Hafen
Kanazawa

Visit three of the most definitive attractions in Kanazawa, which together will provide you with a historical perspective of this intriguing city.

Considered one of the finest gardens in Japan, Kenrokuen was constructed over nearly two centuries by the ruling Maeda family. Designed to maximize its water features and scenic views, the gardens lie in the shadow of Kanazawa Castle. The Maeda family founded the castle even earlier and although it was destroyed by fire twice, much of it has been reconstructed using traditional techniques and materials. The turrets, the storehouse that connects them and the main gate are especially interesting, as they now appear exactly as they did in the 1850s.

Omichi Market is just as historically important, as it was created 300 years ago. It remains one of the city’s liveliest markets with displays of every type of food imaginable, although seafood is the specialty. Be sure to try whatever samples are offered.

OVERVIEW

Visit Kanazawa’s historical entertainment district to watch a traditional geisha performance and browse a public market that has been continuously operating for more than 300 years. As you walk through Higashi Chaya, the guide will describe how the district once supported a huge number of teahouses where geishas performed the classical Japanese arts of singing, dancing and playing musical instruments. Most of those teahouses have been converted into restaurants, but the geisha tradition lives on as you will discover at the Enyukai Hall cultural complex. There, rigorously trained geisha – also known as geiko in Kanazawa – will show off their legendary skills and invite you to join in fun party games. It will be an experience that harkens back to the heyday of geishas. Meandering through the Omicho Market will also reflect a former time period as it opened in 1721. Omicho remains the city’s largest and liveliest market with nearly 200 shops, many of them offering tastings.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Follow a guide through a historical district full of teahouses where geishas once performed.
• Watch an authentic geisha performance at a cultural complex.
• Converse with the geishas, play entertaining party games and make a souvenir paper fan.
• Browse a vibrant city market that has been open continuously since 1721.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Watch the traditional art of gold leaf-making, a process in which artisans pound gold into super-thin sheets that are used to decorate handicrafts, sculptures and even temples in larger installations.

The production of gold leaf began in Kanazawa in the 16th century as part of the ruling Maeda family’s push to encourage the development of arts and crafts. It is still a thriving art, as you will see by watching artisans make gold leaf through a precise process that involves a rolling mill, special paper and instruments to pound the gold. The finished product is so thin that you can see light through it and so delicate that static electricity in the air can tear it.

You can try your hand at making gold leaf and later at making wagashi, a traditional confection from bean paste that melts in the mouth. Wagashi is often shaped like animals and used in tea ceremonies, as it respects the balance of bitter and sweet.

Explore the historical side of Kanazawa, much of it centered around the castle that was once the seat of the powerful Maeda clan. Although the castle burned down twice, the samurai district located at the foot of the castle still remains.

As you walk through the atmospheric neighborhood, you will see homes where the descendants of the samurai now live and browse the former residence of a samurai that served the Maedas. Kanazawa also boasts a district where geishas were trained and performed songs and dances in teahouses. Some of the teahouses are still used for their original purpose, but most of them have been converted into restaurants and shops.

There is also a connection between the Maedas and Kenrokuen Gardens, as the clan developed the serene oasis next to the castle. The gardens were designed around ponds and waterfalls, and they are as magnificent today as they were when laid out, starting in 1620.

Spend hours in the mountain village Shirakawago, exploring at your own pace and staying as long as you like at the attractions you find most interesting. The village is best known for its farmhouses with thatched roofs that are so steep that they look like hands clasped in prayer. This gassho-zukuri style is more than an architectural curiosity; it keeps much of the heavy snow from accumulating, especially since the houses are oriented to maximize the sunlight. The roof design also leaves space for bigger attics, which the residents use to breed silkworms.

As you meander about, you will see the mulberry trees that supply the silkworms’ preferred food of mulberry leaves. UNESCO declared Shirakawago a World Heritage site because of the rare architecture, which was created to adapt to the natural environment. If you wish to shop, Shirakawa Kaido Street is an excellent starting point, as it is lined with stores selling merchandise unique to the village’s remote location.

