Kanazawa chaya districts
金沢の茶屋街36°34′ N 136°40′ EOld townFrom 1820
Kanazawa's chaya districts suit couples and photographers who want lanes of latticed Edo-period teahouses, and their trade-off is crowds at Higashi Chaya from late morning.
Photo 金沢市 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.1 JP
Visiting with care · Open to visitors
- Enter only the houses open to the public as museums, shops or cafés.
- Ask before you photograph a person.
- Keep voices low in the lanes after dark, when the teahouses entertain.
Related places
In 1820 Kanazawa gathered its chaya (teahouses where geisha entertained wealthy guests) into districts away from the centre. Higashi Chaya, across the Asano River, is the largest, and its two-storey houses keep the fine lattices called kimusuko on the ground floor and guest rooms upstairs. Visit Kanazawa notes that Higashi Chaya and Kazuemachi, along with Kyoto's Gion, are the only geisha districts in Japan protected as cultural heritage.
Shima, built in 1820 when the district opened, is an Important Cultural Property and the best way inside. You see the upstairs guest rooms and a small courtyard where tea and sweets are served for an extra charge. Nishi Chaya lies 500 m from the Saigawa Ohashi bridge, and the city's Nishi Chaya Shiryokan museum reproduces a teahouse guest room.
The Kanazawa City Tourism Association stages geisha performances in the three districts on set Saturdays. The Loop Bus stops at Hashiba-cho, and Higashi Chaya is five minutes' walk from there.
Worth knowing
- Come before 10:00 for the lanes at their emptiest; Higashi Chaya is marked for early-morning sightseeing.
Quick answers about Kanazawa chaya districtsよくある質問
Can you visit Kanazawa chaya districts?
Open to visitors. Enter only the houses open to the public as museums, shops or cafés.
How much does Kanazawa chaya districts cost?
Prices at Kanazawa chaya districts start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates).
What are the opening hours of Kanazawa chaya districts?
Kanazawa chaya districts is open the streets are public at all hours. Shima teahouse opens 9:30–17:30 from March to November and 9:30–17:00 from December to February, every day.
How should you behave at Kanazawa chaya districts?
At Kanazawa chaya districts: Ask before you photograph a person. Keep voices low in the lanes after dark, when the teahouses entertain.
Within 12 km
Sights nearby見どころ
Within 12 km
Places to eat and drink nearby食
Within 12 km
Culture and history nearby文化
Within 12 km