How should you divide the nights of a five-day Ishikawa trip?
For Kenrokuen, Nagamachi and an extra rest day at the hot spring hotel, stay two nights each in Kanazawa and Yamanaka. With three Kanazawa nights and one hot spring night, visit the market, Kenrokuen and Higashi Chaya on separate days, then spend your final night at the hot springs. Nagamachi is excluded from the three-city-night route. The transport and admission costs below exclude accommodation and meals. Allow separate time for airport travel and procedures.
Choose a 4 nights, 5 days itinerary
Two city nights, two hot spring nights
For the garden, samurai district and an extra day at the hot springs, stay two nights each in Kanazawa and Yamanaka. Move to the hot springs after city sightseeing, then spend the middle day on a nearby riverside walk or resting at the hotel.
Two city nights, two hot spring nights →4 nights, 5 days BThree city nights, one hot spring night
Spend five days with separate days for the market, garden and teahouse district, then one night at the hot springs. Stay three nights in Kanazawa, with a full day for Higashi Chaya. To add Nagamachi, see the optional route on the garden day below.
Three city nights, one hot spring night →Two city nights, two hot spring nights
For the garden, samurai district and an extra day at the hot springs, stay two nights each in Kanazawa and Yamanaka. Move to the hot springs after city sightseeing, then spend the middle day on a nearby riverside walk or resting at the hotel.
Day 1: Omicho Market and a Kanazawa stay
Choose a seafood lunch at Omicho Market on arrival, then browse fish, vegetable and fruit stalls. Afterwards, stay near Kanazawa Station.
- Kanazawa Station east plaza → Omicho Market on foot or by left loop bus
Walk about 12 minutes from Kanazawa Station’s east plaza to Omicho Market. Alternatively, take the left loop bus from east-side stand 7 to Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market, in front of Ichibakan. The adult one-way fare is JPY 220; add bus fares to the walking-return cost basis below if taking the bus.
Official Omicho Market tourism guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQ
- Omicho Market → Open restaurants and market shops
The market’s general hours are around 09:00–16:00, but individual restaurants and shops differ. Have lunch at an open restaurant and browse in the afternoon. Meals and shopping cost extra. More shops tend to close on Wednesdays.
- Omicho Market, in front of M’za Kuromon Koji → Kanazawa Station → nearby hotel
Retrace your walk to the station’s east plaza, or take the station-bound right loop bus from Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market in front of M’za Kuromon Koji. The right loop has several stops around the market; distinguish this from the left loop stop where you arrived. Choose an open restaurant near the station for dinner.
Hotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
Market shops have different opening days and closing times. If arriving late, have dinner near the station. You can visit the market the next day, but then rearrange Kenrokuen and your station departure too. Market transport costs JPY 0 if walking both ways, or JPY 440 for an adult taking one left loop and one right loop ride. Meals and accommodation are excluded.
Day 2: Kenrokuen, Nagamachi and back to your hotel
Walk among Kenrokuen’s ponds and trees, then explore Nagamachi’s earthen-walled lanes. Return to the same Kanazawa hotel after both visits.
- Station east-side stand 7, right loop → Kenrokuen-shita RL6
Take the Kanazawa Loop Bus right loop from east-side stand 7 to Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa Castle, opposite Ishikawa Gate. Check that you are using the right loop stop.
Hokutetsu loop bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQ
- Kenrokuen-shita RL6 → Katsurazaka entrance → garden
Walk about five minutes to Katsurazaka entrance and pay general adult admission of JPY 320. After your morning visit and break, return to the same RL6 stop.
Access by Kenrokuen entranceOfficial Kenrokuen visitor guide
- After the garden, RL6 right loop stop → Korinbo, former Bank of Japan stop → Nagamachi
Continue on the right loop to Korinbo in front of the former Bank of Japan. The tourism association gives about five minutes’ walking to Nagamachi and roughly 60 minutes for its lanes. Lunch and house interiors are extra.