Behold the architecture in two isolated villages that UNESCO found so unusual that it deemed them World Heritage sites. The villages of Shirakawago and Gokayama are in the remote Shogawa River Valley surrounded by high rugged mountains, a location that made them difficult to access for centuries.

To cope with the abundance of snow that falls there, the residents constructed farmhouses with steeply pitched thatched roofs to reduce the amount of snow that accumulates on them. The roof design also allows for large attics, in which the residents rear silkworms, which they feed leaves from the surrounding mulberry trees. Only one other nearby village boasts this type of architecture, known as gassho-zukuri, a style that means “constructed like hands in prayer.”

Following free time in both villages, you will watch a demonstration of paper-making in Gokayama. The specialized washi paper is exceptionally colorful and patterned. The fiber for it comes from mulberry trees.

Depart the pier for the approximate 25-minute drive to Omicho Market.

Omicho Market, hands-on cooking class, home made lunch

The market has been supporting the people as the "Kitchen of Kanazawa" by providing not only food but also daily necessities for about 270 years, especially, seafood that is in season will be found amazingly cheap and fresh. Visit this market with your guide and the local chef and have the explanation of the food tradition while strolling around the market. Then buy the ingredients for the cooking class. During the hands-on cooking class you will try one of famous dish "JIBUNI". It is a traditional dish that has continued from the Edo Era. In a broth containing soy sauce and sugar, duck or chicken is stewed with thin sheets of the local product of wheat gluten, shiitake mushrooms and greens. The broth and the meat coated with flour provide a mellow taste. Close your cooking experience with dining on the meal just been prepared.

Kaga YUZEN Kimono Museum, Kimono Dyeing Experience, Kimono Try on Demonstration

After the cooking class and meal, a short drive will take you to the Kaga YUZEN Kimono Museum for Kimono Dyeing Experience and Kimono Try on Demonstration. Yuzen refers to a traditional technique of dyeing silk fabrics for kimonos or products made with the technique. Kyoto Yuzen and Kaga Yuzen are famous. Kaga Yuzen is characterized by designs of realistic natural beauties in five vivid tones called "Kaga gosai" (literary means Kaga five colors), and it frequently uses gradation dyeing called "bokashi." A roll of yuzen is completed through complicated processes, such as pattern transfer, paste coating, coloring, steaming, and rinsing. Kaga Yuzen with splendid, fine, beautiful patterns is known as a luxury brand. Enjoy the feeling of being a yuzen artist and dye a handkerchief. You will be able to take your dyed handkerchief home!

At the end of your excursion an approximately 30-minutes drive will take you back to pier.

Discover the history and culture of Kanazawa by visiting the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of History, Kanazawa Castle Park and Nagamachi Samurai District on this half-day cultural tour.

Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of History

Depart the pier for approximate 30-minute drive to Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of History, which introduces the history and culture of Ishikawa Prefecture. The main buildings are redbrick warehouses built at the end of the Meiji period, Here, take the opportunity to learn about the unique samurai culture and beautiful crafts.

Kanazawa Castle Park

Next, proceed to Kanazawa Castle Park. The original Kanazawa Castle was built in 1583 as the residence of Lord Maeda Toshiie. From here, the Maeda clan and its family governed Kanazawa area for almost 3 centuries. Most of the original buldings have been burned down because of fire and war in the history, and some have been rebuilt. Stroll through the garden area to the main gate of the Castle.

Nagamachi District

Your final destination is the Nagamachi District. Nagamachi used to be a samurai district located at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle, where samurai and their families used to reside. The area preserves a historic atmosphere with its remaining samurai residences, earthen walls, private entrance gates, narrow lanes and water canals. Short walking tour of the district and then have a free time to see shops, houses and streets there.

Return to the pier thereafter.

Traditional Art & Craft Museum of Ishikawa

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximate 30-minute drive to Traditional Art & Craft of Ishikawa. The museum is the only one place where 36 designated traditional crafts produced in Ishikawa prefecture are displayed. The keyword for this museum is the beauty of clothes, food, lifestyle, pray, play, music and festival.

