Kanazawa was the seat of the Maeda lords and kept its old districts because it was never bombed in the Second World War. In two or three days you walk the Higashi Chaya teahouse lanes, the Nagamachi samurai streets and Kenrokuen garden, and eat seafood bowls at Omicho market. It is 2 h 30 m from Tokyo by Hokuriku Shinkansen, or about 2 h from Osaka with a change at Tsuruga. Most sights are walkable or on the loop bus.
Compare Kanazawa with another place →
When to go
April (cherry blossom) and October–November (autumn colour) are the best and busiest. Winter is snowy and quiet, with the garden's rope-supported pines and crab season. June is the rainy season and July–August are hot and humid.
Kanazawa right now and the next 7 days
Loading the forecast…
Kanazawa on the map
Tap anything in the list: the map zooms straight to it. Tap your starting city to see the way there.
The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Kanazawa · Open in Google Maps ↗
Map by Google. Places are found by name, so check the exact spot in Google Maps before you go.
Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Prices are per the way you travel, not a package.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Page updated 18 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Kanazawa in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Kenrokuen garden2 h · ₹190 each · ¥320 adults, ¥100 ages 6–17. Opens 7:00 March–October, 8:00 November–February. Some gates allow free early entry.
- 13:30Lunch break
- 14:30Higashi Chaya district and a teahouse2 h · ₹440 each · Lanes are free. Kaikaro teahouse tour ¥750. Go early before the tour groups.
- 08:00Kanazawa Castle Park1 h 30 m · ₹190 each · Grounds free; turrets and storehouse ¥320, or ¥500 with Kenrokuen.
- 10:00Nagamachi samurai district and Nomura house1 h 30 m · ₹320 each · Nomura house ¥550. Matcha and a sweet in its tea room ¥500.
- 12:0021st Century Museum of Contemporary Art2 h · ₹700 each · Free zone costs nothing. Exhibition ¥1,200 (¥1,000 online) from 31 Oct 2026. Closed Mondays.
- 14:30Lunch break
- 15:30Myoryuji ninja temple1 h · ₹700 each · ¥1,200, guided tours only. A temple full of trap doors and hidden stairs.
- 08:00Day trip: D.T. Suzuki MuseumHalf day · ₹180 each · Walk from Kenrokuen (In town)
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Kanazawa
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Shinkansen
₹8,340About ¥14,380 for a reserved seat; Kagayaki is reserved-only. Book on JR East's site or at the station.
Shinkansen
₹7,830About ¥13,500 unreserved. More stops, but you can just turn up.
Limited express + Shinkansen Cheapest
₹5,690About ¥9,810 reserved. JR West's Hokuriku one-way ticket for foreign visitors is ¥8,000; check eligibility.
Getting around once you're there
One-day bus pass
₹460¥800 (children ¥400). Unlimited city buses in the centre and discounts at many sights.
Loop bus, single ride
₹130¥220. Buy the day pass if you ride four times.
On foot
FreeKenrokuen, the castle, Higashi Chaya, Omicho and Nagamachi are all within about 2 km of each other.
Where to stay in Kanazawa
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Business hotel
₹6,000/nightAbout ¥6,000–15,000 a room. Kanazawa adds a ¥200 per person per night tax for rooms ¥5,000–19,999.
Machiya
₹8,100/nightAbout ¥8,000–20,000 for the whole house, self-catering. Good for families.
Ryokan, two meals
₹17,400/nightFrom about ¥15,000 a person with dinner and breakfast. ¥500 per person tax at ¥20,000 and up.
What to eat, and what it costs
Kanazawa curry
₹500¥750–1,000 for katsu curry on thick dark roux, the city's cheap classic.
Kaisendon at Omicho market
₹1,280About ¥1,800–2,800 for a bowl of raw seafood on rice. Go before 11 am.
Oden
₹200¥150–500 a piece. Kanazawa oden includes crab in winter.
Jibu-ni
₹580¥800–1,200. Duck or chicken stewed in a thick sauce; a Kaga speciality.
Things to do in Kanazawa
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Kenrokuen garden
₹190¥320 adults, ¥100 ages 6–17. Opens 7:00 March–October, 8:00 November–February. Some gates allow free early entry.
Higashi Chaya district and a teahouse
₹440Lanes are free. Kaikaro teahouse tour ¥750. Go early before the tour groups.
Kanazawa Castle Park
₹190Grounds free; turrets and storehouse ¥320, or ¥500 with Kenrokuen.
Nagamachi samurai district and Nomura house
₹320Nomura house ¥550. Matcha and a sweet in its tea room ¥500.
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
₹700Free zone costs nothing. Exhibition ¥1,200 (¥1,000 online) from 31 Oct 2026. Closed Mondays.
Myoryuji ninja temple
₹700¥1,200, guided tours only. A temple full of trap doors and hidden stairs.
Day trips and next stops
Shirakawa-go
₹1,620Highway bus from Kanazawa Station
Osaka & Kansai
₹5,690Shinkansen + Thunderbird
Tokyo
₹8,340Hokuriku Shinkansen
D.T. Suzuki Museum
₹180Walk from Kenrokuen
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- The Noto Peninsula north of Kanazawa was hit by a major earthquake and floods in 2024. Check what is open before heading there.
