You guys were so helpful with the planning of our Nagano-Gifu itinerary, that I'm posting the next leg of our journey through Japan for similar feedback. I would really appreciate your suggestions for this part of our trip as well! Many of you provided invaluable advice that has really helped us to plan more efficiently. I'd really love to get your thoughts and opinions on the following proposed schedule, so that I can adjust plans and expectations if necessary, in order to get the most out of our time in Ishikawa!

I think this one should seem a bit more relaxed than the previous overly ambitious itinerary. Our third day is the only one which is really action-packed. I would especially appreciate feedback (along with any important info re. hours and feasibility as with the other thread!) for this last day specifically. I should mention that we will be continuing on to Kyoto the next morning. As we have a full 5 nights booked in Kyoto, we really don't have any strict timeline for when we need to depart Ishikawa, and could potentially move certain activities from Day 3 to the following morning, before leaving for Kyoto.

Once again, anything with (?) beside it is of minor focus; options which, if we were to find ourselves with extra time and/or nearby and determine that these are places of interest, we could potentially visit. They are of minor note to ourselves. Anything with (!) beside it, is of higher priority. These are places which we absolutely intend to visit and work into our schedule one way or another while in the area. If you feel we are overlooking anything, or that we are planning for certain things which are less interesting than they shound and should not be a high priority, please let me know!



DAY 1


• Lunch at Saikeian Noodle Shop on Yuge Kaido Shopping St. - (Depending on Arrival, Switch to Final Day)


• Matsuura Sake Brewery Tour and Tasting - (Depending on Arrival, Switch to Final Day)


• Relax at Private Onsen


• Dinner at Kayotei Ryokan




DAY 2


• Breakfast at Kayotei Ryokan


• Kakusenkei Gorge Nature Walk - Kurotani Bridge, Basho-dou, Ayatori Hashi, Mugen an, Korogi Bridge, etc.


• Lunch at Kensantei - (Fried Oysters from Noto Peninsula!)


• Relax at Private Onsen


• Dinner at Kayotei Ryokan




DAY 3


• Breakfast at Kayotei Ryokan


• Transfer to Kanazawa


• Stroll through Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa Castle Park and Oyama Shrine (!)


• Visit 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (!)


• Time Permitting: Prefectural Museum of Art, Honda Museum, Prefectural History Museum (?)


• Sushi Lunch at Otomezushi (*) or Komatsu Yasuke (!)


• Visit Nishi Chaya Shiryokan and Ninjadera/Myoryuji (?)


• Explore the Nagamachi Samurai District - Nomura-ke, Shinise Kinenkan Museum, Ashigaru Shiryokan Museum, Maeda Tosanokami-ke Shiryokan, etc. (!)


• Wander the Higashi Chaya Old Town - Shima and Kaikaro Teahouses, Hakuza, etc. (!)


• Gyokusen-en Nishida Family Garden (?)


• Ishikawa Prefectural Noh Theatre (?)


• Tofu at Goemon in Hakusan - (Reserve Private Tea House!)


• Time Permitting: Sake and Shochu at Sen Izakaya (?)


• Return to Kaga-shi and Dinner at Kayotei Ryokan




DAY 4


• Breakfast at Kayotei Ryokan


• Depart for Kyoto

Tofu at Goemon in Hakusan - that would be in Tokyo.

Haha, that's just the kind of oversight I was looking for!

Thank you!!

You're welcome - it would have been a long trip just for dinner!

Also, while I like Sen, I like Daiba (076-263-9191) much better for their sake selection. It's only about five minutes away, if that.

Thanks again, very nicely designed interior space from the photos on TA!

I've made the adjustment on our itinerary - it looks wonderful!

Just spent 3 days in Ishikawa. You might also want to consider

A trip up the Noto pennisula (Toyama Bay side)

Visit to the market in Kanazawa

Trip to Shirakawago.

3rd day really a bit packed. It took us 6 hours just for Hakuza (1 teahouse), Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa Castle Park and Nomura-Ke (and we skipped lunch). There is a shuttle bus departing from the train station doing a circle thru the city connecting most highlights. It is easier to arrange your itinary in that order.

You should consider to stay in Kanazawa for the 3rd night. Will give you more time in Kanzawa and you can go directly to Kyoto using the Thunderbird Express.

Thanks for the feedback!

I think what we'll end up doing is driving into Kanazawa after breakfast at the Kayoutei, spend some time in Kenroku-en Garden and the Castle Park, have lunch at Otomezushi, and then spend several hours walking around the Nagamachi Samurai District before returning to our ryokan. We'll wake up the next day and drive back to Kanazawa in order to visit the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art; perhaps have lunch at Komatsu Yasuke, and then wander through the Higashi Chaya Old Town. Then continue on to Kyoto!

I had a nice dinner at Otomezushi earlier this year. Sushi was superb, of course, and 4 people also were having hot items prepared by the female assistant. It looked delicious but I was so busy enjoying my own food that I really have no photos to show for the visit. The itamae made a good effort to engage and chat in limited English. He also told me what each item was, but again, I opted to just enjoy everything and not take notes. I had the Visa Concierge service make the reservation about two months ahead of time.

Also, I would suggest the Hotel Trusty in Kanazawa if you want to spend a night in that city. It is an easy walk to Otomezushi and near Kenroku-en. If you stayed the night, you could probably visit both Komatsu Yasuke and Otomezushi I would have attempted that except Kumatsu Yasuke was closed on the days I was in town.

There's also a NaNa's Green Tea cafe inside the Kanazawa Forus (department store near train station with Starbucks w/ wifi out front) which I wish I'd picked up a matcha parfait or something for takeout.