Hokutetsu loop bus stops and faresOfficial Nagamachi tourism guide
- Korinbo in front of the former Bank of Japan → Right loop → Kanazawa Station
Return to the right loop stop in front of the former Bank of Japan and ride via Minamicho and Omicho Market to Kanazawa Station. Day two has three rides at JPY 660 for an adult, less than the JPY 800 day pass.
- Alight from the bus at Kanazawa Station → Same hotel
Cross the station’s east plaza back to Hotel Kanazawa.
Outdoor lane walks differ from paid house interiors. Add both time and fees for an interior visit.
Day 3: Via Kagaonsen Station to your hot spring hotel
Move from Kanazawa to your hot spring hotel today. Connect an IR local train with a reserved hotel transfer.
- Kanazawa Station, IR local train → Kagaonsen Station
Take an IR Ishikawa Railway local train to Kagaonsen Station. The general adult one-way fare is JPY 880; this is separate from the Shinkansen. Choose a travel-date train that fits your reserved hotel transfer.
Official current IR timetables and station checksOfficial IR ordinary fare table
- Kagaonsen Station south exit → Hotel transfer boarding area → Ohanami Kyubei
From the south ticket gates, head to the hotel transfer boarding area, separate from scheduled bus stand 2. Give your name to the driver with a pink flag bearing Ohanami Kyubei’s name. Reserve the free transfer separately by the previous day; it does not run without reservations.
- Hot spring hotel → Hot springs and a rest at your hotel
Rest at your hot spring hotel in the afternoon. Use the baths and meals according to your booked accommodation plan.
Hotel facilities and luggage storage FAQHotel access and transfer boarding guide
Request the hotel transfer separately from your room booking. If choosing another property, adjust travel to its access and transfer conditions.
Day 4: Stay at the hot springs and walk near Korogi Bridge
Rest at the same hot spring hotel today before your second night. For riverside scenery, walk near Korogi Bridge in daylight. Stay at the hotel if rain, snow or access restrictions prevent the walk.
- Ohanami Kyubei → Korogi Bridge → nearby riverside section
Ohanami Kyubei’s official local guide gives about seven minutes on foot to Korogi Bridge (こおろぎ橋). Ask reception about the current route and access before heading there in daylight. Follow path signs along a nearby section. The full Korogi → Ayatori → Kurotani bridge path is 1.3 kilometres. Today’s route uses only the section near your hotel before returning; choose a turnaround point suited to the stairs, path conditions and your group’s fitness.
Ohanami Kyubei local sights and Korogi Bridge accessOfficial Yamanaka Onsen attractions and walking paths
- Retrace your Kakusenkei walk → Korogi Bridge → Ohanami Kyubei
Retrace your walk from the chosen turnaround point to Korogi Bridge. Return to the same hotel for your booked meal and bath times. Allow the roughly seven-minute hotel-to-bridge walk plus the riverside walk and return when planning meals. Riverside tea seating, cafés and paid facilities cost extra.
Ohanami Kyubei local sights and Korogi Bridge accessOfficial Yamanaka Onsen attractions and walking paths
Ask your hotel whether the room and baths remain available during the day between nights and whether meals are included. Rest at the hotel instead of walking if the riverside path is restricted or winds and rain are strong. There are no bus or train side trips today.
Day 5: From the hot spring hotel to Kanazawa
Leave your hot spring hotel and return to Kanazawa by hotel transfer and IR local train.
- Reserved hotel transfer → Kagaonsen Station south exit
Take your reserved free return transfer to Kagaonsen Station. The hotel’s official request window runs from check-in until breakfast the next morning. For two nights, ask at check-in about the transfer on your actual check-out date and its booking deadline. Scheduled buses are separate.
