Which Ishikawa attractions should I choose?
Walk among Kenrokuen's ponds and trees for garden scenery. Choose Omicho Market for a seafood lunch and browsing. Higashi Chaya's teahouse buildings and Nagamachi's earthen walls and stone lanes offer different historic streets. For hot spring rest and riverside walks, stay in Yamanaka and explore a short nearby Kakusenkei section.
Attraction admission, hours and access
Kenrokuen Garden
兼六園
Walk slowly among Kenrokuen's ponds and trees, following paths between hills and pavilions. From 16 October, closing moves an hour earlier, from 18:00 to 17:00.
- AdmissionRegular individual admission is JPY 320 for ages 18 and older and JPY 100 for ages 6–17. Check official visiting guidance for free-opening dates and reductions.
- Seasonal hours and closures1 March–15 October: 07:00–18:00, last entry 17:30. 16 October–end of February: 08:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. The garden opens year-round; teahouse hours and closing days are separate.
- Access, bus stop and garden entranceTake the right loop from Kanazawa Station east exit bay 7 to Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa Castle, then walk about 5 minutes to Katsurazaka entrance (桂坂口). If getting off at Hirosaka/21st Century Museum, the nearby entrance is Mayumizaka (真弓坂口), a different entrance. This page's garden itinerary uses Katsurazaka.
- Free early opening and walking pathsThe fees and hours above apply to regular paid visits. Check facility guidance separately for entrances and exit conditions during free early opening. Assess steps, gravel and slopes for your group's mobility needs.
- What to seeExplore garden paths among ponds, hills, pavilions and trees.
Kenrokuen official visiting guideAccess to each Kenrokuen entranceHokutetsu loop bus stops and faresKenrokuen garden layout
Omicho Market
近江町市場
Omicho Market brings together fish, vegetable and fruit stalls and restaurants. Choose a seafood lunch, then browse the market. Visit according to your preferred restaurant's hours.
- Access from the stationOfficial tourism guidance gives about a 12-minute walk from Kanazawa Station's east side, or bus access via Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market. Allow market browsing, meals and shopping time separately.
- Individual shop hours and closuresOfficial tourism guidance gives general hours of roughly 09:00–16:00, but shops vary. Check Wednesday closures and New Year holidays. For evening visits, check the hours of your chosen shop.
- What to seeBrowse fish, vegetable and fruit stalls and restaurants, with options such as seafood rice bowls and sushi.
Kanazawa Tourism Association market guide
Higashi Chaya District
ひがし茶屋街
Higashi Chaya's traditional teahouse lanes have machiya cafés and gold leaf craft shops. Take a break for matcha and wagashi while exploring. Interior teahouse fees and shop opening hours vary.
- Bus stop, outdoor walks and interior visitsOfficial tourism guidance gives about a 5-minute walk from Hashibacho bus stop. Distinguish outdoor lanes from paid teahouse interiors. Check fees and hours for each facility you want to enter.
- Return to the station and shop hoursThis itinerary continues on the right loop from Hashibacho outside Kinjoro via Kenrokuen, Korinbo and Omicho Market to Kanazawa Station. The return section is longer than the outward ride; fit actual return services around later plans. Choose teahouses and shops according to their opening that day.
- What to seeExplore lanes of traditional teahouse buildings, machiya cafés and gold leaf craft shops.
Official Higashi Chaya tourism guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
Nagamachi Samurai District
長町武家屋敷跡界隈
Nagamachi retains historic earthen walls and stone lanes. Walk the samurai district's lanes; for residence interiors, check each facility's fees and hours.
- Bus stop, street walks and residence visitsOfficial tourism guidance gives about a 5-minute walk from Korinbo stop. Distinguish street walks from individual residence admission. Check the facility's hours before choosing a paid interior visit.
- Return bus and mealsAfter Nagamachi, return to Korinbo's right loop stop outside the former Bank of Japan for Kanazawa Station. Distinguish it from the left loop stop outside Atrio. Have lunch in Korinbo or Katamachi, checking opening, reservations and prices with your chosen restaurant.
- What to seeExplore the samurai district’s historic earthen walls and stone lanes.
Official Nagamachi tourism guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
Yamanaka Onsen
山中温泉
Rest at a Yamanaka Onsen inn after city sightseeing. With two nights, leave the middle day for a nearby riverside walk and rest at your accommodation. Take a train to Kagaonsen Station, then a bus or your reserved accommodation shuttle.
- Bus from Kagaonsen StationReach this hot spring area by bus from Kagaonsen Station. The tourism association directs visitors to a Yamanaka Onsen-bound bus from station bay 2. Check fares and services for your date with the bus operator.
- Rail fares and direct bus suspensionThe local train from Kanazawa to Kagaonsen is on IR Ishikawa Railway. Regular adult fare is JPY 880 one way or JPY 1,760 return, excluding Shinkansen fares and hot spring buses. The official IR ordinary fare table was revised on 14 March 2026; it states there were no fare changes apart from the addition of Shikibu Station. Check your date's trains and accommodation bus stop separately. The direct Kanazawa bus is listed as suspended after its final service on 31 July 2023; check current service notices first if planning a direct bus.
