Private Tour

Kanazawa Private Tour with a Local – Highlights & Hidden Gems

Overview

Available languages

Japanese

English

Mobile ticket

Explore Kanazawa your way on a private, fully customizable half-day tour designed around your interests. This isn’t a rigid itinerary—it’s a flexible, immersive experience led by a passionate local who brings the city to life through personal insight and expert knowledge.

Visit iconic sites and uncover hidden gems, from samurai districts and traditional markets to peaceful gardens and geisha quarters. Your host will share meaningful stories, cultural context, and insider tips you won’t find in any guidebook.

With a start time that suits your schedule, this experience is ideal for travelers looking to engage deeply with Kanazawa in just a few hours—whether it’s your first visit or a return trip seeking a more local perspective.

After booking, you’ll receive a short questionnaire to share your interests. We’ll then match you with a like-minded local host who will reach out directly to help plan your perfect half-day in Kanazawa.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

After booking, you'll receive a short questionnaire to share your interests, preferences, and must-sees. Your guide will personally reach out to craft a fully customized itinerary that suits your style—whether you love history, food, hidden gems, or cultural experiences.

This private tour is a walking experience. A private vehicle is not included.

Public transportation or local taxis may be used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with your host after your reservation is finalized.

Cancellation Policy

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

What To Expect

Kanazawa

Begin your personalized half-day experience with a knowledgeable local host who knows Kanazawa inside and out. From historic alleys to bustling markets and serene gardens, this flexible itinerary is shaped around your interests. Here’s a sample of what you might explore:

Admission Not Applicable

Samurai District

Wander the stone-paved lanes of this atmospheric district, once home to samurai families. Your host will share stories of Edo-period life and guide you to quiet corners only locals know.

Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Direct communication with your host for itinerary planning and local recommendations.

Pre-tour questionnaire to tailor the experience to your preferences

Flexible start times - choose your preferred time when booking

Private and personalized walking experience with insider tips from a passionate local

Food, drinks and tickets to any attractions

Transportation (primarily a walking experience, public transport may be used at an additional cost)

Gratuities (optional)

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Options

4-hour Kanazawa Walking Tour

Duration: 4 hours
Pickup included

3-hour Kanazawa Walking Tour

Duration: 3 hours
Pickup included

2-hour Kanazawa Walking Tour

Duration: 2 hours
Pickup included

5-hour Kanazawa Walking Tour

Duration: 5 hours
Pickup included

Reviews

4.90

105 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Great tour guide.
charlyet2023,,Dec 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Akari was a gem. She was very knowledgeable. She customized the tour and showed us the highlights of Kanazawa based on our questions and interests. I’d highly recommend booking this tour to get the layout of Kanazawa at the start of your stay. Thanks Akari!
Very tailored experience. Rimi was a PERFECT guide
Dawwy,,Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We loved everything about this tour. Rimi really understood the prompt and what we wanted to get out of it. As a local who grew up there, she knows the city like the back of her hand. She has lots of recommendations and really broight the history back to life. She pointed at many things that we wouldn't have seen or understood if we only had read a touristic guide. We loved, LOVED, Kanazawa, and our time with Rimi was definitely a big reason for it too. She was a lovely human and a knowledgeable guide. She also helped us with food recommendations and booking of the ninja temple. We regretted not doing a longer tour (we did 3 hours but could easily have gone for 6), but will definitely get back in touch when we come back.
Best decision we made. Ask for Rimi!
Daniella B,,Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Rimi was fantastic, we had a blast. She went beyond telling us historical facts and really brought them to life. We jad already visited many temples and sites of historical importance in our 3 weeks here, so we wanted something more personalized and less general. Rimi is the tour guide you want, regardless of what your expectations are: she will meet them. She is a kind, cultured and very human local from Kanazawa. She completely tailored the tour: we wanted something fast paced, centered around Kanazawa's peculiar history, with quirky facts and to get a deeper knowledge of how the people of this ciry used to live and evolved, to better understand the dynamics at play today. There was a lot of culture, laughs and fun. Rimi also was very helpful with recommendations (food, activities etc) and even helped us getting a booking for the Ninja castle! We only had three days in Kanazawa unfortunately, so this was such a great decision. She pointed at so many things that us, tourists, would not have noticed or understood on our own. She truly opened up our eyes when visiting the geiko and samurai quarters. We loved everything about it.
Best privatw tour in Kanazawa
285arthurs,,Dec 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I had an amazing experience exploring Kanazawa with Yuzuki as my guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the city’s history and culture. His explanations were clear and engaging, making every stop along the tour truly meaningful and memorable. After the tour, he also recommended some fantastic local restaurants that we absolutely loved. Those suggestions really helped us enjoy Kanazawa like locals. I highly recommend Yuzuki to anyone looking to discover the best of Kanazawa with a great guide. Thank you for making our day unforgettable!
Tour of Kanazawa
Kerstin J,,Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
On our tour of Kanazawa with Yuzuki, everything from the weather to the selection of places we visited matched. We got a lot of explanation and saw a lot, even points , which were really very hidden. Thank you!
We had a wonderful tour...
Philippa B,,Nov 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had a wonderful tour with Akari. We requested to go round the Samurai district as we hadn't gone ourselves. She shared so many interesting facts as well as guiding us round the local Samurai museums. We learned so much we otherwise would never have known. She was so personable and friendly, we had a great time.
Lovely time
281elur,,Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Akari was super nice and accommodating. She gave us many tips and walked us to some beautiful hidden corners while giving us lots of information about the area and its history.
Exploring the hidden places of Kanazawa with Katie
vikramp497,,Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
We were very happy with our guide Katie who took the trouble to find out about our previous visits to places in the city so that she could tailor make an itinerary for us that was not repetitive. She offered information to the various questions I had before the trip that was extremely helpful to me in seeing other places in Kanazawa. Katie was extremely polite and informative and we would always like to explore Kanazawa on our future trips with Katie.
Excellent informative tour of the hidden gems of Kanazawa
Companion13050742207,,Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Yuzuki is a fabulous guide. He found out beforehand our interests and what sights we had already seen in Kanazawa and planned our tour accordingly. We visited the Higashi Chayamachi District but on the way Yuzuki introduced us to some delightful hidden gems away from the crowds. We enjoyed learning about the area as well as other aspects of Japanese culture. Yuzuki is very knowledgeable and his command of the English is excellent.
Excellent fall colors 🍁
Nick C,,Nov 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent walk through downtown Kanazawa with Mouri. He showed us some special locations for the fall colors and brought us to some hidden spots along the way. I do think some hidden food spots would have been a great addition, it's hard to fit in eating and sightseeing into a 4 hour window. My recommendation to City Unscripted would be to add another hour or so to incorporate an authentic lunch option.