- Kagaonsen Station, IR local train → Kanazawa Station
Take a Kanazawa-bound IR local train from Kagaonsen to Kanazawa Station. The general adult one-way fare is JPY 880. Choose a travel-date service allowing time to buy tickets and reach the platform after the hotel transfer arrives.
Official current IR timetables and station checksOfficial IR ordinary fare table
- Kanazawa Station → Onward train ticket gates and platform
Head to your onward train’s ticket gates and platform. Leave time to move through the station between arriving and departing.
Choose the return transfer and onward train together. Any extra city visit needs both sightseeing bus journeys to fit before your onward departure.
Included: The subtotal includes Kenrokuen admission at JPY 320, three city bus rides at JPY 220 each and two IR journeys at JPY 880 each. Walk to the market on day one and along the nearby riverside during your stay. It assumes staying guests reserve a free hotel transfer in advance.
Extras and conditions: Accommodation, meals, separate hotel luggage storage, paid houses, riverside facilities, long-distance departure travel and additional buses cost extra.
For one general adult: Kenrokuen JPY 320 + three loop bus rides JPY 660 + Kanazawa–Kagaonsen IR return JPY 1,760 = JPY 2,740. Walk both ways to the market on day one; hotel transfers assume free use by staying guests who reserve in advance. Accommodation, meals, separate hotel luggage storage, paid houses, riverside facilities and long-distance departure travel cost extra. Add costs for scheduled buses to your hotel or additional facilities.
Official Kenrokuen visitor guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and faresOfficial IR ordinary fare tableHotel access and transfer boarding guide
Three city nights, one hot spring night
Spend five days with separate days for the market, garden and teahouse district, then one night at the hot springs. Stay three nights in Kanazawa, with a full day for Higashi Chaya. To add Nagamachi, see the optional route on the garden day below.
Day 1: Omicho Market and a Kanazawa stay
Choose a seafood lunch at Omicho Market on arrival, then browse fish, vegetable and fruit stalls. Afterwards, stay near Kanazawa Station.
- Kanazawa Station east plaza → Omicho Market on foot or by left loop bus
Walk about 12 minutes from Kanazawa Station’s east plaza to Omicho Market. Alternatively, take the left loop bus from east-side stand 7 to Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market, in front of Ichibakan. The adult one-way fare is JPY 220; add bus fares to the walking-return cost basis below if taking the bus.
Official Omicho Market tourism guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQ
- Omicho Market → Open restaurants and market shops
The market’s general hours are around 09:00–16:00, but individual restaurants and shops differ. Have lunch at an open restaurant and browse in the afternoon. Meals and shopping cost extra. More shops tend to close on Wednesdays.
- Omicho Market, in front of M’za Kuromon Koji → Kanazawa Station → nearby hotel
Retrace your walk to the station’s east plaza, or take the station-bound right loop bus from Musashigatsuji/Omicho Market in front of M’za Kuromon Koji. The right loop has several stops around the market; distinguish this from the left loop stop where you arrived. Choose an open restaurant near the station for dinner.
Hotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
Market shops have different opening days and closing times. If arriving late, have dinner near the station. You can visit the market the next day, but then rearrange Kenrokuen and your station departure too. Market transport costs JPY 0 if walking both ways, or JPY 440 for an adult taking one left loop and one right loop ride. Meals and accommodation are excluded.
Day 2: Kenrokuen and the return to the city
Walk Kenrokuen’s paths linking ponds and pavilions today. After the garden and lunch, return to the same hotel near Kanazawa Station. Explore Higashi Chaya the next day.
- Hotel → Kanazawa Station east-side stand 7 → Right loop → Kenrokuen-shita RL6
Take the Kanazawa Loop Bus right loop from east-side stand 7 to 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 desk
Alight from the right loop at Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa Castle (兼六園下・金沢城), opposite Ishikawa Gate. The official guide gives about five minutes on foot to Katsurazaka entrance (桂坂口). Distinguish Kanazawa Castle’s Ishikawa Gate from the garden entrance and follow the garden ticket signs.
