The rail links are orientation aids only; the four reserved JR sectors in the guide govern. City links stop at the planned taxis and do not add the bus pass.
JAPAN 2026
GARDENS
TEAHOUSES
MARKETS
CRAFT
ISHIKAWA PREFECTURE
HIGASHIYAMA HIGASHI
2026
DAY VII · 8 SEPTEMBER
KANAZAWA THE GOLD LEAF CITY
A castle town on the Sea of Japan that escaped the war untouched — home to Kenroku-en, one of the country's three great gardens, samurai and geisha quarters, and nearly all of Japan's hand-hammered gold leaf. A very full day out of Kyoto: market breakfast, a teahouse and a gold-leaf workshop, the great garden, two craft landmarks, and dinner at the city's most famous izakaya before the trains home.
Leave the hotel about 06:05, subway to Kyoto Station, and be on the JR concourse by 06:35. Thunderbird 1 north along the lake, a brisk twelve-minute walk-through transfer at Tsuruga, and Tsurugi 2 into Kanazawa by 08:47. Home the same way: Tsurugi 45 at 19:06, Thunderbird 46, Kyoto at 21:05.
The city's covered kitchen since the Edo period. A short taxi from the station's East Exit and straight to Ohmicho Tototo at 09:10 for a choose-your-toppings kaisendon — crab, sweet shrimp and nodoguro off the morning boats — then browse the stalls until about 09:50, when the bus leaves for the teahouse quarter.
The old geisha quarter across the Asano river: two-storey teahouses behind fine kimusuko lattice. First SHIMA at 10:15 — an 1820 teahouse kept as it was, upstairs rooms and all — then the HAKUICHI atelier at 11:00 for an hour's gold-leaf workshop of your own. The city hammers nearly all of Japan's kinpaku; here you gild with it.
Bus from the teahouse quarter to the castle: keep Kanazawa Castle to the Ishikawa Gate and its exterior, 12:25–12:45, then give the garden the real time — an efficient Kenroku-en loop, 12:45–13:55. Mirror ponds, moss islands, pines trained over two centuries, and the two-legged Kotoji lantern standing in the water.
Two landmarks of the craft capital, back to back: the National Crafts Museum at 14:05 — the country's only national museum of craft, in two restored Meiji buildings — then the Nomura Samurai Residence at 15:20, its small garden one of the finest rooms in the city. Slow down through Nagamachi's earthen lanes until 16:40. If the day slips, drop Nomura first; never the dinner.
The city's most famous izakaya, 17:30 sharp: the sashimi bucket for two, nodoguro only if the kitchen confirms it will be prompt, one seasonal Kaga-vegetable dish and a rice finish. Bill by 18:20, taxi at 18:30, and home under the drum gate — Tsurugi 45 at 19:06, Thunderbird 46 from Tsuruga, Kyoto at 21:05, hotel by about 21:40.
Higashiyama, Kyoto — out at 06:05, back about 21:35–21:45.
RESERVE — NONE BOOKED YET
Four rail sectors at a staffed JR counter after pass exchange; HAKUICHI 11:00; Itaru 17:30 — tell them the hard 18:30 departure.
JR PASS
RAIL, FOUR RESERVED SECTORS COVERED BY THE PASS
¥3,920
LOCAL TRANSPORT, PARTY PLAN IC BUSES + TWO TAXIS
¥1,800–4,000
TOTOTO BREAKFAST, P.P. DAILY CATCH VARIES
¥13,000–15,000
ITARU DINNER FOR TWO PLANNING VALUE — CEILING
WEATHER — light rain: keep Tototo, SHIMA, the workshop, the museum and Itaru; cut Nomura and the castle exterior, use taxis. Severe weather or a JR warning: Kyoto recovery day; swap with 9 Sep only if rail and trail forecasts both allow. If the day slips, drop Nomura first — never the dinner or the station margin.
PHOTOGRAPHY — WIKIMEDIA COMMONS · PLAN TRAVELER-APPROVED 25 AUG 2026
The rail links are orientation aids only; the four reserved JR sectors in the guide govern. City links stop at the planned taxis and do not add the bus pass.
