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Voykit pocket guide · Japan

Kanazawa

金沢

Give Kanazawa 1–2 nights: Kenroku-en, two teahouse districts and Omicho market fit in a day and a half on foot, no car needed.

Kanazawa keeps its Edo-period shape: samurai lanes, geisha teahouses and a castle garden sit within about an hour's walk of each other. The Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo takes 2.5–3 h, so it works as a stop between Tokyo and Kansai rather than a day trip. Two nights cover the core; one night if you arrive early and leave late.

KyotoOsakaAbashiriAbikoAchiAgeoAioiAizuwakamatsuAkajimaAkashiAkiAkishimaAkitaAkitakataKanazawa500 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Japan
Local name
金沢
Best months
Apr–May, Oct–Nov
Avoid
Jan–Feb (cold, heavy snow), mid-Aug (heat and humidity)
Stay
1–2 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
JPY
Money
Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
Daily spend
Budget ¥7,000–11,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥11,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
Emergency
Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
Plugs
Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
Tipping
Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
Water
Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
Toilets
Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffee¥400–700
Seafood rice bowl at Omicho market¥1,500–3,500
Gold-leaf soft-serve ice cream¥500–900
Kenroku-en garden entry¥320
Local bus ride¥200–300
eSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

KMQ · Komatsu Airport
Bus to Kanazawa Station about 40 min, ¥1,300 (2026 estimate); some flights connect via Tokyo Haneda.

Typical fares

Komatsu Airport → Kanazawa Station, bus
about ¥1,300, about 40 min
Kanazawa → Tokyo, Hokuriku Shinkansen reserved
about ¥14,380, 2.5–3 h
Tourist loop bus, one ride / day pass
¥200 / ¥500
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The centre is compact and walkable: east (Higashiyama) to west (Teramachi) is about an hour at a stroll. City buses and a loop tourist bus cover the rest; a one-day bus pass is worth it if you ride three or more times. Bicycles rent at the station and through the Machi-Nori share scheme. Driving in the old town is a maze of one-way lanes: skip it.

See and do

Known for

  • Kenroku-en garden
  • Higashi-Chayagai geisha district
  • Nagamachi samurai district
  • Omicho market seafood
  • Gold leaf crafts

Day trips

WhereHowTime
KomatsuHokuriku Shinkansen or local train from Kanazawa StationAbout 30–45 min
KagaHokuriku Shinkansen to Kaga Onsen, then local busesAbout 1 h
NonoichiJR or local train from Kanazawa StationAbout 20 min
HakuiJR Nanao line from Kanazawa to Tsubata, then onwardAbout 1.5 h

Sleep

Kanazawa Station and Omicho market
Modern hotels, easiest with bags, market and buses on the doorstep.
Kohrinbo and Katamachi
The liveliest evening area: shops, bars and restaurants; walk to Nagamachi.
Higashi-Chayagai
Quiet lanes north of the Asano river, traditional inns and teahouses.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
Excuse me / Sorryすみませんsumimasen
Thank youありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu
This one, pleaseこれをくださいkore o kudasai
How much is it?いくらですか？ikura desu ka
Can I pay by card?カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka
Where is the toilet?トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
  • Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
  • Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
  • Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
  • Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
  • Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
  • Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
  • Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope

Scams and watch-outs

  • Kanazawa is one of Japan's wettest cities: carry an umbrella year-round, and expect snow in January and February.
  • Myōryū-ji (the 'Ninja Temple') admits visitors on guided tours only: reserve ahead, and the tour is in Japanese with an English folder.
  • Some geisha-district houses are private: check for a sign before entering.
  • National Route 157 south of the city is closed in bad weather: check before driving toward Ono.

Kanazawa is a low-crime city and safe to walk at night in the centre. The real risks are weather (rain, snow, icy lanes), narrow roads if you drive, and bars without posted prices: ask the total before you sit.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Kanazawa yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Kenroku-en garden
  • Higashi-Chayagai geisha district
  • Nagamachi samurai district
  • Omicho market seafood
  • Gold leaf crafts

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Kanazawa金沢

ここまでお願いします

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

No embassies in Kanazawa; most countries keep embassies in Tokyo and consulates in Osaka. Check your own country's list before you travel.

Tourist Information Lobby at Kanazawa Station has English-speaking staff and free maps.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/kanazawa). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.