From Kanazawa: Shirakawa-go, Gokayama and Wood Carving Village

Duration9h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Group sizeUp to 17 travelers

Overview

Deep in the mountains of Japan lies the quaint villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, with their beautifully preserved gassho-style houses. These UNESCO World Heritage Sites, some of the buildings are over 250 years old, gives a glimpse into the ways of Japanese traditional farming communities. On the way from Kanazawa to those stunning sites, there are other historic towns such as the woodcarvers of Inami. Being far from the large cities of Tokyo and Osaka, enjoy walking through a town which continues its tradition of woodcarving to this day. On the shops, in the temples and on signs are beautiful examples of this living history. The entire region was once home to many different kinds of local crafts, such as Japanese style paper making, an activity that you can do on this tour. Enjoy a day long bus tour from Kanazawa where you can see expert wood carving, try your hand at paper making and see the UNESCO World Heritage sites Shirakawa-go and Gokayama traditional homes.

Options

Kanazawa -> Takayama 08:30

Start Kanazawa, end Takayama: Start the tour from Kanazawa Station and end the tour at Takayama Station.

Start/ End Kanazawa 08:30

Start and End at Kanazawa : Start and end the tour at Kanazawa Station

What's included

Guided Tour at the Wood Craft Town Inami and Shirakawa-go UNESCO site
English speaking guide
Entry fee at Zuisenji Temple
Japanese Paper-Making Experience Fee
Transportation to and from Shirakawa-go and all other destinations

Lunch
Accommodation

What to expect

Inami
2h · Admission ticket included

Arrive at Inami to explore the main street full of wood carvers and their interesting creations throughout the townscape. This will be followed by a walk around Zuizenji Temple to see the place where all the wood carving starting.
Gokayama
1h

Arrive at the first stop in Gokayama, the Ainokura Village, where you have a short amount of time to walk around and get some good pictures of the village. Your guide can show you the way to nice photo spot overlooking the the area.
Gokayama Washi
30m · Admission ticket included

Once at the Japanese Paper-Making Experience, you can choose paper inserts to put in your paper before actually giving it a try. After 10 to 15 minutes of drying you'll have a small souvenir of three postcard size pieces of paper to bring home.
Shirakawago
2h · Admission ticket included

Arrive at the observation point in Shirakawa-go. We will head into the village to learn about the history and the homes themselves. During walk through the historic town, we will also enter one and discover more about the lives of the farmers and the construction itself.

After the entering a farmhouse, you will have free time to walk around and see whatever else you want. There is time to shop, enter other houses or even eat some of the various food in the village.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

The meeting point is in front of the Tourist Information Center, directly across from the Shinkansen Gates. Look for the sumo wrestler cutouts under the information sign, where our guide will be waiting wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS ID.

End point

The meeting point is in front of the Tourist Information Center, directly across from the Shinkansen Gates. Look for the sumo wrestler cutouts under the information sign, where our guide will be waiting wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS ID.

Additional information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.
During the New Year's time period (12/28-1/5) many stores in Inami(wood carving) and Gokayama are closed. Shirakawago is mostly open. Therefore, the paper making is not available during that time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

4.9 (147)