JAPAN 2026GARDENSTEAHOUSESMARKETSCRAFTISHIKAWA PREFECTUREHIGASHIYAMA HIGASHI2026
DAY VII · 8 SEPTEMBER
KANAZAWA THE GOLD LEAF CITY
A castle town on the Sea of Japan that escaped the war untouched — home to Kenroku-en, one of the country's three great gardens, samurai and geisha quarters, and nearly all of Japan's hand-hammered gold leaf. A very full day out of Kyoto: market breakfast, a teahouse and a gold-leaf workshop, the great garden, two craft landmarks, and dinner at the city's most famous izakaya before the trains home.
DEPART 06:59THUNDERBIRD — KYOTO STATIONCONCOURSE BY 06:35
THE JOURNEY · 京都 → 金沢
TWO TRAINS NORTH
KYOTO 06:59
THUNDERBIRD 1
TSURUGA 07:54 · 08:06
TSURUGI 2
KANAZAWA 08:47
Leave the hotel about 06:05, subway to Kyoto Station, and be on the JR concourse by 06:35. Thunderbird 1 north along the lake, a brisk twelve-minute walk-through transfer at Tsuruga, and Tsurugi 2 into Kanazawa by 08:47. Home the same way: Tsurugi 45 at 19:06, Thunderbird 46, Kyoto at 21:05.
The city's covered kitchen since the Edo period. A short taxi from the station's East Exit and straight to Ohmicho Tototo at 09:10 for a choose-your-toppings kaisendon — crab, sweet shrimp and nodoguro off the morning boats — then browse the stalls until about 09:50, when the bus leaves for the teahouse quarter.
LATE MORNINGHIGASHI CHAYA DISTRICTGEISHA QUARTER, 1820
LATE MORNING · ひがし茶屋街
HIGASHI CHAYA
The old geisha quarter across the Asano river: two-storey teahouses behind fine kimusuko lattice. First SHIMA at 10:15 — an 1820 teahouse kept as it was, upstairs rooms and all — then the HAKUICHI atelier at 11:00 for an hour's gold-leaf workshop of your own. The city hammers nearly all of Japan's kinpaku; here you gild with it.
Bus from the teahouse quarter to the castle: keep Kanazawa Castle to the Ishikawa Gate and its exterior, 12:25–12:45, then give the garden the real time — an efficient Kenroku-en loop, 12:45–13:55. Mirror ponds, moss islands, pines trained over two centuries, and the two-legged Kotoji lantern standing in the water.
NAMED 1822KENROKU-EN GARDENONE OF THE THREE GREAT GARDENS
AFTERNOON · 長町
CRAFT & THE SAMURAI QUARTER
Two landmarks of the craft capital, back to back: the National Crafts Museum at 14:05 — the country's only national museum of craft, in two restored Meiji buildings — then the Nomura Samurai Residence at 15:20, its small garden one of the finest rooms in the city. Slow down through Nagamachi's earthen lanes until 16:40. If the day slips, drop Nomura first; never the dinner.
EVENINGTSUZUMI-MON — THE DRUM GATE AT NIGHTTSURUGI 45 · 19:06
EVENING · いたる本店
DINNER AT ITARU
The city's most famous izakaya, 17:30 sharp: the sashimi bucket for two, nodoguro only if the kitchen confirms it will be prompt, one seasonal Kaga-vegetable dish and a rice finish. Bill by 18:20, taxi at 18:30, and home under the drum gate — Tsurugi 45 at 19:06, Thunderbird 46 from Tsuruga, Kyoto at 21:05, hotel by about 21:40.
Higashiyama, Kyoto — out at 06:05, back about 21:35–21:45.
RESERVE — NONE BOOKED YET
Four rail sectors at a staffed JR counter after pass exchange; HAKUICHI 11:00; Itaru 17:30 — tell them the hard 18:30 departure.
JR PASS
RAIL, FOUR RESERVED SECTORS COVERED BY THE PASS
¥3,920
LOCAL TRANSPORT, PARTY PLAN IC BUSES + TWO TAXIS
¥1,800–4,000
TOTOTO BREAKFAST, P.P. DAILY CATCH VARIES
¥13,000–15,000
ITARU DINNER FOR TWO PLANNING VALUE — CEILING
WEATHER — light rain: keep Tototo, SHIMA, the workshop, the museum and Itaru; cut Nomura and the castle exterior, use taxis. Severe weather or a JR warning: Kyoto recovery day; swap with 9 Sep only if rail and trail forecasts both allow. If the day slips, drop Nomura first — never the dinner or the station margin.
PHOTOGRAPHY — WIKIMEDIA COMMONS · PLAN TRAVELER-APPROVED 25 AUG 2026
