Kanazawa is an excellent base for day trips. It sits on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, it has highway buses to the mountains, and several of central Japan's best excursions are within a few hours. The question is rarely what to do but how to choose, so this guide ranks the trips by effort, scenery and fit.
Shirakawa-go: the classic
The mountain village of steeply thatched gassho-style farmhouses is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most popular trip from the city. A guided half-day tour leaves from Kanazawa Station early in the morning, spends about two hours in the village and returns in the afternoon, which suits travellers who want an easy return time and an afternoon in town. It is a good choice for first-timers and families. If you prefer to go independently, highway buses run between Kanazawa and Shirakawa-go, taking roughly an hour and a quarter, and you should reserve seats in busy seasons. Winter snow and autumn colour are the most dramatic times, and the village is crowded around lunchtime in peak periods.
Takayama and Shirakawa-go: the long day
If you want to see the preserved merchant town of Takayama as well, take the full-day bus tour. It combines about two and a half hours in Shirakawa-go with about an hour and three quarters in Takayama and includes a regional set lunch, but it is a long day of about nine hours, and the Takayama time is brief. Independent travellers can ride the highway bus from Takayama to Shirakawa-go in about fifty minutes and on to Kanazawa in about an hour and a quarter, a good option if you are heading onward and want to see both places on the way. A longer route adds Gokayama, a quieter UNESCO village of the same architectural style with fewer visitors.
Toyama: the easy one
Toyama is about twenty minutes from Kanazawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and is a pleasant, uncrowded city on a bay backed by high mountains. It is a good option on a day when you want something simple, and it is also the gateway to mountain scenery. Check seasonal access before planning alpine excursions, because some mountain routes and gorge railways operate only in the warmer months.
Eiheiji and Fukui: Zen and dinosaurs
Eiheiji is a head temple of the Soto school of Zen, founded by the monk Dogen in the thirteenth century, and its mountain setting makes it one of the most atmospheric temples in Japan. Fukui city, a short shinkansen ride from Kanazawa, has a castle-town history and a well-known dinosaur museum that suits families. Together they make a full day with a very different character from the thatched villages.
Kaga hot spring towns: the soak
South of Kanazawa, the Kaga area has a group of hot spring villages with ryokan inns, craft studios and bathhouses. They are an easy trip by limited express train, about half an hour, and are ideal when you want a day of soaking and a long lunch. If you want a hot spring without leaving Kanazawa, the Dormy Inn in our roster has natural spring baths a few minutes from the station.
The coast and the Noto peninsula
The coast has pleasant scenery, but this guide covers Kanazawa and the routes above only. If you are thinking about the Noto peninsula, check current local information before planning any travel there.
Combining trips with city days
Because most tours leave early and return by mid-afternoon or evening, a day trip works best sandwiched between two slow days in the city. Spend the day before at Kenroku-en and the castle, go to the mountains on the second day and save the geisha districts and a long dinner for the evening you return. Avoid putting a long coach day straight after a late night, and avoid scheduling anything fragile, such as a flight, right after a trip in winter or typhoon season, when roads can be disrupted.
How to choose
For the shortest effort with the biggest reward, take the Shirakawa-go half-day tour. For two famous stops in one day, take the Takayama combination. For a quiet temple experience, choose Eiheiji. For a rainy-season day, Toyama or a hot spring town is easier than a mountain village.
Practical tips
Book tours before you arrive in autumn, winter and spring holidays. Carry cash, because village shops and bus ticket machines often take only yen. Check weather before you go, since heavy snow or typhoons can disrupt roads and trains. Wear shoes with grip in winter and always bring a rain layer. Because trips start early, choose a hotel near the station, where coaches and trains depart.
