Sample itinerary of day trip to Kanazawa and Shirakawago from Tokyo

shirakawago winter1 to 3 days
2015.09.02
Higashichayagai area is one of most popular spots in Kanazawa. (C) Kanazawa City / JNTO
Higashichayagai area is one of most popular spots in Kanazawa. (C) Kanazawa City / JNTO

If you leave Tokyo very early morning, you can visit Kanazawa and Shirakawago as a day trip.

I would like to show you the sample itinerary of day trip to Kanazawa and Shirakawago in this post.

From Tokyo to Kanazawa

The new fleet, E6 / W6 series run on Hokuriku Shinkansen.
The new fleet, E6 / W6 series run on Hokuriku Shinkansen.

The earliest train on the Hokuriku Shinkansen for Kanazawa is 06:16 departure. You can get Kanazawa at 08:46. There are many trains running between Tokyo and Kanazawa. Please find the timetable of the Hokuriku Shinkansen at JR East official site:

JR East official site – the timetable

I recommend you to see Kanazawa first. Because you can spend your time more efficiently by this order.

You will spend your time in the morning in Kanazawa. After lunch time, you can take Nohi Bus for Shirakawago.

Return trip to Shirakawago

World Heritage Site, Shirakawago (C)Akimasa Yuasa / JNTO
World Heritage Site, Shirakawago (C)Akimasa Yuasa / JNTO

Kanazawa 13:15 – (Nohi Bus) – Shirakawago 14:30
Shirakawago 17:30 – (Nohi Bus) – Kanazawa 18:45

I picked this schedule and you can enjoy 3 hours in Shirakawago. But you can make an adjustment as you like. Please find the timetable in Nohi Bus official site:

Nohi Bus official site

As you see Nohi Bus timetable, 17:30 is the last bus to go back to Kanazawa. You have three hours in Shirakawago. The next bus to Shirakawago after 13:15 is 13:40 departure from Kanazawa and arrival Shirakawago at 15:05. It is okay but it is a bit short to see the village.

Go back to Tokyo from Kanazawa

Kanazawa station was renovated before Hokuriku Shinkansen opened.
Kanazawa station was renovated before Hokuriku Shinkansen opened.

The last train on the Hokuriku Shinkansen is Kagayaki 518 at 21:00.

If you want to eat dinner in the restaurant, you can take this last train. You will have two hours. There are many restaurants in Kanazawa station building.

If you want to go back to Tokyo as soon as possible, take earlier departure Hokuriku Shinkansen. You can grab some foods at Kanazawa station and eat on board. On board sales is available on the train. But the variety of items are limited and the price of on board sales is mostly higher than the shops in the station. I recommend you to get something before boarding.

Suggested deal

Hokuriku Arch Pass is most affordable deal. It is cheaper than round trip fare by the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kanazawa. Please see the link below to find the information about this pass:

Hokuriku Arch Pass user guide. Clarify valid trains, coverage area and compare single fare and pass
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Osaka are covered by this deal. (C) ©Sue Ann Simon (upper left), Osaka Government Tourism Bu...
jprail.com
2015.12.26

But you need to add single fare to get the bus to Shirakawago.

JR Pass is also recommended. The round trip fare by Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kanazawa is almost same as 7-day JR Pass price. Even if it does not cover bus to Shirakawago, JR Pass still works for this trip.

Nohi Bus to Shirakawago is not covered by either Hokuriku arch pass or JR pass.

Where and How to buy JR Pass: JR Pass user guide, how to use Japan Rail Pass to its maximum.
This posts give you all information about JR pass. You can find much more information than the official Japan Rail Pass site.
jprail.com
2020.07.08

Don’t forget to check the timetable before you go

The above sample itinerary is built by timetable of September 2015. When you use this sample itinerary, please check the updated timetable.

Comments

  1. eva says:
    June 11, 2016 at 10:03 pm

    Dear Takeshi,

    thank you for your useful information.Very good website.
    i have plan to go to japan in nov 2016, i have some question, all the info i’ve got that taxi expensive more than train or bus. but if more than 1 person, 3 persons exactly. if we go by taxi, is it the cost same or more or less than by train or bus?

    thank you for your help,

    cheers,
    eva

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      June 11, 2016 at 10:59 pm

      Hi Eva,

      I think it’s still way more expensive than train and bus. For example, if you take taxi from Tokyo station to Shinjuku station, I think taxi fare is around 3000 yen. But if you take train, single fare is around 300 yen.
      It’s hard to compare but in most cases, even four passengers are not enough to get cheaper cost than train and bus.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  2. dee says:
    June 4, 2016 at 6:49 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    I can’t find your post for Kawagoe trip, so I put my comment here.. I have planned to take a day trip to Kawagoe from Tokyo, and I wonder should I take a bus from HonKawagoe station to reach Kurazukuri zone? And can you please recommend me which bus should I take if I need to take a bus (co-edo loop bus or koedo famous locations loop bus)? http://www.koedo.or.jp/foreign/english/bus/

    Thank you in advance.

