Japan Do 2025 will be in Kanazawa from 17th to 20th April with a Post-Do (21st-22nd) in Unazuki Onsen. In addition to Kanazawa itself, there will be day trips to visit Tōjinbō Cliffs and Eiheiji Temple, as well as Himi and Toyama.


Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa [Japan Guide]

Kanazawa is 2hrs 30mins from Tokyo by Hokuriku Shinkansen and 2hrs 20mins from Osaka. In addition to numerous Japanese chain hotels there are:

ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa (IHG)
ANA Holiday Inn Kanazawa Sky (IHG)
Hyatt Centric Kanazawa
Hyatt House Kanazawa
Four Points Flex by Sheraton Kanazawa

More info to follow.

Thursday 17 April
Pre-Do afternoon / evening
Details to follow.

Friday 18 April 10am - (Walking) Tour of Kanazawa including Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen Garden, Omicho Market (lunch), Higashi Chaya District

Friday 18 April 7pm - Do Dinner (TBD)

Saturday 19 April 9am - 6pm
Day Trip to Tōjinbō and Eiheiji Temple
See post #68 for more info.

Sunday 20 April
Day trip to Himi and Toyama
See post #72 for more info.

Sunday 20 April 5pm - 7pm Do Dinner

Monday 21 April to Tuesday 22 April
Post-Do at Unazuki Onsen
See post #37.

Kanazawa

Kanazawa is two and a half hours from Tokyo by Hokuriku Shinkansen. Or two hours from Kyoto. Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kanazawa run two types of trains: “Kagayaki” which takes under 2 hr 30 mins and “Hakutaka” which takes a little over 3 hours. The fare will be the same. There are about a dozen each ”Kagayaki” and “Hakutaka” services a day. “Kagayaki” is reserved seats only, “Hakutaka’ has carriages with unreserved seats (cars 1-4).

The city is located on the coast of the Japan Sea. During the Edo-period (1603-1868) the ruling Maeda clan developed it to rival Kyoto as Japan’s city of culture. Kanazawa means “Marsh of Gold” and the city produces over 98% of all gold leaf in Japan. You will see pieces of gold leaf sprinkled on ice cream and other food items.

Kanazawa is a compact city and it is possible to explore it on foot though buses are frequent and convenient. There are a number of hotels near the railway station which are convenient for day trips starting at the station. Ōmichō Market is 1km from the station. Kōrinbō, the main shopping district of Kanazawa is another 1km away.

If you like seafood Kanazawa is the place to visit.


Kaisendon or seafood in a donburi with gold leaf at Ōmichō Market.


Toyama

On January 7, 2025, The New York Times announced “52 Places to Go in 2025,” and Toyama City and Osaka City were selected from Japan. The New York Times selects and announces recommended travel destinations around the world every January, and this year Toyama City was selected as the 30th place.

“Cradled on one side by the Japanese Alps and on the other by the Sea of Japan, the city of Toyama serves as a gateway to the Noto Peninsula, which was devastated in 2024 by an earthquake and torrential rain and, although still recovering, is now courting tourists as part of its recovery efforts. The Glass Art Museum, which contains a public library and was designed by Kengo Kuma, is a towering cathedral of timber and light. In early September, the lantern-lit Owara Kaze no Bon festival fills the suburb of Yatsuo with dance. Many of Toyama’s culinary delights are southeast of its historical castle and central park: Alpes offers French bistro bites; Hida unexpectedly — but deliciously — pairs natural wine with oden (one-pot dishes) and izakaya (Japanese pub) fare; Suzukeema serves seasonal Japanese curries. Sip coffee surrounded by model trains at Blue Train and end the day with a cocktail at Hanamizuki-no-heya, a family-run jazz bar.” — Craig Mod

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ions-2025.html


View from Toyama City Hall Observation Tower.

Hokuriku Arch Pass

Although the Japan Rail Pass is no longer a good value unless you travel very extensively some regional rail passes are worth considering. Hokuriku Arch Pass costs �30,000, is valid for 7 consecutive days and covers the area shown on these maps.





https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/t...iku-arch-pass/

If you are travelling to Kanazawa from NRT or KIX airport you might like to consider getting a Hokuriku Arch Pass especially since it also covers Nagano, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka.

Approximate fares with reserved seats without a Hokuriku Arch Pass are:

Narita Airport - Tokyo : Narita Express 61 mins �3,070
Tokyo - Kanazawa : Hokuriku Shinkansen 2h27mins �14,380
KIX - Kanazawa : Haruka, Thunderbird, Hokuriku Shinkansen 3h5mins �10,900

So it may be cheaper to buy individual tickets for travelling to/from Kanazawa. However, most of the rail travel on day trips during the Do (worth �12,240) will also be covered by the Hokuriku Arch Pass.

More information on Hokuriku Arch Pass may be found at: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_arch.html.

Alternatively a JR Hokuriku Area Pass valid for 4 days for �7,000 is a must for anybody coming on day trips on Saturday and Sunday as short distance (18-22 minutes) Shinkansen rides between Kanazawa and Toyama cost �2,860~�3,390.

A JR Hokuriku Area Pass may be reserved using JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION and exchanged at Kanazawa Station.

Kanazawa is a great city to visit and I would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone, but it was a popular side trip this year for those attending 2024 Nagoya DO. So, I would say it�s too much of the same region in back to back years.

Kanazawa Castle is great, Little Kyoto is atmospheric, food / fish markets are delicious albeit struggling from popularity due to Anthony Bourdain episode.

Maruoka Castle is the smallest still standing castle from the original ones? It�s cute, but requires quite a bit of a detour. New Shinkansen line helps. Fukui is a nice town to explore on the way to/from Kanazawa to Maruoka. Lots of dinosaurs bones have been found in Fukui region. Also, Our Brewing by Fukui JR Station is great.

I�ve looked into Tojinbo Cliffs and they seem to be a tourist trap.

Tateyama Snow Corridor would be a great side trip, but I worry about completing it given the typical lines along the route and Japan DO group typical glacial pace.

In conclusion, my $0.02 is Kanazawa would be an excellent Japan DO base, but perhaps for 2026 or 2027 as we just did Nagoya in 2024.

I would strongly consider the merits of those vicious rumors about Kumamoto DO or Shikoku DO😆

I�ve moved BigRedBears�s comments from the 2024 Do thread.
(Power of being the forum mod. )

Thank you!

To emphasize, I vote against 2025 Kanazawa DO, but for 2026 or 2027 Kanazawa DO

Following. I was just in Kanazawa a couple weeks ago and would like to return to visit many things I missed. Especially the aviation museum next to KMQ.

Hmmm interesting

I am off to Tokyo end of February to run the Tokyo Marathon, so not sure if I would go back so soon.
Nagoka was a great place for a gathering.

I will be in Kanazawa next month, at the Hyatt Centric. But I am keeping an eye out for this Kanazawa Do 2025, even though 2026 or 2027 would make more sense for me.

I've never been to Japan (outside of the airports) and hoping to join no matter where the location.

We have just come back from Japan, exploring the Autumn leaf colours around Akita, Hirosaki, Aomori and Lake Towada.

Before the Japan Do this year in Nagoya, we spent 3 nights in Kanazawa

Having said all that, it is my turn to work at Easter next year so it is with regret we will not be attending Japan Do in 2025. But we will be back in 2026...

Very slight "maybe" at this point. I thought there would be a conflict this year with work, but it turns out not to be the case (so that's a positive sign). I'll see if I can make it happen with redemptions or sales. (no more ANA F for me, unfortunately)

We have not been to Kanazawa, and if circumstances allow, would be interested in attending.