Kenroku-en Garden, Japanese Lunch

Next stop is Kenroku-en, one of the three celebrated "Great Gardens of Japan." This 25-acre landscape garden was originally developed by the great daimyo of Kanazawa Castle. Kenroku-en boasts Japan's first fountain, a teahouse dating to 1774, and a pagoda donated to the Maeda clan by the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The celebrated Ganko-bashi is a bridge comprising 11 red stones laid out to resemble a formation of flying geese. Next, re-board your coach for a short drive to a local restaurant for a Japanese set-menu lunch.

Gyokusen-An for Tea Ceremony

After lunch, head to Gyokusen-an for a traditional tea ceremony. It is offering a pleasant view of the garden. Here take the opportunity to see an authentic tea ceremony performance.

Higashi Chaya District

Your final destination is the Higashi Chayamachi, where preserved feudal times with its wooden latticed houses and winding, narrow streets. Homes are still in use and well preserved by residents, maintaining the atmosphere of bygone days. Walking down the street one can almost imagine the sounds of Japanese shamisen and drums.

After a cheerful walk of Higashi Chaya District re-board the coach and commence the approximately 30 minutes' drive back to the port and to your ship.

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately 30-minute drive to the dinner venue. Upon arrival, you are seated for a set -menu Japanese Kaiseki dinner. During dinner, you are treated to an authentic Kanazawa Geigi performance. Geigi (Geisha) in Kanazawa value their customs and ceremonies, handed down from generation to generation since the feudal era. Refined dance performances and the playing of various musical instruments have also been handed down. Usually almost every Chaya (Geisha house) will refuse service to clients without an introduction. In honor of your visit to night, you have been granted special access to this unique occasion.

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximate 30-minute drive from terminal to Kenroku-en Garden.

Kenroku-en Garden

One of the three celebrated "Great Gardens of Japan." This 25-acre landscape garden was originally developed by the great daimyo of Kanazawa Castle. Kenroku-en boasts Japan's first fountain, a teahouse dating to 1774, and a pagoda donated to the Maeda clan by the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The celebrated Ganko-bashi is a bridge comprising 11 red stones laid out to resemble a formation of flying geese.

Higashi Chaya Geisha District

Proceed to Higashi Chaya Geisha District. A Chaya means teahouse is an exclusive type of restaurant where guests are entertained by geisha who perform song and dance. During the Edo Period, Chaya were found in designated entertainment districts, usually just outside the city limits. The largest one of the chaya districts in Kanazawa is the Higashi Chaya district. The construction of two-story houses except teahouses was prohibited in the Edo period. Homes are still in use and well preserved by residents, maintaining the atmosphere of at that time…Now many craft shops ideal for souvenir shopping are located in the area. Enjoy some free time for own exploration.

Approximately 30 minute coach driving will take you back to the pier.

Board you coach and an approximately 25-minute drive will take you Omicho Market.

Omicho Market

The market has been supporting the people as the "Kitchen of Kanazawa" by providing not only food but also daily necessities for about 270 years, especially, seafood that is in season will be found amazingly cheap and fresh.

Wagashi Making Class

At the end of the market visit your tour will continue with a short drive to Wagashi Making Class. Wagashi, Japanese sweets, are another traditional product that Kanazawa is famous for. In this tour, you will get a lesson in making handmade Japanese sweets by the sweet-making master. Aside from making three sweets during the lesson, you bring home as a gift one sweet made by the instructor who is a professional sweet maker from one of Kanazawa's most famous stores. You will sigh when you open the box with your sweets, as they look amazingly beautiful!

Kenroku-en Garden

Next, a quick transfer will take you to the final stop on this informative excursion; Kenroku-en, one of the three celebrated "Great Gardens of Japan." This 25-acre landscape garden was originally developed by the great daimyo of Kanazawa Castle. Kenroku-en boasts Japan's first fountain, a teahouse dating to 1774, and a pagoda donated to the Maeda clan by the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The celebrated Ganko-bashi is a bridge comprising 11 red stones laid out to resemble a formation of flying geese.

