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Guide · Getting there
Tokyo to Kanazawa, and the routes from Kyoto and Osaka
Tokyo to Kanazawa is one fast train ride on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. From the Kansai cities you change at Tsuruga. Here are the times, the passes, the buses and how to reach the castle on arrival.
Check availabilityfrom $61 · cancellation is free
Editorial team, kanazawacastle.comUpdated October 25, 2026Reading time 6 min21 sources
The quick answer
- 01From Tokyo
- The fastest Kagayaki train takes about 2.5 hours, with no change.1
- 02From Kansai
- Limited express to Tsuruga, then the shinkansen: 2 to 3 hours in all.2
- 03Rail passes
- The Japan Rail Pass covers these JR routes; regional passes cost less.3
- 04By bus
- Daytime and overnight buses link Kanazawa with other cities on Honshu.4
- 05By air
- Komatsu Airport is about 40 minutes from the city by bus.5
From Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen
The bullet train is the obvious way to make the trip. The Hokuriku Shinkansen runs from Tokyo through Kanazawa to Tsuruga, and its fastest service, Kagayaki, takes about 2.5 hours from Tokyo Station.61 There is no change of train, so you can settle in with a bento and watch the mountains of Nagano and the coast of Toyama slide past.
Trains on this line offer three classes, including the luxury Gran Class at the end of the train.7 The ordinary and Green cars are perfectly comfortable for a journey this short, but if you want to treat yourself once in Japan, a ride you can sit back on for a couple of hours is a good place to do it.
Book seats ahead in the travel seasons and at weekends, and choose the side of the train that faces the Sea of Japan if you want coastal views near Toyama. Large suitcases need care on Japanese trains, so travel light or send big bags ahead with a luggage service, which many hotels can arrange.
A travel morning
From a Tokyo platform to the castle walk
-
Early morning
Board Kagayaki
The fastest shinkansen leaves Tokyo Station for Kanazawa.1
-
About 2.5 hours
Arrive
Step out under the Tsuzumimon Gate, the city's modern symbol.18
-
Next
Bus or taxi
Loop buses run to the main sights; a taxi takes about 10 minutes.910
-
Late morning
Korinbo
Meet the guide in front of the Starbucks Coffee for the castle walk.
-
Afternoon
Kenroku-en
The walk ends in the garden after Nagamachi and the castle.
From Kyoto: a change at Tsuruga
Kyoto to Kanazawa no longer runs as one train all the way. JR limited express trains from Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya run to Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture, where you change to the Hokuriku Shinkansen for the last stretch.6 With that change, the journey takes 2 to 3 hours in total.2
The change at Tsuruga is simple: the limited express arrives on one level and the shinkansen leaves from another, with signs in English. Keep the tickets for both legs together, check the platform for the onward train on the display boards, and allow a few minutes to walk between platforms with luggage.
If you prefer the road, a direct one-way bus runs from Kyoto Station's Hachijoguchi side, leaving at 8:40 and taking about 4.5 hours. It is priced from $32, rated 4.78 from 25 reviews, and free to cancel until 24 hours ahead. It takes longer than the train, but it is a calm alternative on a day without rail pass coverage.
Routes side by side
Every main way in, compared
| From | How | Time | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Hokuriku Shinkansen | About 2.5 hours | None |
| Kyoto or Osaka | Limited express + shinkansen | 2 to 3 hours | Tsuruga |
| Nagoya | Limited express + shinkansen | Not listed | Tsuruga |
| Kyoto | Direct bus | About 4.5 hours | None |
| Haneda | Flight + airport bus | Bus about 40 minutes | Komatsu |
From Ishikawa Travel's access pages and the Kyoto bus listing; flight times vary by schedule.1625
After you arrive
Three ways to start your stay
Our walk
No transfer
By roadBus from Kyoto
Kyoto Station, 8:40
- Length
- About 4.5 hours
- Cancellation
- Free to 24 hours
- Price
- from $32
Decision helper
Which way should you travel?
Pick the route that fits your trip
Kagayaki shinkansen
About 2.5 hours from Tokyo Station with no change.1
Limited express + shinkansen
Change at Tsuruga; 2 to 3 hours in total.2
Hokuriku Arch Pass
Osaka to Tokyo via Ishikawa with stops along the way.12
Highway bus
Buses run from most major cities on Honshu.13
Fly to Komatsu
Flights from Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa, then a 40-minute bus.5
JR limited express trains operate from Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya, stopping at Tsuruga for onward shinkansen connections to destinations in Ishikawa.
From Osaka and Nagoya
Osaka to Kanazawa works the same way as from Kyoto: a limited express to Tsuruga, then the shinkansen onward, with a total of 2 to 3 hours.2 Trains from Osaka pass through Kyoto on the way, so if you are travelling between both cities and Kanazawa, it is easy to break the journey.
From Nagoya, limited express trains also run to Tsuruga for the shinkansen connection.6 Nagoya is a natural gateway if you plan to see Takayama or Shirakawa-go first, since buses link those places with Kanazawa every day and you can travel through the mountains instead of around them.14
Highway buses run to Kanazawa from most major cities on Honshu, and they are a cheaper alternative to the train.13 Overnight buses save a night of accommodation, but arrive early in the morning; check that your hotel can store your bag before check-in if you choose one.4
Checklist
For the journey
01
Tickets
- Reserve seats at busy times
- Compare a rail pass with single fares
- Allow time to change at Tsuruga
02
On arrival
- Loop bus day pass at the station
- Store big bags before sightseeing
- Snow boots for rent in winter
Price calculator
Your first day in Kanazawa, for your group
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Video
Kanazawa station, where tradition meets high speed
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Arriving and getting to the old town
Kanazawa Station is the main train hub of Ishikawa, and its wooden Tsuzumimon Gate has become a modern symbol of the city.158 Take a photo on the way out, then head for the bus terminal in front of the gate, where the sightseeing services start.
