa within your budget.
Optional: your guide can change the itinerary to include the ‘ninja temple’ as well, a temple with lots of traps, secret doors and hide away places. This location is an option based upon availability of the time slots in the temple. Your guide can tell you more about this possibility.
Please email us at nicki.tokiotours@gmail.com for availability and booking
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.