1-Day Tour from Kanazawa: Samurai, Matcha, Gardens and Geisha

Meet your guide outside the Shinkansen ticket gates, in front of the information center marked by a cut-out of four large sumo wrestlers. Look for a Snow Monkey Resorts tour tag. The Tsuzumi-mon gate, visible immediately outside the station, is the first stop for photos before the tour moves on.

Enter preserved homes that once belonged to low-ranking samurai of the Edo period. Your guide will explain the Japanese-language signage and provide historical context throughout. The tour continues along the main street of the district, lined with shops selling local crafts, including pottery and gold leaf products.

Pass through Oyama Shrine, which combines Japanese and Western architectural elements, before crossing the wooden bridge into the Kanazawa Castle grounds. The group visits the Gyokusen-an tea house for the included matcha and wagashi sweets experience, overlooking a formal garden set against the castle's stone walls.

Walk through the castle grounds with your guide, covering the history of the castle and its role in the development of Kanazawa.

Enter Kenroku-en, a traditional garden developed over 200 years by successive lords of Kanazawa. The garden features stone lanterns, ponds, tea houses, and seasonal plantings. Admission is included in the tour price.

Explore the main street independently. The street is lined with two-story wooden tea houses, some painted red — a design feature unique to Kanazawa. Local specialties, including gold leaf ice cream and regional crafts, are available along the street.

Enter Shima, a preserved geisha tea house on the main street of Higashi-chaya. Your guide will explain the history of the building and the role of geisha in Kanazawa's cultural life. Admission is included in the tour price.

Walk back to the station through the backstreets of Kazue-machi, a smaller geisha district where geisha still work today. The route passes the Omi-cho Market, where guests may end the tour independently. All other guests continue to Kanazawa Station with the guide.