Access by Kenrokuen entranceHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
- Kenrokuen entrance → Garden visit, lunch and a break
General adult admission is JPY 320. Explore the garden and allow time for lunch and a break. Hours are 07:00–18:00, last admission 17:30, from 1 March to 15 October; 08:00–17:00, last admission 16:30, from 16 October to the end of February. Teahouses and meals are excluded from admission.
- Katsurazaka → RL6 right loop stop → Kanazawa Station → hotel
Retrace your walk from Katsurazaka to RL6 and continue on the right loop via Korinbo and Omicho Market to Kanazawa Station. Distinguish it from the left loop stop opposite. If staying at Hotel Kanazawa, cross the east plaza back to your hotel. Allow separate time for visiting, meals and bus waits. To add Nagamachi that day, alight from the right loop at Korinbo in front of the former Bank of Japan, walk about five minutes to the district, then use the same station-bound stop afterwards. Three rides cost JPY 660 for an adult, or JPY 980 with garden admission. This differs from the two-ride subtotal below.
Hokutetsu loop bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQOfficial Nagamachi tourism guide
Choose a bus that reaches the garden before last admission. Adding Nagamachi requires one more bus ride and time for the visit.
Day 3: Higashi Chaya district walk
Alight at Hashibacho for Higashi Chaya’s teahouse buildings and lanes. After cafés or craft shops, return to your hotel near Kanazawa Station.
- East-side stand 7, right loop → Hashibacho, in front of Kinjohro
Take the Kanazawa Loop Bus right loop from east-plaza stand 7 to Hashibacho in front of Kinjohro. The ride takes about 13 minutes; waiting and walking from the stop to the district are extra.
Hokutetsu loop bus stops and faresOfficial Higashi Chaya tourism guide
- Hashibacho, in front of Kinjohro → 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 chosen shops
Walk the outdoor lanes in the afternoon. For tea or a historic-house interior, check that facility’s hours and fees. Outdoor walking and admission to teahouses or historic houses have different costs.
- Hashibacho in front of Kinjohro, right loop → Kanazawa Station → hotel
Retrace your walk to Hashibacho in front of Kinjohro and continue on the right loop via Kenrokuen, Korinbo and Omicho Market to Kanazawa Station. The return is longer than the outward section, so check your bus first. Return to the same hotel to rest.
Hokutetsu loop bus stops and faresHotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQ
Distinguish outdoor walking from tea and paid historic-house visits. The right loop from Hashibacho back to the station is longer than the outward ride.
Day 4: Via Kagaonsen Station to your hot spring hotel
Move from Kanazawa to your hot spring hotel today. Connect an IR local train with a reserved hotel transfer.
- Kanazawa Station, IR local train → Kagaonsen Station
Take an IR Ishikawa Railway local train to Kagaonsen Station. The general adult one-way fare is JPY 880; this is separate from the Shinkansen. Choose a travel-date train that fits your reserved hotel transfer.
Official current IR timetables and station checksOfficial IR ordinary fare table
- Kagaonsen Station south exit → Hotel transfer boarding area → Ohanami Kyubei
From the south ticket gates, head to the hotel transfer boarding area, separate from scheduled bus stand 2. Give your name to the driver with a pink flag bearing Ohanami Kyubei’s name. Reserve the free transfer separately by the previous day; it does not run without reservations.
- Hot spring hotel → Hot springs and a rest at your hotel
Rest at your hot spring hotel in the afternoon. Use the baths and meals according to your booked accommodation plan.
Hotel facilities and luggage storage FAQHotel access and transfer boarding guide
Request the hotel transfer separately from your room booking. If choosing another property, adjust travel to its access and transfer conditions.
Day 5: From the hot spring hotel to Kanazawa
Leave your hot spring hotel and return to Kanazawa by hotel transfer and IR local train.
