Kanazawa Half-day Historical Walking Tour

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Kanazawa Half-day Historical Walking Tour

By MagicalTrip Inc.

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Overview

Join a tour by MagicalTrip, proud winner of the Tripadvisor Best of the Best Award. Each experience is led by a MagicalTrip Certified Guide, professionally trained and carefully selected to ensure quality and authenticity.

Kanazawa offers a unique cultural charm distinct from Tokyo and Kyoto. Known during the Edo period as “Kaga Hyakumangoku,” it was one of Japan’s largest and wealthiest cities. The ruling Maeda family invested in arts and culture rather than military power, allowing Kanazawa to develop into a rich cultural center. Largely spared from war damage, the city has preserved its samurai-era aesthetics and historic sites. On this guided tour, visit Omicho Market, known as Kanazawa’s kitchen, the beautiful Kenrokuen Garden, and the historic Higashi Chaya District with over 200 years of history. Explore hidden streets and secret viewpoints, including Japan’s oldest fountain, while gaining deep insights into Kanazawa’s history and character from a local guide.

Activity location

Kanazawa Shrine
- 1-3, KenrokumachI
- 920-0936, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

FamilyMart+Drug Komeya Kanazawa Musashi Store
- 35-1 Shimotsutsumichō
- 920-0917, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan

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Sorry this activity isn't available on Mon, Jan 26

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View the translated text (Japanese)

What's included, what's not

Kaga Yuzen Studio Visit + Mini Hands-On Experience
Historic Geisha House Admission
A Certified guide by MagicalTrip
Matcha Moment (with Sweets)
Tour Photos
Hidden Samurai Residence Admission
Kenrokuen Garden Admission

Know before you book

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please inform us at least one day before the tour if you have any dietary requests or allergies to mention.
Note: Requests made on the day of the tour cannot be accommodated.
We are unable to accommodate gluten-free requests for this tour.
Because most Japanese restaurants are not fully ready for providing vegetarian menus, our tour provides only a limited selection of vegetarian options.
Japan's climate has become more extreme, with summer highs of 40°C (110°F) and winter lows of -5°C (20°F). Please prepare accordingly for the tour. The tour might be cancelled in case of unsuitable weather for safety reasons.
The itinerary for this tour includes some locations that are not accessible by a wheelchair or baby stroller.
Out of respect for our other guests and to ensure the best tour for everyone, we must start the tour on time.
You will not be able to join the tour, get a refund or reschedule if you are late for the tour and miss the group.

Activity itinerary

Kanazawa Shrine (Pass by)

Meet your guide at the designated meeting spot In front of the large red torii gate at Kanazawa Shrine Nearest bus stop: Kokuritsu Kogeikan / Kenritsu Bijutsukan (across from the National Crafts Museum & Prefectural Museum of Art). About a 5-minute taxi ride from the Korinbo area. Your guide will be waiting with a red/orange sign that says “MagicalTrip.” The link is for Kinjo Reitaku Sacred Well, located next to the meeting point.

Kanazawa Shrine

Start at Kanazawa Shrine and see the spot tied to the origin of Kanazawa’s name Stop by Kanazawa Shrine, a beloved local spot dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, Japan’s patron of learning, and hear how the Maeda clan’s story connects here.

Kenrokuen Garden

30m
Admission ticket included

Stroll through Kenrokuen Garden, a landscape nurtured by the Kaga Domain over generations Then enjoy the calm of Kenrokuen, a garden refined by the Kaga Domain over generations, before continuing to Kanazawa Castle.

Kanazawa Castle

Walk through the Kanazawa Castle area to feel the former castle town’s core With your guide, small details you’d normally pass by—stonework, gates, and layout—suddenly click into a story.

Kanazawa

Visit a Kaga Yuzen studio to see, learn, and try the craft up close Follow a smooth route to a low-key Kaga Yuzen studio where two artisans and their apprentices are still creating by hand today. Before you go in, your guide gives you a quick, easy primer on what makes Kaga Yuzen special—what to notice, the tools, and how the process flows. Inside the workshop, hear the craft’s mindset from a senior master, then get practical painting tips from the next generation. You’ll even try a small step yourself, sharing parts of the process as a group—so you don’t just “watch,” you actually get it.

Kanazawa

Enjoy matcha at a hidden samurai residence, with a quiet garden moment away from crowds. Then slow things down with matcha in a hidden samurai house, taking in a quiet garden many locals call Kanazawa’s best.

Kanazawa

Step inside a geisha-style house to glimpse teahouse culture from within

Higashichaya Old Town

40m
Admission ticket included

Finish in Higashi Chaya District, discovering the “iki” and “hana” of Kanazawa’s teahouse world Walk along the Asano River—once tied to the tradition of rinsing dyed fabrics—toward the soft glow of Higashi Chaya District. You’ll feel the atmosphere shift from the samurai house: more intimate and elegant, with a sense of occasion. Step inside an authentic geisha house (Shima) to learn the world of “hana” (brilliance) and “iki” (refined style) shared by geiko and their guests—sometimes even samurai.

Higashichaya Old Town (Pass by)

After the tour, your local guide will share recommendations—lunch ideas and extra experiences for morning tours, or dinner spots for afternoon tours

Location

Activity location

Kanazawa Shrine
- 1-3, KenrokumachI
- 920-0936, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

FamilyMart+Drug Komeya Kanazawa Musashi Store
- 35-1 Shimotsutsumichō
- 920-0917, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan

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