Which Ishikawa sights should you visit?
For a garden walk, explore Kenrokuen's ponds and trees. Omicho Market suits a seafood lunch and market browsing. Higashi Chaya's teahouse buildings and Nagamachi's earthen walls and stone lanes offer different historic streetscapes. To rest at an onsen and walk beside the river, stay in Yamanaka and explore a nearby section of Kakusenkei.
Attractions: admission, hours and access
Kenrokuen Garden
兼六園
Take your time walking among Kenrokuen's ponds and trees. Paths connect hills and garden pavilions. From 16 October, closing moves an hour earlier, from 6 pm to 5 pm.
- AdmissionStandard individual admission is JPY 320 for ages 18 and older and JPY 100 for ages 6–17. Check free opening days and reduced-fee eligibility in the official visiting guide.
- Seasonal hours and closuresFrom 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. The garden is open year-round; teahouses have separate hours and days off.
- Access, bus stop and garden entranceTake the Right Loop from Kanazawa Station east-side stand 7 to Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa Castle, then walk about five minutes to Katsurazaka entrance (桂坂口). If getting off at Hirosaka/21st Century Museum, the nearer entrance is Mayumizaka (真弓坂口), a different entrance. These garden itineraries use Katsurazaka.
- Free early opening and walking routesThe fees and hours above are for regular paid visits. Check the facility guide separately for entrances and exit conditions during free early opening. Assess stairs, gravel and slopes according to your group's access needs.
- What to seeExplore paths among ponds, hills, pavilions and trees.
Official Kenrokuen visiting guideAccess to Kenrokuen's entrancesHokutetsu loop-bus stops and faresKenrokuen garden layout
Omicho Market
近江町市場
Omicho Market brings together fish, vegetable and fruit shops and restaurants. Choose a seafood lunch, then browse the market. Plan your visit around your preferred restaurant's hours.
- Getting there from the stationKanazawa's official tourism guide lists Omicho Market as about a 12-minute walk from the station's east side. You can also take a bus to Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market. Allow extra time for browsing, eating and shopping.
- Individual shop hours and closuresThe official tourism guide gives general hours of 9 am–4 pm, but individual shops vary. Check for Wednesday and New Year closures. For an evening visit, check the hours of the shop you want to visit.
- What to seeThe market brings together fish, vegetable and fruit stalls and restaurants, with options including seafood rice bowls and sushi.
Kanazawa Tourism Association: market guide
Higashi Chaya District
ひがし茶屋街
Higashi Chaya's lanes are lined with traditional teahouse buildings, machiya cafés and gold-leaf craft shops. Stop for matcha and wagashi while exploring. Admission to teahouse interiors and individual shop hours vary.
- Bus stop, outdoor lanes and indoor visitsThe official tourism guide lists the district as about a five-minute walk from Hashibacho bus stop. Walking the outdoor lanes and entering a paid teahouse are separate activities. Check admission and hours for each interior you want to visit.
- Returning to the station and choosing shopsThis itinerary continues on the Right Loop from Hashibacho, outside Kinjoro, via Kenrokuen, Korinbo and Omicho Market to Kanazawa Station. The return leg is longer than the outward ride, so check the service against your next activity. Choose teahouses and shops after checking that they are open that day.
- What to seeExplore lanes lined with traditional teahouse buildings, machiya cafés and gold-leaf craft shops.
Official tourism guide: Higashi Chaya DistrictHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
Nagamachi Samurai District
長町武家屋敷跡界隈
Nagamachi retains old earthen walls and stone lanes. Walk through the former samurai neighbourhood; if you want to see inside a residence, check that property's admission and opening hours.
- Bus stop, neighbourhood walk and residence admissionThe official tourism guide lists the district as about a five-minute walk from Korinbo bus stop. A walk through the streets and admission to individual residences are separate. Check each property's hours before choosing a paid indoor visit.
- Return bus and lunchAfter walking through Nagamachi, return to the Right Loop stop at Korinbo, outside the former Bank of Japan building, for Kanazawa Station. This is a different stop from the Left Loop outside Atrio. You can plan lunch in Korinbo or Katamachi; check hours, bookings and prices with your chosen restaurant.
- What to seeThis former samurai neighbourhood has old earthen walls and stone lanes.
Official tourism guide: Nagamachi Samurai DistrictHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
Yamanaka Onsen
山中温泉
After city sightseeing, unwind at a hotel in Yamanaka Onsen. A two-night stay leaves a middle day for a short riverside walk and time at the hotel. Take a train to Kagaonsen Station, then change to a local bus or a booked hotel shuttle.
- Bus from Kagaonsen StationYamanaka Onsen is reached by bus from Kagaonsen Station. The tourism association directs passengers to Yamanaka Onsen services from stand 2. Check fares and services for your travel date with the bus operator below.
- Train fares and suspended direct busThe ordinary train from Kanazawa to Kagaonsen runs on IR Ishikawa Railway. The regular adult fare is JPY 880 one way or JPY 1,760 return over the same section. This excludes the Shinkansen and the bus to the onsen. IR's official fare table was revised on 14 March 2026; it states that fares were unchanged apart from the addition of Shikibu Station. Check trains for your travel date and the bus stop for your hotel separately. The direct bus from Kanazawa was suspended after its last service on 31 July 2023. Check the latest service notice before planning to use a direct bus.
- One night or two at the onsenOhanami Kyubei, the example hotel in these itineraries, has check-in at 3 pm and check-out at 11 am. On a one-night stay, enjoy the baths and dinner on arrival, then return to Kanazawa the next morning. A two-night stay leaves the middle day for a nearby riverside walk and rest at the hotel. Arrange meal times with the hotel at check-in. Rooms and meals depend on your booked plan; accommodation and meals are separate from the itinerary's transport and admission subtotal.