After your walk through the garden re-board your coach and a short drive will take you back to the pier.

Secca Atelier, Soulful Ceramics, Kanazawa Craftsmanship

Kanazawa, long revered as a bastion of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, reveals its innovative spirit in this exclusive culinary and artistic exploration. The experience begins with a rare insider’s look at Secca, an atelier at the forefront of Kanazawa's artistic evolution. Founder Tatsuya Uemachi leads a private tour into the heart of the workshop, where guests witness firsthand the process of creating Secca's boundary-pushing pieces, from soulful ceramics to provocative objets d'art. Uemachi shares insights into the atelier's philosophy, illuminating how Kanazawa’s next generation of artisans are building upon the region's esteemed legacy of craftsmanship for the 21st century.

Kaga Cuisine Lunch, Secca Tableware

The immersion continues at A-Restaurant, a high-ceilinged space that serves as both dining room and culinary laboratory. Here, diners savor a specially curated multi-course lunch inspired by local Kaga cuisine. Each dish, a collaboration between chef and artisan, is presented on Secca's bespoke tableware, creating a dialogue between food and craft.

Returning to the ship by private coach, come away with a newfound appreciation for the vital role of craftsmanship in Kanazawa's past, present, and future.

An approximately 30 minutes transfer through the city will take you to the Gold Leaf Experience.

Gold Leaf Experience

A gold leaf is made by beating gold into an extremely thin sheet with a thickness of 0.1 to 0.125 millionths of a meter. It is so thin that it will disappear when you rub it with your fingers. The production of gold leaf started in Kanazawa at the end of the 16th century and it is produced more than 98% in Kanazawa.

Nagamachi District

Next stop is in the famous Nagamachi District. Nagamachi was a samurai district located at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle, where samurai and their families used to reside. The area preserves a historic atmosphere with its remaining samurai residences, earthen walls, private entrance gates, narrow lanes and water canals. One of the main attractions of the district is the centrally located Nomura Samura House, a restored samurai residence displaying the lifestyle and artifacts of the era when samurai were prosperous.

Higashi Chaya Geisha District

And at the end of the tour drive to the Higashi Chaya Geisha District. A Chaya means teahouse is an exclusive type of restaurant where guests are entertained by geisha who perform song and dance. During the Edo Period, chaya were found in designated entertainment districts, usually just outside the city limits. The largest one of the chaya districts in Kanazawa is the Higashi Chaya district. The construction of two-story houses except teahouses was prohibited in the Edo period. Homes are still in use and well preserved by residents. After ashort orientation walk, experience maintaining the atmosphere of at that time.

Conclude the tour with an approximately30 minute drive back to the pier.

Explore Kanazawa at your leisure during your full-day (8-hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your driver and English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Kanazawa at your leisure during your half-day (4-hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your driver and English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Kanazawa at your leisure during your full-day (8-hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your driver and English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Kanazawa at your leisure during your half-day (4-hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your driver and English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Immerse in the heritage and culture of the Fukui Prefecture as you discover Eiheiji Temple, a headquarters of Zen Buddhism, and then continue to the birthplace of Echizen lacquerware and a village devoted to traditional metalworking.

Temple of Eternal Peace

Depart the pier for a scenic, approximately 90-minute drive to visit Eiheiji, which translates to ‘Temple of Eternal Peace’. This large temple complex nestled on a cedar-covered mountain slope just outside the city of Fukui was founded by Dogen Zenji, the Buddhist scholar who introduced Soto Zen to Japan in the early 13th century. Featuring a network of more than 70 buildings, each connected to the other by covered walkways, the temple continues to serve as a tranquil training center for Zen Buddhism.

