1 Day Tour from Kanazawa Tedori Gorge White Road and Shirakawa Go
Description
Explore the breathtaking landscapes of Japan on this full-day tour from Kanazawa. Begin your journey at Shirayama Hime Shrine, dedicated to sacred Mt. Haku, then venture through the picturesque Hakusan Shirakawa-Go White Road, known for its stunning valley views and waterfalls. Conclude your adventure in Shirakawa-Go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can walk through historical thatched-roof houses and immerse yourself in local culture. Perfect for nature lovers and history enthusiasts, this tour includes guided insights and captivating sights. - Start the tour at 9:00 A.M. from Kanazawa Station - Visit the ancient Shirayama Hime Shrine and then Tedori Gorge - Travel along the scenic White Road with multiple sightseeing stops - Explore the UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-Go
Tour Options
Itinerary
The tour will arrive at the historic entrance to the shrine, so we have a short walk up this serene path to the entrance. Shirayama Hime Shrine is one of the oldest in Japan, having been used as a site to worship Mt. Haku for about 2100 years. The shrine itself is famous for its sacred water, its blessings for couples, and being known as the start of the historic pilgrimage to the mountaintop. That pilgrimage was first done nearly 1300 years ago. Alongside the Shinto goddess of marriage, the progenitor gods Izanagi and Izanami are also enshrined here, so you may wish to pray at the shrine or collect a goshuin to commemorate your visit.
Leaving the shrine, we will take a quick detour to the Tedori Gorge, an 8km stretch first formed more than 23 million years ago. There are two places to get a view of this scenic area: those who brave the 120 stairs down to the riverside can see the waterfall up close, while those who choose to look out over the area have a chance to see Mt. Haku rising up over the river.
It's now time for the main attraction of the day: the White Road. Hopping back on the bus, we'll start our journey through the mountains. As we drive, the rice paddies will turn to mountain roads twisting higher and higher. Keep your eyes peeled as we go, as there's always a chance to see snow monkeys, particularly after a heavy rain. We will stop at one of three larger rest areas, which have some seating, to enjoy a lunch break. Once you're finished, you are free to walk around and explore some of the area. Please be careful as the road is narrow at points and there may be many cars!
Once we've taken in all the splendor, we'll head towards Shirakawa-Go. This thatched-roof village has stood for more than 300 years and was an important hub for people travelling between Kanazawa, Nagoya, Takayama and Toyama. The gassho farmhouses are striking figures against the natural backdrop. We'll start from the end of the main street and walk through the historical alleys, taking in the history and the views. We have time to enjoy a small museum and also take some free time around the town to walk around, pick up souvenirs and try some of the local delicacies.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.
Reviews(8)
It was a memorable tour. The landscape was beautiful and our guide Garrett was very nice and well informed! I would recommend the tour!
Mike is an awesome guide. He is friendly, funny, and energetic. He always kept us on the loop for any development during the tour. I highly recommend him.
We had a very pleasant experience with Garrett . He was very welcoming helpfull informative and took the time to answer all our questions . The tour was excellent as we stopped at multiple places to see the Beauty of the nature and learned about the culture I will highly recommend the tour to everyone who wants to experience Kanazawa
We had a wonderful day and enjoyed the tour very much. It was a great mix of culture and nature, the stopping points were well chosen. Our guide, Garrett, was very easy to talk to and very knowledgeable about the history and Japanese culture in general. Our favorite part were the vistas in the mountains, especially with the autumn foliage. It's just stunning and we stopped at several great viewpoints to get off of the bus and get a better view. Shirakawa-go is a charming villiage and it was great to see one of the old houses from the inside with Garrett explaining the history. Would absolutely recommend this tour! Garrett also had great recommendations on where to go for dinner after the tour.
10 out of 10 would do it again, absolutely amazing tour guide and bus driver all got along well with plenty of banta and information about what’s going on too, weather was awsome and the views were breathtaking
Terrific tour. Great scenery and history. Guide Garret has engaging conversational style. Definitely recommended.
It was a good day out as the tour didn’t felt too rush as each location topped with excellent weather. Our guide, Garrett was knowledgeable as he was able to answer all of the questions the group had. Our first stop, Shirayama Hime Jinja Shrine which is the grand shrine of the region. Enjoy the view as we descend the steps towards the carpark as we were surrounded by lush trees On to the next stop, Tedori Gorge with turquoise coloured water and a waterfall. There is quite a descend down via stairs but that was worth the slight hike down. Alternately there is a viewing platform which is a gentler option. Onwards, our driver took us up the steep winding incline towards Hakusan White Road which Garrett had pick up excellent stop points for vintages points plus the picnic spot overlooking the mountain ranges. Lastly, we head off the unesco heritage, Shirakawago to end our day. The village felt like Japanese alps with the thatched roof. As we head back to Kanazawa, Garrett gave some dinner recommendation. It was a well thought itinerary with a wonderful guide plus not forgetting our driver.
We had an amazing day, enjoying a great mix of alpine scenery and Japanese culture, including charming Shirakawa go. Garret is a fun and knowledgeable guide and went out of his way to ensure that everyone in our group had a great time. Would highly recommend this tour.
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