The Best of Kanazawa
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Port
Kanazawa, Japan
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$380
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 6 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
Your tour starts with a visit to Omicho Market, where 270 years of history comprise the largest market in Kanazawa. With more than 170 shops and stalls selling almost anything you can imagine, it's no wonder this busy network of covered streets is dubbed the Kitchen of Kanazawa.
Next, you're headed to Kenroku-en — one of the three celebrated Great Gardens of Japan. The great daimyo of Kanazawa Castle originally commissioned the 25-acre landscaped garden at Kenroku-en. It 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 extraordinary Ganko-Bashi is a bridge composed of 11 red stones arranged to resemble a formation of flying geese.
Cross the Asano River to the Higashi Chayamachi — one of the city's four pleasure districts established in the late Edo Period (1820). The district is home to traditional tea houses, where wealthy merchants and artisans held drinking parties, and geisha performed just as they still do today.
Enjoy lunch accompanied by Kanazawa Geiko (traditional geisha) performances. Kanazawa Geiko are highly trained artists who continue the refined traditions of dance, music, and conversation passed down since the Edo period. Their elegant performances offer a rare glimpse into the sophisticated cultural world that once entertained Samurai and wealthy merchants.
Return to the ship by coach.
Please note: You must remove your shoes at one or more location(s). Terrain includes gravel paths. Tour requires a few minutes of walking. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Tour sequence may vary. Bring local currency, as most vendors do not accept US dollars or credit cards. Unfamiliar accents can be challenging; feel free to ask your guide to repeat or elaborate on information, and to speak more slowly so you can fully comprehend and converse.