Two days in Kanazawa: garden or historic districts?
Choose Omicho Market and Kenrokuen for seafood lunch and a garden walk. Choose Higashi Chaya and Nagamachi to compare teahouse buildings with former samurai neighbourhood lanes. Stay one night near Kanazawa Station and spread visits over two days. On your last day, leave time after the return bus for your next train. Airport travel and check-in time are separate.
Choose an itinerary for 2 days / 1 night
Market and garden
This two-day trip combines a seafood lunch with a garden walk. Browse Omicho Market on day one, then walk among Kenrokuen's ponds and trees on day two.
Market and garden →2 days / 1 night BTwo historic districts
Walk Higashi Chaya's teahouse-lined streets and Nagamachi's earthen walls and stone lanes on separate days. Choose this two-day trip to compare the two historic districts.
Two historic districts →Market and garden
This two-day trip combines a seafood lunch with a garden walk. Browse Omicho Market on day one, then walk among Kenrokuen's ponds and trees on day two.
Day 1 · Omicho Market and your Kanazawa accommodation
Choose a seafood lunch and browse fish, vegetable and fruit shops at Omicho Market on arrival. Afterwards, stay near Kanazawa Station.
- Kanazawa Station east plaza → Omicho Market, on foot or Left Loop bus
Walk about 12 minutes from Kanazawa Station's east plaza to Omicho Market. By bus, take the Left Loop from east-side stand 7 and get off at Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market outside Ichibakan. The adult single fare is JPY 220; add bus fares to the walking-based return cost below if you use them.
Omicho Market: official tourism guideHokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQ
- Omicho Market → Open restaurant and market shops
General market guidance is around 9 am–4 pm, but restaurants and shops have their own hours. Have lunch at an open business and browse in the afternoon. Meals and shopping cost extra. More shops tend to close on Wednesdays.
- Omicho Market, outside M'za Kuromonkoji → Kanazawa Station, then accommodation nearby
Retrace your walk to the east plaza, or take a station-bound Right Loop bus from Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market outside M'za Kuromonkoji. The Right Loop has several stops around the market; use the correct one rather than your outward Left Loop stop. Choose dinner at an open restaurant near the station.
Hotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
Market businesses have different opening days and closing times. If arriving late, have dinner near the station. You can visit the market the following day, but must also rearrange Kenrokuen and your station departure. Today's market transport is JPY 0 if walking both ways, or JPY 440 for an adult using one Left Loop and one Right Loop bus. Meals and accommodation are excluded.
Day 2 · Kenrokuen and return to the city
Take the bus to Kenrokuen and walk the paths between ponds and garden pavilions. On your final day, fit the visit and return buses around your onward train. If staying longer, return to your accommodation near Kanazawa Station and rest afterwards.
- Hotel, then Kanazawa Station east-side stand 7 → Right Loop to Kenrokuen-shita RL6
Take the Kanazawa Loop Bus Right Loop from east-side stand 7 and get off at Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa Castle opposite Ishikawa Gate. Check that you are using the Right Loop stop.
Hotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
- RL6 stop opposite Ishikawa Gate → Katsurazaka entrance and garden ticket counter
From the Right Loop's Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa Castle stop (兼六園下・金沢城), opposite Ishikawa Gate, walk about five minutes to Katsurazaka entrance (桂坂口), as the official guide indicates. Distinguish the garden entrance from Kanazawa Castle's Ishikawa Gate and follow garden ticketing signs.
Access to Kenrokuen's entrancesHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
- Kenrokuen entrance → Garden visit, lunch and rest
Standard adult admission is JPY 320. Explore the garden with time for lunch and rest. From 1 March to 15 October, the garden is open from 7 am to 6 pm, with last admission at 5:30 pm. From 16 October to the end of February, the garden is open from 8 am to 5 pm, with last admission at 4:30 pm. Teahouses and meals are outside admission.
- Katsurazaka, then RL6 Right Loop → Kanazawa Station and onward departure
From Katsurazaka, return to the same Right Loop stop and travel via Korinbo and Omicho Market to Kanazawa Station. To add Nagamachi, get off at Korinbo outside the former Bank of Japan, then return to the same station-bound stop. This option uses three buses at JPY 660 plus garden admission at JPY 320, totalling JPY 980 rather than the two-ride subtotal below. After returning to the station, go to your onward departure.
Hokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQOfficial tourism guide: Nagamachi Samurai District
Choose a bus that reaches the garden before last admission. Adding Nagamachi requires another bus ride and extra visiting time.
Included: Kenrokuen JPY 320 + city loop bus JPY 220 × 2. Day-one market travel assumes walking both ways.
Extras and conditions: Accommodation, meals, paid residences, long-distance trains and extra travel cost extra.
Hotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQOmicho Market: official tourism guideHokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresAccess to Kenrokuen's entrancesOfficial Kenrokuen visiting guide
Two historic districts
Walk Higashi Chaya's teahouse-lined streets and Nagamachi's earthen walls and stone lanes on separate days. Choose this two-day trip to compare the two historic districts.
Day 1 · Higashi Chaya District walk
Explore Higashi Chaya's traditional teahouse buildings and lanes today. Stop at an open cafe for tea and wagashi if you wish, then go to your booked accommodation near Kanazawa Station.
- East-side stand 7, Right Loop → Hashibacho, outside Kinjoro
Take the Kanazawa Loop Bus Right Loop from stand 7 in Kanazawa Station's east plaza and get off at Hashibacho outside Kinjoro. The ride takes about 13 minutes, excluding the bus wait and walk from the stop to the district.
Hokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresOfficial tourism guide: Higashi Chaya DistrictHotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQ
- Hashibacho, outside Kinjoro → Higashi Chaya District
The official tourism guide gives about five minutes on foot from the stop to Higashi Chaya.
- Higashi Chaya District → Lane walk and selected businesses
Walk the outdoor streets in the afternoon. If you plan tea or a visit inside a historic residence, check the facility's hours and fees. Outdoor lane walks and visits inside teahouses or residences have different costs.
- Hashibacho outside Kinjoro, Right Loop → Kanazawa Station, then accommodation nearby
Retrace your walk to Hashibacho outside Kinjoro and continue on the Right Loop via Kenrokuen, Korinbo and Omicho Market to Kanazawa Station. The return section is longer than the outward journey, so check your return service first. Go to your booked accommodation nearby and rest after reaching the station.
Hokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQ
Distinguish outdoor street walks from tea and residence visits. The Right Loop return from Hashibacho to the station is longer than the outward section.
Day 2 · Korinbo and Nagamachi
Get off at Korinbo and walk Nagamachi's earthen walls and stone lanes. Allow extra visiting time if entering a residence, then return to Kanazawa Station for your onward train.
- Kanazawa Station east-side stand 7 → Left Loop to Korinbo, outside Atrio
Take the Kanazawa Loop Bus Left Loop from stand 7 in the station's east plaza and get off at Korinbo outside Atrio. The adult single fare is JPY 220.
Hotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
- Korinbo stop outside Atrio → Nagamachi Samurai District
The official tourism guide gives about five minutes on foot from Korinbo to Nagamachi Samurai District. Walk the lanes in the morning. For residence interiors, check the individual facility's fees and closures. The tourism association suggests about 60 minutes for the district, excluding meals and breaks.
- After your Nagamachi walk and lunch → Korinbo stop outside the former Bank of Japan
Choose an open restaurant in Korinbo or Katamachi, then return towards Korinbo intersection and find the station-bound Right Loop stop outside the former Bank of Japan. This differs from the morning's Left Loop stop outside Atrio. Allow time for your meal and walk from the restaurant to the stop.
Hokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresOfficial tourism guide: Nagamachi Samurai District
- Korinbo outside the former Bank of Japan, Right Loop → Board the bus and get off at Kanazawa Station
Take the station-bound Right Loop via Minamicho and Omicho Market and get off at Kanazawa Station. The standard adult single fare is JPY 220. Check travel-day services, changes and suspensions, choosing your return to fit your onward departure.
- Kanazawa Station bus stop → Ticket gates and platform for your onward train
Go from the station bus stop to your onward train's gates and platform. Allow time to walk through the station before departure.
Hotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
Distinguish outdoor lane walks from paid residence visits. Add both time and money for interiors.
Included: City loop bus JPY 220 × 4. Assumes outdoor street walks.
Extras and conditions: Accommodation, meals, paid residences, long-distance trains and extra travel cost extra.
Hotel Kanazawa: access and luggage storage FAQOfficial tourism guide: Higashi Chaya DistrictHokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresOfficial tourism guide: Nagamachi Samurai District
Frequently asked questions
How can I shorten the Kenrokuen itinerary if my train leaves early on day two?
This itinerary visits the market on day one and Kenrokuen on day two. Check the time needed for the bus and walk to the garden, the visit and the return to the station against your next train. If there is not enough time for the round trip, skip the garden and stay near the station. In October, regular hours are 7 am–6 pm through the 15th and 8 am–5 pm from the 16th; last admission is 5:30 pm and 4:30 pm respectively. For a morning visit, check the opening time and bus service for your travel date.
Official Kenrokuen visiting guideAccess to Kenrokuen's entrancesHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
Is a bus day pass cheaper for three rides?
Three regular adult fares total JPY 660, less than the JPY 800 day pass. Compare eligible routes if you expect four or more rides in one day. For two rides a day over two days, buying a day pass each day costs more.