- Kagayaki trains are reserved-only. In cherry blossom and autumn weeks, book seats days ahead.
- Higashi Chaya's geisha houses are private. Don't photograph or follow geiko in the street.
Ways to spend less
- Buy the ¥800 one-day bus pass. It also gets you discounts at many sights.
- Use Kenrokuen's free early-morning entry and have the garden almost to yourself.
- Eat Kanazawa curry for lunch and save the seafood splurge for one Omicho breakfast.
Before-you-go checklist
Kanazawa in pictures
Tap a photo to see it full size.
Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Kanazawa?
Apr–May, Oct–Nov is the best time. April (cherry blossom) and October–November (autumn colour) are the best and busiest. Winter is snowy and quiet, with the garden's rope-supported pines and crab season. June is the rainy season and July–August are hot and humid.
How do I reach Kanazawa?
Shinkansen: Tokyo → Kanazawa, Kagayaki (reserved), 2 h 28 m, about ₹8,340 one way. Shinkansen: Tokyo → Kanazawa, Hakutaka (unreserved), About 3 h, about ₹7,830 one way. Limited express + Shinkansen: Osaka → Tsuruga (Thunderbird) → Kanazawa, 2 h 10 m, about ₹5,690 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Kanazawa cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹12,600 on a shoestring, ₹25,200 mid-range or ₹51,000 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is limited express + shinkansen (Osaka → Tsuruga (Thunderbird) → Kanazawa) at about ₹5,690 each way.
How many days do you need in Kanazawa?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Kenrokuen garden, Higashi Chaya district and a teahouse, Kanazawa Castle Park, Nagamachi samurai district and Nomura house without rushing.
Is Kanazawa good for families or solo travellers?
Kanazawa works best for solo, couples, groups, families. Solo travellers find it easy and cheap.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Kanazawa?
Harder than it looks: most broths use dashi made with fish. Look for shojin (Buddhist temple) cooking, cafés and the few vegan places in the centre; at convenience stores, onigiri with umeboshi or kombu are vegetarian.
Will my phone and cards work in Kanazawa?
Buy an eSIM before you fly or a data SIM at Tokyo or Osaka airports. Hotels, stations, convenience stores and most shops take cards and IC cards (Suica/ICOCA). Japan is still part-cash. Keep yen for market stalls, small restaurants and the bus.
Guides for Kanazawa
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
Sources and last check
Checked 11 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- selfguidejapan.comFees and hours checked 29 Sep 2026: loop bus ¥220, day pass ¥800; Kenrokuen ¥320/¥100; castle interior ¥320 or ¥500 with Kenrokuen; 21st Century Museum exhibition ¥1,200 (¥1,000 online) from 31 Oct 2026; Nomura house ¥550, tea ¥500; Kaikaro ¥750; Shirakawa-go bus ¥2,800; accommodation tax ¥200/¥500; Tokyo 2 h 24 min, Osaka ~2 h
- tourismattractions.net2026 admission table: Kenrokuen hours, Myoryuji ¥1,200, D.T. Suzuki ¥310, Nomura hours, 21st Century Museum closed Mondays, one-day bus pass ¥800 with discounts, free sites
- roamjapan.comUpdated 16 Oct 2026: Kanazawa curry ¥750–1,000, kaisendon ¥1,800–2,800, oden ¥150–500, jibu-ni ¥800–1,200, daily food budgets
- shinkansentickets.netKagayaki reserved ¥14,380, 2 h 28 min, reserved-only; Hakutaka ¥13,500–14,580 with unreserved cars (via search summary)
- gltjp.comOsaka–Kanazawa via Tsuruga ¥9,810 reserved, about 2 h 10 min (2026)
- kanazawastation.comJR West Hokuriku one-way ticket ¥8,000 for eligible foreign visitors
- milehacker.comHostels ¥2,500–5,000, business hotels ¥6,000–15,000, ryokan/machiya ¥15,000–60,000+ (undated, via search summary)
- japanuncharted.comRyokan from about ¥15,000 per person with two meals; budget machiya ¥8,000–20,000 self-catering (via search summary)
Similar underrated places
Takayama & the Hida RegionA preserved Edo-era old town, a working morning market and thatched-roof villages in the Japan Alps — at a…From ₹3,200/day · Apr–May, Oct–Nov
GyeongjuA thousand-year royal capital where grassy burial mounds the size of hills sit between the cafés, and the…From ₹4,500/day · Apr–May, Oct–Nov
TainanA 1624 Dutch fort, Taiwan's first Confucius temple from 1665, and a street-food breakfast for under ₹200,…From ₹2,000/day · Jan–Mar, Nov–DecMake the plan yours
Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 18 October 2026 · Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · source · Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · source · Photo: Balon Greyjoy · CC0 · source · Photo: Fumihiko Ueno · CC BY 3.0 · source · Photo: User: (WT-shared) Jpatokal at wts wikivoyage · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
