Tailored Journey: A Full-Day Walking Tour in Kanazawa

I am originally from Kanazawa and I would love to customize your tour of the city just for you. Kanazawa offers a different experience from cosmopolitan cities like Tokyo and Osaka, showcasing well-preserved Japanese culture and history.

Experience details

• Destination

  Kanazawa

• Category

  City highlight tours

• Duration

  7 hours

• Mode of transport

  Walking

• Available languages

  English • 日本語

• Highlights

  • Family friendly

• What's included

  Private guide • Kids join for free

Here’s an overview of your tour

Your itinerary

• Meeting point

  Kanazawa

• Kenrokuen garden

  Kenrokuen in Kanazawa is rightly classified as one of Japan's "three most beautiful landscape gardens," alongside Mito's Kairakuen and Okayama's Korakuen. The expansive grounds originally served as the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle and were developed by the ruling Maeda family over nearly two centuries. Opened to the public in 1871, Kenrokuen showcases a variety of flowering trees that give the garden a distinct appearance with each changing season.

• Kanazawa castle park

  Kanazawa Castle served as the residence of the Maeda clan, feudal rulers of the Kaga Domain (modern-day southern Ishikawa Prefecture). The first clan lord, Maeda Toshiie, took control of the fortifications in 1583 and began reconstructing an impressive castle. Originally featuring a large keep, multiple turrets, and a palace, the structures were destroyed by fires in 1602, 1631, and 1759. The oldest surviving structure is Ishikawa-mon, a symbolic gate built in 1788 within Kanazawa Castle Park. The Hishi Yagura, Gojukken Nagaya, and Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura have been faithfully reproduced based on old drawings and documents, making it an ideal location to experience a Japanese castle.

• Samura Residential District and Nomura Samurai House

  Nagamachi was a samurai district situated at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle, where samurai and their families once lived. The area maintains a historic atmosphere with its remaining residences, earthen walls, private entrance gates, narrow lanes, and water canals. A central attraction of the district is Nomura-ke, a restored samurai residence that showcases the lifestyle and artifacts of the prosperous samurai era.

• Higashi Chaya (Geisya street)

  A chaya, or teahouse, is a special type of restaurant where guests are entertained by geisha who perform songs and dances. During the Edo Period (1603 - 1868), chaya were located in designated entertainment districts, typically just outside the city limits. You might want to try your hand at a gold leaf workshop at a gallery for a hands-on experience.

Select your local guide

Explore the city with our diverse Withlocals hosts—passionate storytellers offering unique perspectives on every tour.

• Yoji

  A Travel-Loving Samurai

  Yoji

  5.0

  51 reviews

  I speak

  English • 日本語
  Choose

Good to Know

• Tips

  • Bring a reusable water bottle to reduce plastic
  • Be mindful of sharing the real secret spots - let's keep them a secret
  • Be aware of cultural norms & be mindful

• Included

  • Private guide
  • Kids join for free

• Not included

  • Lunch for both participants and the guide
  • Entrance fee for both participants and the guide

• Cancellation

  • Receive a full refund for cancellations done 7 days before the experience date.
  • Your experience can be cancelled and fully refunded within 24 hours of purchase.

Reviews

• CandiceAbout local YojiNovember 24, 2024
  5.0

  Fabulous time

  "Yohji was fabulous. He had wonderful local knowledge especially around the best places to eat. Overall, everyone enjoyed their time with him. Highly recommended. "

• AnniceAbout local YojiOctober 22, 2024
  5.0

  One of the bedt guides in Japan

  "Yoji is a superior guide. His English is superb and he exceeded our expectations as a knowledgeable guide- willing to take us to a restaurant of our choosing for lunch. So accommodating, personable a... show more

• LoganAbout local YojiOctober 8, 2024
  5.0

  Exceptional guide Yoji!!

  "Yoji was an amazing guide for our first time in Kanazawa, his local region. He customized a full day driving tour for us for all the key sights we wanted to hit. He is super intelligent and personabl... show more