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Maeda Era Districts, Castle Gardens & Petite Four Matcha Experience

Tea

Chaya

Gardens

Kanazawa Castle

Sights

Strolls

Quaint backstreets

Kenroku-en

Maeda Era Districts, Castle Gardens & Petite Four Matcha Experience

Day Trip

Joined 2025

Lee S.

5.00 / 5

(6 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Kanazawa

English (Native)

8 hrs 30 mins

Private tour (only you and Lee S.)

Up to 12 people

Kanazawa, once Japan’s wealthiest domain, lies on the Sea of Japan coast. Despite its small size, it’s full of culture, history, and charm. You’ll see Samurai Districts, Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en Garden, and Higashi Chaya tea district — famous for scenic streets, roasted green tea, and shimmering gold-leaf treats. Let an experienced guide help you explore its beauty and hidden stories to see the very best of this wonderful city.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

10:00 AM

Meeting Point

Either of 2 Starbucks locations.

- Starbucks Forus 1fl (Kanazawa Station East Exit) or Starbucks M'ZA (across from Omicho market in the M'ZA building street facing)

10:20 AM

Ashigaru and Nagamachi Samurai District.

Meet, get acquainted and then head out to our first area:

These first two areas boast modest wooden homes once belonging to Kanazawa’s low-ranking foot soldiers, offering a glimpse into their simple, everyday lives. Then to a historic quarter where samurai families once lived, with narrow lanes, earthen walls, and traditional gates preserving its feudal charm.

11:20 AM

Oyama Shrine and Tea House

The Oyama Shrine is dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of Kaga, Oyama Shrine is known for its unique gate blending Japanese, Chinese, and Western styles. Its peaceful gardens and pond offer a serene retreat in the heart of Kanazawa.

After that we will head out for Matcha Tea at one of two garden locations on our way to the Kanazawa castle grounds. You will enjoy a beautiful rich matcha tea it in front of one of two beautiful garden ponds experiences.

12:30 PM

Kanazawa Castle Grounds and Kenroku-en Garden

As we head off Kanazawa Castle Grounds, Once the seat of the powerful Maeda clan, Kanazawa Castle features impressive stone walls, gates, and reconstructed turrets. Its spacious grounds reflect the city’s feudal past and offer scenic views year-round, then Kenroku-en Garden.

One of Japan’s most celebrated landscape gardens, Kenroku-en is famous for its graceful ponds, teahouses, and carefully designed scenery that changes beautifully with each season.

01:40 PM

Lunch

Either we can break for lunch and you guys can choose to go to a place if you're choosing, or you can join me for one of my favorite spots for lunch.

02:30 PM

East Chaya & Kazue Geisha / Tea Districts

We will head towards the East Chaya and Kazue Districts that is one of the main highlights of the day. It will be a leisurely walk after lunch through charming backstreets to the Higashi Chaya and Kazue-machi geisha and tea districts — historic areas of wooden teahouses, narrow lanes, and a timeless atmosphere where geisha traditions live on and see the INS and outs of life in the gated district.

04:30 PM

Heading back towards Omicho Market and Station

Depending on your pickup spot, either or, we will pass by Omicho Market where I will leave you with a bunch of recommendations for the rest of your evening and suggest some other things that you can do in Kanazawa if you so choose. On the way back there are a bunch of beautiful picture spots with beautiful sunsets and along the Asano River on certain days during the summer, both the Moon and Sun rise and fall over it if we are lucky.

Ending Point

Omicho M'ZA Starbucks or Kanazawa Station.

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

• Guide fee

• Tea House

• Gardens

• Geiko/Geisha House

What‘s not included

• Lunch

• Shops

• ※Transportation (Taxi, Bus)※

※This is a walking tour, but under certain conditions due to ability or weather the guide can arrange a flexible re-meeting spot if needed, but in this tour it is aimed to be walked at a reasonably easy pace.

Tour Important Information

This tour includes several hours of walking outdoors, so please wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather. We recommend checking the forecast in advance and bringing an umbrella or raincoat if needed.

During winter months, daytime temperatures can fall below 10°C, and early mornings or evenings may drop to 0°C or lower. Snow and ice are common, so warm clothing and slip-resistant footwear are strongly advised.

There will be free time throughout the tour to explore each location at your own pace. Please be sure to return to the meeting points at the time your guide indicates.

Also you can get a WhatsApp contact from me if you want to wonder a bit.

※ If you every feel that on certain hot/cold days you prefer to take a quick taxi/Uber or bus due or to other factors, please understand that it isn't included in the tour.

The guide can ride with you if you chose or the guide (Lee) will meet you at an arranged spot. Please see that it isn't included in the cost of the tour. Although, I will most certainly assist in recommended meeting spots and near by cafe's, or hailing a cab if you need it (^ ^)d.

• I may be flexible if asked ahead of the tour date. Contact me if you have a special request.

• Start time is flexible between 9 am and 10:30am. It really depends on our start location. \(^ ^)/

Important message from the supplier

A Note To Extraordinary Travelers

While I am based out of Kanazawa, I also offer guiding in nearby destinations with the same range of deep insights, activities and knowledge of local life for the last 300 years. These areas include: Shirakawa-go, Ainokura, Takayama, Matsumoto and various winter spots among others. All are within a two hour radius of Kanazawa city.

If you're interested in exploring beyond Kanazawa, I can also guide you outside the city for day or multi day trips as well with in local guidelines and best-practice protocols. I’ll help figure out the best way to make it happen!

• Considerations in Planning & Listings:

Pricing & Tour Planning Pertaining:

(Outer Kanazawa / Excursions / Unique Exp)

The below doesn't apply to any tours in Kanazawa City Walking Tours.