- Reserved hotel transfer → Kagaonsen Station south exit
Take your reserved free return transfer to Kagaonsen Station. The hotel’s official request window runs from check-in until breakfast the next morning. For two nights, ask at check-in about the transfer on your actual check-out date and its booking deadline. Scheduled buses are separate.
- Kagaonsen Station, IR local train → Kanazawa Station
Take a Kanazawa-bound IR local train from Kagaonsen to Kanazawa Station. The general adult one-way fare is JPY 880. Choose a travel-date service allowing time to buy tickets and reach the platform after the hotel transfer arrives.
Official current IR timetables and station checksOfficial IR ordinary fare table
- Kanazawa Station → Onward train ticket gates and platform
Head to your onward train’s ticket gates and platform. Leave time to move through the station between arriving and departing.
Choose the return transfer and onward train together. Any extra city visit needs both sightseeing bus journeys to fit before your onward departure.
Included: The subtotal includes Kenrokuen admission at JPY 320, four city bus rides at JPY 220 each and two IR journeys at JPY 880 each. Walk both ways to the market on day one. It assumes staying guests reserve a free hotel transfer in advance.
Extras and conditions: Accommodation, meals, separate hotel luggage storage, paid houses, riverside facilities, long-distance departure travel and additional buses cost extra.
For one general adult: Kenrokuen JPY 320 + four loop bus rides JPY 880 + Kanazawa–Kagaonsen IR return JPY 1,760 = JPY 2,960. Walk both ways to the market on day one; the garden day assumes two bus rides. Hotel transfers assume free use by staying guests with advance reservations. Accommodation, meals, separate hotel luggage storage, paid houses, riverside facilities, long-distance departure travel and additional buses cost extra.
Official Kenrokuen visitor guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and faresOfficial IR ordinary fare tableHotel access and transfer boarding guide
Frequently asked questions
What are the transport and admission costs for two nights each in Kanazawa and the hot springs?
The transport and admission subtotal for one adult is JPY 2,740: Kenrokuen JPY 320, three city loop rides JPY 660 and ordinary Kanazawa–Kagaonsen IR return JPY 1,760. Walk to the market on day one and the nearby riverside section on the rest day. The example Ohanami Kyubei transfer assumes free use by staying guests with advance reservations. Accommodation, meals, paid houses, riverside tea seating and long-distance travel to Kanazawa cost extra. Add fares for scheduled buses instead of the hotel transfer or any extra sights.
Official Kenrokuen visitor guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and faresOfficial IR ordinary fare tableHotel access and transfer boarding guide
Does the three-city-night, one-hot-spring-night course visit Nagamachi?
The three-city-night course gives separate days to the market, Kenrokuen and Higashi Chaya before a hot spring night. To add Nagamachi, follow the optional route in day two’s garden return step. For Nagamachi after the garden and two nights at the hot springs, compare two city nights and two hot spring nights. Extra visits require adjusting bus rides and visiting time.
Official Nagamachi tourism guideOfficial Higashi Chaya tourism guideHokutetsu loop bus stops and fares
Sources and confirmation dates
- Access by Kenrokuen entrance ·
- Official Kenrokuen visitor guide ·
- Official Higashi Chaya tourism guide ·
- Official Nagamachi tourism guide ·
- Official IR ordinary fare table ·
- Hotel Kanazawa access and luggage storage FAQ ·
- Official Omicho Market tourism guide ·
- Hokutetsu loop bus stops and fares ·
- Hotel access and transfer boarding guide ·
- Hotel facilities and luggage storage FAQ ·
- Official Yamanaka Onsen attractions and walking paths ·
- Ohanami Kyubei local sights and Korogi Bridge access ·
- JR-West Hokuriku Area Pass coverage ·
- JR-West Hokuriku Arch Pass coverage ·
- JR-West Kansai–Hokuriku Area Pass coverage ·
- Official current IR timetables and station checks ·