Reception Hall, Buddha Hall, Founder’s Hall, Lecture Hall, Lunch

Upon arrival, enter the Reception Hall to begin your tour of such key rooms as the Buddha Hall, with its three statues of Buddhas past, present, and future; the Founder’s Hall, which contains the ashes of Dogen Zenji; and the Lecture Hall, where the monks learn the teachings of Buddha. As you explore this sacred site, take a moment to savour the intricate beauty of its traditional Japanese architecture, set amid the surrounding majesty of nature.

Next, re-board your coach for the short drive to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

Echizen Lacquerware Hall

After lunch, a journey of about 40 minutes takes you to the city of Sabae, the birthplace of Echizen lacquerware. Here visit Echizen Lacquerware Hall, a craftsman’s workshop where you can watch lacquerware artisans at work. Renowned for its unique luster and beauty, lacquerware’s history dates back centuries and is produced using techniques that have been handed down over generations. The shop offers a variety of lacquerware products that you’ll have time to browse for the perfect keepsake to take home.

Takefu Knife Village

Finally, a 30-minute drive takes you to Takefu Knife Village, a unique workshop, shop, and museum showcasing the craft of forging knives and cutting tools. Here you can witness the production processes carried out by traditional smiths as they create some of the world’s finest cutlery pieces. After gaining insights on this ancient metalworking craft, enjoy time to peruse the shop’s distinctive products.

At the conclusion of your enriching experience, re-board the motor coach for a drive of about 90 minutes back to the pier.

Experience the rich architectural traditions of the Japanese countryside on a tour including two of the region's most picturesque villages.

Shirakawago Village

Shirakawago widely-known as one of the most scenic places in Japan, is surrounded by dramatic pine tree-covered mountains. After an approximately 90 minutes journey, arrive to Shirakawago Village. Here you'll find the unique Japanese thatched-roof farmhouses that are the center of attention. There are approximately 90 thatched farmhouses, sheds, and barns built about 200-300 years ago that were added to UNESCO'S World Heritage List in 1995. They are examples of the Gassho-zukuri style, a form of construction that resembles hands-clasped in prayer. Aesthetically pleasing, the steeply pitched roofs are extremely practical during the heavy snowstorms of the Shokawa River valley. Pitched at 60 degrees and oriented along a north-south axis, the farmhouses are able to more efficiently capture sunlight and shed weighty burdens.

Farmhouse Visit, Local Lunch

After your guided tour of the farmhouse, enjoy some free time in the village. Next, re-board the coach and your tour continues to Gokayama. Prior arrival you'll be taken to a local restaurant for a local set-menu lunch.

Gokayama Village, Local Activities

After lunch an approximately half hour drive will take you to Gokayama Washinosato.

Like Shirakawago, Gokayama earned its place as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1995 and boasts the same style of Gassho-zukuri pitched-roof construction. Arriving in this charming village, you'll proceed to a special site where you'll be treated to fascinating demonstrations of the art of Japanese paper making. Known as washi, the process of creation is long and involved and that often undertaken in the depth of winter. The cold weather inhibits bacteria, prevents decomposition, makes the fibers contract for a crisp feel, and provides farmers with a source of winter income.

The kozo tree, or paper mulberry, is the most commonly used fiber in making Japanese paper. The kozo branches are boiled and stripped of their outer bark, and then dried. The fibers are then boiled with lye to remove the starch, fat and tannin and any remaining impurities in the fibers are picked out by hand. The kozo is laid on a rock or board and beaten. Wet balls of pulp are mixed in a vat with water and one of two traditional methods of paper making (nagashi-zuki or tame-zuki) is employed. In both methods, pulp is scooped onto a screen and shaken to spread the fibers evenly. Nagashi-zuki (which uses neri in the vat) produces a thinner paper, while tame-zuki (which does not use neri) produces a thicker paper.

You'll have the unique opportunity to lend a hand in the process of Japanese paper-making, enjoying the camaraderie of this shared activity.

Upon conclusion of this unique experience, re-board your coach and commence the approximately 90 minute journey to the pier via the breathtaking Japanese countryside.