Tours on this platform show the full price in advance. When transportation, entrance tickets, or similar expenses are included in the booking, they become part of that listed total.

For that reason, many guests prefer to cover items such as train fares, taxis, parking, or admission tickets during the tour itself. This often keeps the price more reasonable and allows the day to stay flexible.

※ Please see the notes of this in the

“Included/Not Included” Section in the listings.

If you’d prefer everything arranged in advance, that can certainly be done as well and included in the booking.

Both approaches work well, paying day-of keeps costs closer to actual expenses, while including everything provides a fully arranged experience and prepayment as a whole.

Feel free to inquire about the tour you may be interested in or unique needs. I can assist and navigate the experience in mind with in the policy and guidelines here and in the area.

Lee S

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Joined 2025

Lee S.

5.00 / 5

(6 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Lee S.

Welcome to Hokuriku! I’m based in Kanazawa and would love to show you around not just the famous sights, but also the everyday beauty and hidden corners that make this region special. I also provide winter tours and have a logistics team for your expedient comfort needs and convenience.

Whether you're strolling through samurai districts, sampling fresh seafood at a local market, or soaking in the peaceful atmosphere of mountain villages like Takayama, Shirakawa-go or Ainokura among many more, I’ll help you experience Japan in a way that feels personal, relaxed, and real.

I grew up in BC Canada with friends from all over the world, and now call Japan home. I speak conversational Japanese and understand both the traveler’s curiosity and the local rhythm of life. That means I can help bridge the gap, so you feel comfortable and connected wherever we go.

Every tour is flexible—if the weather shifts or something catches your eye, we can adapt. My goal is to make your time here smooth, engaging, and full of insight.

Let’s explore Hokuriku together, one story, flavor, and moment at a time.

Reviews

Mary anne V.

5 / 5

Apr 7, 2026

Maeda Era Districts, Castle Gardens & Petite Four Matcha Experience

Apr 7, 2026

Kanazawa

8 hours 30 mins

“Change of plans and headed up to the Mountains”

When we met up, Lee suggested that we change our itinerary and head up into the mountains to visit Imani, famous for its wood carvings and large Buddhist temple, Ainokura, a remote mountain village famous for its steep thatched farmhouse roofs and papermaking, and Shirakawago, described as one of the most scenic places in Japan. Despite the chilly, rainy day, Lee ably guided us through the villages and temple, explaining everything from history to religion to culture. We made paper in a very traditional workshop located in a former samauri house in Ainokura and also enjoyed a quick home style lunch in the same village. This was an entirely different side of Japan to experience compared to where we had been in the south. Seeing snow capped mountains behind cherry blossoms was an extraordinary site. Thanks Lee for a great day and getting us back to the ship on time!

Lee S.

You are welcome, being we met at a dark dock on Toyama, it just made sense to suggest it due to heavy rush hour traffic and the terrible weather for the day. It was cold everywhere and comfort was important. So, it made sense considering the unforeseeable of the day we were left for your tour. I'm always happy to pivot if it makes more sense. I'm really glad that you enjoyed it.

Cory V.

5 / 5

Apr 5, 2026

Cory 2Pax Takayama Old Town/Hida Folk Village -Food-Trans/=N

Apr 5, 2026

Takayama

5 hours 30 mins

Customized

“What an exceptional guide. 10/10 recommend!!!”

Lee truly went above and beyond to make our experience exceptional from start to finish. Despite the fact that we were delayed, he was incredibly patient and waited for us without any issues. Not only that, but he still made sure we were able to visit the places we had planned, adjusting seamlessly and never making us feel rushed or stressed. What really stood out was his genuine effort to accommodate us in every possible way. He was flexible, attentive, and clearly committed to making sure we had the best experience possible, even under less-than-ideal circumstances. Lee is also a very effective communicator—clear, responsive, and easy to coordinate with throughout. This made everything smooth and stress-free. On top of that, his knowledge as a guide was impressive. He shared useful insights and information that added a lot of value to our time with him. Overall, Lee is reliable, thoughtful, and dedicated to his work. His professionalism and kindness made a lasting impression, and I would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and accommodating guide

Lee S.

Wow, thank you. In my heart and hopes I truely want to do this for everyone and have equal value, but I always feel it could have been better and every trip with my guests has some new treasure to add to the next one. But this review was above and beyond. So I guess goals are being met on all sides. Thank you and you are welcome. I had a great time as well.

Sam F.

5 / 5

Mar 29, 2026

Maeda Era Districts, Castle Gardens & Petite Four Matcha Experience

Mar 29, 2026

Kanazawa

8 hours 30 mins

“Takayama tour with Hida folk village ”

Lee is a very friendly Canadian who has lived in Japan among the Japanese people for 20 years; we learned so much from hearing about his many experiences of integrating into the homogenous culture. Lee has a great sense of humor and is a good storyteller. He took us around the very quaint and interesting houses in the historically rustic Hida Folk Village (about 10 minutes from downtown by Lee's car). I recommend visiting the folk village to learn how the past generations lived everyday life. We also toured the charming central shopping/eatery district of Takayama -- the classic low-slung wooden houses and shops with paper windows and doors. There's a beautiful Torie gate and hilltop shrine and garden. We also experienced a slightly chaotic, crowded tasting among many saki enthusiasts. This involved exchanging coins for tokens, using tokens to purchase saki cups from a bubblegum-style machine -- gatcha -- and then using more tokens to unlock the spouts on a variety of styles and flavors. Lee was a pleasure to be with and he also gave us very helpful recommendations for things to see and places to eat in Kanazawa.

Lee S.

Thank you Sam, it was my pleasure and turned put to be quite the adventure considering the jump from Kanazawa to Takayama ;) Enjoy the rest of your adventures in Japan. Lee S