Excursion Highlights of kanazawa & tea ceremony experience tour at Kanazawa

Traditional Art & Craft Museum of Ishikawa

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximate 30-minute drive to Traditional Art & Craft of Ishikawa. The museum is the only one place where 36 designated traditional crafts produced in Ishikawa prefecture are displayed. The keyword for this museum is the beauty of clothes, food, lifestyle, praying, play, music and festival.

Kenroku-en Garden, Japanese Lunch

Next stop is Kenroku-en, one of the three celebrated "Great Gardens of Japan." This 25-acre landscape garden was originally developed by the great daimyo of Kanazawa Castle. Kenroku-en boasts Japan's first fountain, a teahouse dating to 1774, and a pagoda donated to the Maeda clan by the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The celebrated Ganko-bashi is a bridge comprising 11 red stones laid out to resemble a formation of flying geese. Next, re-board your coach for a short drive to a local restaurant for a Japanese set-menu lunch.

Gyokusen-An for Tea Ceremony

After lunch, head to Gyokusen-an for a traditional tea ceremony. It offers a pleasant view of the garden. Here we take the opportunity to see an authentic tea ceremony performance.

Higashi Chaya District

Your final destination is the Higashi Chayamachi, where feudal times preserved with its wooden latticed houses and winding, narrow streets. Homes are still in use and well preserved by residents, maintaining the atmosphere of bygone days. Walking down the street one can almost imagine the sounds of Japanese shamisen and drums.

After a cheerful walk of Higashi Chaya District re-board, the coach commences the approximately 30 minutes' drive back to the port and to your ship.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Kanazawa city, Traditional Art & Craft Museum of Ishikawa, Kenroku-En Garden, Japanese Set-menu Lunch, Gyokusen-an, Tea Ceremony, Higashi Chayamachi District

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate to extensive amount of walking (approximately 2.2km or 1.36miles) over cobblestones, unpaved and paved walkways, with around 30 steps at the various sites and a few to negotiate to get on/off the coach. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilize a wheelchair. Lightweight, comfortable clothing, flat, closed-toe walking shoes and sun protection are recommended. Guests will be asked to remove their own shoes at Gyokusen-an for the tea ceremony. The maximum capacity of the teahouse is 15-17 guests so the group will be split accordingly. When the first group enjoys the tea with the guide, the other will stroll around the tea house and garden without the guide. For dietary restrictions please contact the on-board Shore Concierge Team upon embarkation. Please be advised that special dietary requests or menu substitutions may not be possible to accommodate in this program. Although credit cards are mainly accepted, Japanese yen is required for any purchases: guests are advised to exchange money at the airport prior to the cruise. The tour sequence may vary. Local Tour Guides tend to have a strong accent therefore we urge flexibility. The Traditional Art & Craft Museum of Ishikawa is closed on every third Thursday of the month; therefore, this site will be replaced by a visit to Oyama Shrine on April 17th, 2025.