- One hot spring night or twoOhanami Kyubei, this itinerary's accommodation example, has check-in at 15:00 and check-out at 11:00. One-night options use the baths and dinner on arrival, then return to Kanazawa the next morning. Two-night options leave a middle day for a nearby riverside walk and rest at the inn. Arrange meal times with the accommodation at check-in. Rooms and meals depend on your booked plan; accommodation and meals are separate from transport and admission subtotals.
- Reserved shuttle or local busReserve Ohanami Kyubei's free shuttle separately by the previous day. Choose a shuttle connecting with your train from the official access guide before booking. The reference ride time is about 25 minutes. It does not run without reservations. Request the return service between check-in and breakfast the following morning; for consecutive nights, confirm the actual check-out day's service with the inn. The shuttle uses the accommodation boarding area at the station's south exit; local buses use bay 2. Add fares and walking to the inn separately if taking a local bus.
Yamanaka Onsen official access guideCurrent Kaga local bus guideIR official ordinary fare tableAccommodation and luggage storage FAQAccommodation access and shuttle boarding guide
Kakusenkei Gorge
鶴仙渓
Kakusenkei has a riverside path of about 1.3 km from Korogi Bridge to Kurotani Bridge. See gorge scenery from the bridges or walk a short section near your inn. Riverside tea seating operates according to season and weather.
- Kawadoko tea seating feesKakusenkei Kawadoko · 鶴仙渓 川床 Regular tea seating costs JPY 700 for adults and JPY 600 for elementary school children, including Kaga bocha tea. Dessert sets cost JPY 1,000 and JPY 900 respectively. Check accommodation and proof requirements before applying discounts for guests of partner inns. Kawadoko tea fees are separate from riverside walking itinerary subtotals.
- Kawadoko hours, closures and suspensions1 April–31 October: 09:30–16:00. November: 10:00–15:00. Last orders are 15 minutes before closing. Closed December–March, with irregular November closing days. Rain or high river levels suspend service; seats cannot be reserved.
- Short walks and access to tea seatingKawadoko lies below Ayatori Bridge, about 850 m from Yamanaka Onsen Bus Terminal or around 15 minutes walking in official recommended guidance. Ohanami Kyubei's nearby sightseeing guide distinguishes about 20 minutes to Kawadoko from about 7 minutes to Korogi Bridge. The riverside path from Korogi to Kurotani Bridge is about 1.3 km. Four- and five-day itineraries with two hot spring nights walk only near the inn and return along the same route. Allow extra time for Kawadoko or the full path.
- From the inn to the pathKorogi Bridge is about a 7-minute walk from Ohanami Kyubei. Explore a nearby path section from the bridge and return along the same route. For Ayatori Bridge or departure from another inn, plan the route and time separately. Check on-site steps and access guidance.
- What to seeThe riverside path extends about 1.3 km from Korogi Bridge to Kurotani Bridge. Consecutive-night inn itineraries do not walk its full length.
Kaga official Kakusenkei Kawadoko fees and hoursKaga official riverside tourism guideOhanami Kyubei nearby sightseeing and Korogi Bridge accessYamanaka Onsen official attractions and path guideKakusenkei path and bridges
Frequently asked questions
When does Kenrokuen close in October?
At 18:00 through 15 October and 17:00 from 16 October. Last entry is 17:30 and 16:30 respectively.
How much is city sightseeing including garden admission?
Regular adult Kenrokuen admission is JPY 320. Including two loop bus rides gives JPY 760, or three rides JPY 980. Garden admission plus a bus day pass totals JPY 1,120. Three bus rides cost JPY 660 versus the JPY 800 pass, so compare actual ride counts and covered routes. Accommodation, meals, trains, hot spring facilities and individual residence admission cost extra.
Kenrokuen official visiting guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
Which stops should I use for Higashi Chaya and Nagamachi?
For Higashi Chaya, take the right loop to Hashibacho outside Kinjoro, then walk about 5 minutes. For Nagamachi, take the left loop to Korinbo outside Atrio, then walk about 5 minutes. Return from Nagamachi using the station-bound right loop stop at Korinbo outside the former Bank of Japan. Even with the same Korinbo name, loop directions and boarding locations differ.
Official Higashi Chaya tourism guideOfficial Nagamachi tourism guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
Can I use Kakusenkei tea seating in winter?
Kawadoko closes December–March. Hours are 09:30–16:00 in April–October and 10:00–15:00 in November; last orders are 15 minutes before closing. Rain or high river levels suspend service, and November closing days vary. Regular adult tea seating costs JPY 700 or JPY 1,000 with dessert, separate from riverside walking itinerary subtotals.
Sources and check dates
- Access to each Kenrokuen entrance ·
- Kenrokuen official visiting guide ·
- Kanazawa Tourism Association market guide ·
- Official Higashi Chaya tourism guide ·
- Official Nagamachi tourism guide ·
- IR official ordinary fare table ·
- Yamanaka Onsen official access guide ·
- Current Kaga local bus guide ·
- Kaga official riverside tourism guide ·
- Hokutetsu loop bus stops and fares ·
- Accommodation access and shuttle boarding guide ·
- Accommodation and luggage storage FAQ ·
- Yamanaka Onsen official attractions and path guide ·
- Ohanami Kyubei nearby sightseeing and Korogi Bridge access ·
- Kaga official Kakusenkei Kawadoko fees and hours ·
- Kenrokuen garden layout ·
- Kakusenkei path and bridges ·