  3. Mira says:
    May 14, 2016 at 10:45 am

    Hi Takeshi, i’m planning to visit Takayama – Shirakawa-go – Kanazawa and back to Takayama this coming July. Wondering the schedule of Nohi Bus from Kanazawa to Takayama.

    My question is, can you advise me the last bus from Kanazawa back to Takayama? Checked at Nohi Bus schedule but I get confuse with the time table.
    And tried to book the bus ticket from Nohi Bus website, unfortunately the website is in Japanese. Can you advise me where I can book the ticket? Since I’m going to travel with my parents, I would like to get all the transport ready before hand.
    Thank you for your advise.

    Cheers,
    Mira

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      May 15, 2016 at 9:06 pm

      Hi Mira,

      The last one is 16:00 departure from Kanazawa and arrive in Takayama at 18:10. You have to make a call if you really want to make a reservation before you go.
      I think you have already read the following PDF. The phone number is shown there.
      http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/highwaybus/shirakawago.pdf

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Mira says:
        May 29, 2016 at 11:30 pm

        Hi Takeshi,

        Thank you for your reply.
        Let say I want to stay a little longer in Kanazawa, is that possible for us to take JR back from Kanazawa to Takayama? Seems the last bus from Kanazawa back to Takayama is too early for us since we want to spend little bit more at Kanazawa.
        Thank you.

        • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
          May 29, 2016 at 11:50 pm

          Hi Mira,

          You can take JR train to get back to Takayama from Kanazawa. But you have to change the trains twice at Toyama and Inotani. You can take Shinkansen (bullet train) from Kanazawa to Toyama. But after that, you have to take two local trains from Toyama to Inotani, and from Inotani to Takayama. If you are okay with these trains connections, you have to leave at 19:00 and will arrive in Takayama around 21:45.

          You may use Hyperdia to find the detailed timetable.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

  4. novie says:
    April 4, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    Im planning to go to Japan on December 2016. Would visit shirakawago from kyoto. and return from shirakawago to Tokyo. Is it better like this? or should i go back to Kyoto? then from Tokyo take shinkansen.
    If i buy JR pass, does it cover those transport (except bus to shirakawago)?
    thank you.

  5. sally says:
    April 1, 2016 at 2:25 am

    hi mr.takeshi, im going to japan on october and planning to visit kanazawa shirakawago and also tateyama kurobe alpine route..we are planning to go to mt fuji and disneyland as well..i found that ur suggestion to get the japan rail pass is the best choice for commuting..only one thing that i cant figure out which is the bus fare of alpico express bus as the link u given is in japanese only..could u tell me how much does it cost from nagano to ogizawa? i hope to hear from u soon.. thank you

  6. Riko says:
    March 21, 2016 at 10:07 am

    Hi Takeshi,
    I’m planning to visit Shirakawago from Tokyo. I’d like to ask which is faster and convenient to go to Kyoto from Takayama or from Kanazawa?
    Thanks!

  7. Serene says:
    February 18, 2016 at 10:20 am

    Hi,

    I’m planning a 8 or 10 days trip (in case 8 is too short) to visit Osaka, Nara, Kanazawa, Shirakawago and Takayama. I’ll be getting the Takayama-Hokuriku pass but will only activate maybe from day 3 onwards? Would really appreciate if you could help to see if my schedule is plausible ?? Or if there is any other places I should probably include ?

    Day 1 – Osaka
    Day 2 – Nara
    Day 3 – Kyoto (I’ve been there so just want to visit those places i missed out previously)
    Day 4 – Kanazawa – Shirakawago – Takayama
    Day 5 – Takayama
    Day 6 – Kamikochi
    Day 7 – Return to Osaka
    Day 8 – Depart from Osaka

    Greetings from Singapore,
    Serene

  8. Rani Wishnu says:
    January 25, 2016 at 1:09 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    Greetings from Indonesia 🙂
    I am traveling to Japan on April 2016 and planning to go around shiragawa-go and alpine route. I will arrived at Kansai Airport at almost midnight (22.00 PM) and i want to keep moving so i can visit Shirakawago at the next day.

    My question is, is there any night – or maybe early morning – bus from Kansai Airport/Osaka to Kanazawa/Takayama ? – as my research so far found no night bus, and only 7.00 AM Nohi bus to Takayama ( which will be arrived at around 14.00 AM )
    For your kind advice please.

    Thanks.
    Rani

  9. Amy says:
    January 16, 2016 at 12:44 am

    Hi Takashi,

    I am traveling to Japan (Kyoto) on Mar 2016 and is planning for a day trip Kanawaza. Would like to visit Shirakawa-go but I am not sure how to make reservation for the bus that departs from Kanazawa. Can I buy the bus ticket at Kanazawa or I have to make reservation in advance? For your kind advice please. Thanks.

  10. Stefan Graber says:
    January 13, 2016 at 1:05 pm

    Hi Takeshi
    My wife and I will stay some days in Kanazawa. Which trip would you recommend from Kanazawa on a day trip basement? We will have rail passes and like to enjoy beautiful trains. Greetings from Switzerland
    Stefan

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