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

Overview

Available languages

English

9 hours

Mobile ticket

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.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Specialized infant seats are available

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

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

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

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.

2 hours • Admission Included

Gokayama

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.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Options

End the tour at Takayama St

Start and end at Kanazawa City

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

Reviews

4.96

53 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Immersion into Japanese culture
Natasha B,
Aug 15, 2025
- Viator
5.00
The tour is amazing, it is well structured and the tour guides are so knowledgeable and helpful, we really loved it !! And the experience with the paper so interesting, it is really a tour that allows you to see different aspects of the Japanese culture. The only thing I would improve is the time spent in Shirakawa-go: due to the traffic jam, we only managed a brief stroll. For a tour of this level, it would be great to allow a bit more time at the end so guests can fully enjoy the visit without feeling rushed.
Fabulous side trip
Dana K,
May 24, 2025
- Viator
5.00
This was a wonderful way to get out into the quiet countryside of the Kanazawa area. We were able to see everything we wanted in one day. Our guide Daniel was FANTASTIC! Knowledgeable, personable and professional. He made the trip so easy and fun. We really enjoyed the paper making and the wood carving.
Great tour
Leigh M,
Apr 11, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Garrett was a fantastic guide, best we had while in Japan. He was very knowledgeable about the the sites but he also answered everyone's questions. We had a fabulous day, highly recommend.
You have to experience this tour!
RobertProwant,
Apr 1, 2025
- Viator
5.00
This was a wow tour!! The wood carving village was excellent and the temple at this stop was nice. The small village of Gokayama was a highlight and is where we had a wonderful lunch on our own. Shirakawa-Go was very neat and a great experience but much more commercialized than we expected. There were many large tour busses of visitors. So while very busy, not overly crowded. Just really surprised by all the people. Daniel our guide was excellent. He was being observed on this tour by a supervisor who became increasingly involved and actually annoying. The small van that transported 8 of us and was adequate but a bit cramped. So, glad that we were able to find this tour and go. It is truly an unforgettable experience.
Wonderful Guide!
Andrew G,
Mar 22, 2025
- Viator
5.00
The guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He even helped my father hiking up in the snow! The transportation was great. There were many experiences for this tour with wood carvings, paper making, temples, and the exploration of 2 sperate villages. It was a great value and was a great way to spend a day in the Kanazawa area.