- Booked shuttle or local busIf you choose Ohanami Kyubei's free shuttle, book it separately by the day before. Select a shuttle that connects with your train from the hotel's official access guide. The journey takes about 25 minutes. The shuttle does not run without bookings. Return shuttles can be requested from check-in until breakfast the following morning; for a longer stay, confirm a service for your actual check-out date with the hotel. The hotel shuttle departs from its pick-up area at the station's south exit; local buses use stand 2. If you choose a local bus, add its fare and the walk to your hotel separately.
Yamanaka Onsen: official access guideCurrent Kaga local bus guideIR official ordinary-train fare tableHotel stay and luggage storage FAQHotel access and shuttle pick-up guide
Kakusenkei Gorge
鶴仙渓
Kakusenkei's riverside walking trail runs about 1.3 km from Korogi Bridge to Kurotani Bridge. Look into the gorge from a bridge or walk a short section near your hotel. The riverside tea seating operates seasonally and depends on the weather.
- Kawadoko riverside tea seating feesKakusenkei Kawadoko · 鶴仙渓 川床 Regular tea seating costs JPY 700 for adults or JPY 600 for primary school children, including Kaga bocha roasted tea. Dessert sets cost JPY 1,000 and JPY 900 respectively. Apply partner-hotel guest discounts only after checking the hotel and required proof. Kawadoko fees are separate from the riverside-walk itinerary subtotal below.
- Kawadoko hours, closures and weather restrictionsKawadoko is open from 9:30 am to 4 pm from 1 April to 31 October and from 10 am to 3 pm in November, with last orders 15 minutes before closing. It closes from December to March and has irregular closing days in November. Service is suspended in rain or high river water. Seats cannot be reserved.
- Short walks and reaching the tea seatingKawadoko is below Ayatori Bridge, about 850 m from Yamanaka Onsen Bus Terminal; the official recommended guide allows about 15 minutes on foot. Ohanami Kyubei's nearby-sights guide lists Kawadoko as about 20 minutes away and Korogi Bridge as about seven minutes away. The riverside trail from Korogi Bridge to Kurotani Bridge is about 1.3 km. The three-night and four-night itineraries with two nights at the onsen use a short section near the hotel and return along the same path. Allow more time to reach Kawadoko or walk the full trail.
- From the hotel to the walking trailKorogi Bridge is about a seven-minute walk from Ohanami Kyubei. Walk a nearby section of the trail from the bridge, then return the same way. Allow extra time and plan your route separately if continuing to Ayatori Bridge or starting at another hotel. Check stairs and access notices on site.
- What to seeThe riverside trail runs about 1.3 km from Korogi Bridge to Kurotani Bridge. The itineraries with two nights at the hotel do not cover the full trail.
Kaga official tourism: Kakusenkei Kawadoko fees and hoursKaga official tourism: riverside guideOhanami Kyubei: nearby sights and access to Korogi BridgeYamanaka Onsen: official sights and walking-trail guideKakusenkei walking trail and bridges
Frequently asked questions
What time does Kenrokuen close in October?
It closes at 6 pm through 15 October and at 5 pm from 16 October. Last admission is 5:30 pm and 4:30 pm respectively.
How much does city sightseeing cost including garden admission?
For one adult paying regular fares, Kenrokuen admission is JPY 320. Admission plus two loop-bus rides totals JPY 760, or JPY 980 with three rides. Garden admission plus a bus day pass totals JPY 1,120. Three bus fares cost JPY 660 and the day pass costs JPY 800, so compare actual rides and eligible routes. Accommodation, meals, trains, onsen facilities and admission to individual residences are separate.
Official Kenrokuen visiting guideHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
Which bus stops should I use for Higashi Chaya and Nagamachi?
For Higashi Chaya, take the Right Loop to Hashibacho outside Kinjoro, then walk about five minutes. For Nagamachi, take the Left Loop to Korinbo outside Atrio, then walk about five minutes. To return from Nagamachi to the station, use the station-bound Right Loop at Korinbo outside the former Bank of Japan building. The two Korinbo stops have different directions and boarding locations.
Official tourism guide: Higashi Chaya DistrictOfficial tourism guide: Nagamachi Samurai DistrictHokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares
Is Kakusenkei's riverside tea seating open in winter?
Kawadoko closes from December to March. Hours are 9:30 am–4 pm from April to October and 10 am–3 pm in November, with last orders 15 minutes before closing. Service is suspended in rain or high river water; November has irregular closing days. Regular adult tea seating costs JPY 700 and a dessert set JPY 1,000, separate from the riverside-walk itinerary subtotal.
Sources and dates checked
- Access to Kenrokuen's entrances ·
- Official Kenrokuen visiting guide ·
- Kanazawa Tourism Association: market guide ·
- Official tourism guide: Higashi Chaya District ·
- Official tourism guide: Nagamachi Samurai District ·
- IR official ordinary-train fare table ·
- Yamanaka Onsen: official access guide ·
- Current Kaga local bus guide ·
- Kaga official tourism: riverside guide ·
- Hokutetsu loop-bus stops and fares ·
- Hotel access and shuttle pick-up guide ·
- Hotel stay and luggage storage FAQ ·
- Yamanaka Onsen: official sights and walking-trail guide ·
- Ohanami Kyubei: nearby sights and access to Korogi Bridge ·
- Kaga official tourism: Kakusenkei Kawadoko fees and hours ·
- Kenrokuen garden layout ·
- Kakusenkei walking trail and bridges ·