1-Day Tour from Kanazawa: Shirakawa-go, Gokayama and Wood Carving Village
English
1 day
(72)
A full-day tour from Kanazawa led by a local English-speaking guide, visiting the woodcarving town of Inami, the UNESCO villages of Gokayama and Shirakawa-go, and including a hands-on washi paper making session. All transport, temple admission, and the paper-making experience are included in the tour price.
All transport between tour destinations
Admission to Zuisenji Temple in Inami
Guided walk through Inami and Shirakawa-go
Traditional Japanese washi paper-making experience
Meet your guide outside the Shinkansen ticket gates, in front of the information center marked by three large sumo wrestler figures. Look for a Snow Monkey Resorts tour tag. Please be at the meeting point by 09:00 as the tour departs on time. The bus journey to Inami takes approximately 1 hour through the mountain and plains scenery of the Hokuriku Region.
2
Nanto, Toyama
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Arrive in Inami and walk the main street, home to over 100 professional woodcarvers whose work appears on shopfronts, temple gates, and signs throughout the town. Keep an eye out for the carved cats hidden around the townscape — the town association counts 32, though many shops have added their own in unexpected locations. The walk concludes at Zuisenji Temple, originally built in the 1300s and rebuilt after a fire in 1762 by a master woodcarver from Kyoto.
3
Nanto, Toyama
Duration: 30 minutes
Enjoy a lunch break in Inami before the journey to Gokayama. Your guide will recommend local soba restaurants in the area, and guests are welcome to explore the town's shops independently during this time.
4
Ainokura, Nanto, Toyama
Duration: 2 hours
Arrive at Ainokura, one of the best-preserved villages within the Gokayama UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your guide will point out the observation spot offering wide views over the village and the surrounding mountains. Guests will then take part in a traditional Japanese washi paper-making session — learning the history and methods of the craft before completing the final step of the process themselves.
5
Ogimachi, Shirakawa, Gifu
Duration: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Arrive at the far end of Shirakawa-go's main street and begin a guided walk through the historic farming village. Your guide will cover the history of the gassho-zukuri farmhouses, their construction, and the way of life of the farming families who lived in them. The group will enter one of the thatched-roof farmhouses to see the interior up close, including the multi-story structure used historically for silk production.
1 Kinoshinbomachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Arrive back at Kanazawa Station, where the tour concludes. Please note that arrival time may fluctuate by up to 20 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Onward travel by Shinkansen or bus should not be booked before 18:45 to allow sufficient buffer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lunch is not included. A break is provided in Inami after the temple visit, during which your guide will recommend local soba restaurants. Light dining options are also available in Gokayama and Shirakawa-go for guests who prefer to eat later in the day.
Yes, the tour runs all year round. However, the washi paper making experience is not available between December 27 and January 5. Winter conditions in the mountain areas can include snow and sub-zero temperatures, so appropriate clothing is essential during the colder months.
Coin lockers are available at Kanazawa Station for guests who wish to store luggage before boarding the bus. Luggage can also be stored on the tour bus throughout the day. Guests with questions about luggage in advance should contact the tour operator directly.
If any part of the itinerary cannot proceed as scheduled due to weather, closures, or other conditions, the tour operator will arrange a suitable alternative and inform guests as early as possible.
We saw three locations, ate lunch, and made Japanese paper, all in just a few hours. Wood carving. Buddhist temple. Thatched roofs. The tour guides were knowledgeable, engaged, and excellent. The driver was gracious and positive.
Craig G
March 14, 2026
A fantastic tour led by a fantastic guide.
It surpassed our expectations. Our guide Mike was fantastic. So knowledgeable and friendly. The paper making was fun and it was great to see the wood carving village of Inami. Gokayama was also very cute and Shirakawago was also beautiful. The amount of time spent in each location was perfect. Gokayama was a great middle stop as it gave you the feel of the thatched roofed houses whereas Shirakawago was a larger scale but many more people. Again, if you get Mike as your tour guide, you’ll be in for a brilliant day.
Samson Man
February 17, 2026
Craig G
March 14, 2026
Outstanding Experience In Compact Time!
We saw three locations, ate lunch, and made Japanese paper, all in just a few hours. Wood carving. Buddhist temple. Thatched roofs. The tour guides were knowledgeable, engaged, and excellent. The driver was gracious and positive.
Samson Man
February 17, 2026
A fantastic tour led by a fantastic guide.
It surpassed our expectations. Our guide Mike was fantastic. So knowledgeable and friendly. The paper making was fun and it was great to see the wood carving village of Inami. Gokayama was also very cute and Shirakawago was also beautiful. The amount of time spent in each location was perfect. Gokayama was a great middle stop as it gave you the feel of the thatched roofed houses whereas Shirakawago was a larger scale but many more people. Again, if you get Mike as your tour guide, you’ll be in for a brilliant day.
Join and end at Kanazawa Station
Join from Kanazawa Station - Finish at Takayama Station