Two tourist loop bus routes run from the station to the main sights, and a one-day pass covers them.9 JR also runs a local bus to Kenrokuen, and most local JR buses are covered by the Japan Rail Pass.16 By taxi, the castle and garden area is about 10 minutes away.10 Machi-Nori, the city's bicycle rental, is another option in good weather.17
The walk sold on this site meets in front of the Starbucks Coffee at Korinbo, the central crossing near the samurai district, so take the bus or a taxi there rather than to the castle gates. In winter the tourist information center at the station rents snow boots, worth knowing if you arrive in a snowfall.18
Rail passes and tickets
The JR trains on these routes are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, the nationwide pass for unlimited travel in the JR system.3 If you are not crossing the whole country, an area pass can be cheaper: the Takayama-Hokuriku, Kansai-Hokuriku and Hokuriku Area passes all include travel to, from and around Ishikawa.3
The Hokuriku Arch Pass is built for exactly this trip. It covers travel between Osaka and Tokyo via Ishikawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, with stops allowed at Kyoto, Fukui, Kanazawa, Toyama and Nagano.12 That makes Kanazawa a stop on the way rather than a detour, and you can add a night in Toyama or Nagano without extra fares.
Prices and conditions of passes change, so compare the cost of single tickets for your exact plan before you buy. If your itinerary is simply Tokyo, Kanazawa and Kyoto, one pass may cover the whole loop; if you only make a single return trip, individual tickets may come out cheaper. If you hold a Japan Rail Pass, keep it with you on the day, because it covers most local JR buses in Kanazawa too.16
Flying in and arriving by sea
Komatsu Airport is the main airport for the area, about 40 minutes by bus from Kanazawa.5 It has domestic flights from Tokyo Haneda, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa, which can make sense if you are coming from the far ends of Japan rather than from Tokyo or Kansai.5
From Tokyo itself the train usually wins once you count the time to reach the airports, check in and wait for bags. Flying helps most from Hokkaido, Kyushu or Okinawa, where the train would take most of a day. Buses from the airport run into central Kanazawa, so you can reach the old town without a car.5 Rental cars are an option for the Noto Peninsula and the mountains, but in the city itself buses, bicycles and your feet are easier than finding parking.
Kanazawa is also a cruise port, a 20-minute bus ride from the station, and loop buses continue from there to Kenroku-en and the castle.19 If you arrive by ship for a single day, the castle walk sold on this site fits a morning ashore at 2.5 to 3 hours. Leave a generous margin before the ship's departure.
Planning the days around the journey
The trains make a simple pattern work well: Tokyo, then Kanazawa for a couple of nights, then on to Kyoto or Osaka through Tsuruga, or the reverse. Arrive in the morning and you can do the castle walk on the same day; arrive in the evening and walk the castle walls, lit every night until 22:00, before dinner.20 A first evening by the walls is a gentle way to arrive after a train ride.
From Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go is about 1.5 hours by highway bus, and buses continue to Takayama, so the mountain villages fit naturally between Kanazawa and Nagoya.1114 Kaga Onsen is 15 minutes away on the shinkansen for a night in a hot-spring inn.21
Whatever your route, book the walk for a morning with time to spare after the train. The meeting point at Korinbo is a short bus or taxi ride from the station, the route is about 2.5 to 3 km at a relaxed pace, and dropping out costs nothing if you do it 24 hours or more before the meeting at Korinbo.
Your castle walk
Samurai lanes, castle gates and the garden in one walk.
Pick a date, meet at Korinbo, and keep the option to cancel at no cost for up to 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How long does the shinkansen take from Tokyo?
About 2.5 hours. That is the fastest service, Kagayaki, from Tokyo Station, with no change of train.1
Is there a direct train from Kyoto?
No, you change at Tsuruga. Limited express trains run to Tsuruga, where you take the Hokuriku Shinkansen; 2 to 3 hours in all.62
Does the Japan Rail Pass cover the trip?
Yes, on the JR trains. Area passes such as the Kansai-Hokuriku Pass can be cheaper for shorter trips.3
Which pass suits Tokyo, Kanazawa and Osaka?
The Hokuriku Arch Pass. It covers Osaka to Tokyo via Ishikawa with stops including Kyoto, Kanazawa and Toyama.12
Is there a bus from Kyoto?
Yes, about 4.5 hours. One direct bus leaves Kyoto Station at 8:40, priced from $32.
How do I get from the station to the castle?
Loop bus or taxi. Loop buses with a day pass reach the main sights; a taxi to the castle and garden takes about 10 minutes.910
Which airport is closest?
Komatsu Airport. It is about 40 minutes from Kanazawa by bus, with flights from Haneda, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa.5
Sources
Evidence for this guide
- 1Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 2Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Kanazawa↩
- 3Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 4Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Kanazawa↩
- 5Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 6Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 7Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 8Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Kanazawa↩
- 9Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting Around Ishikawa↩
- 10Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Garden Management OfficeKenroku-en: Access↩
- 11Shirakawa-go Tourist AssociationAccess↩
- 12Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 13Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 14Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 15Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 16Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting Around Ishikawa↩
- 17Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Kanazawa↩
- 18Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Seasons↩
- 19Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting to Ishikawa↩
- 20Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Garden Management OfficeKanazawa Castle Park: Extended Evening Hours & Illuminations↩
- 21Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikawa Travel)Getting Around Ishikawa↩
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