Private Tour of Shirakawago and Gokayama from Kanazawa
Description
Explore the hamlets of Gokayama and Shirakawa-go on our 7-hour package tour with access to a private vehicle exclusively for you and your fellow travelers. Our English-speaking driver will take you first to the World Heritage site of Gokayama followed by Shirakawa-go
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our English speaking driver will take you directly to the hamlet of Gokayama, a beautiful Alpine village along the Sho river where you can walk among the Gasho zukuri style(Hands in prayer) thatched roofs. You will spend 90 minutes here exploring the village and houses. Gokayama is more remote than Shirakawago and so receives less than half of visitors. This UNESCO and Michelin rated location is one not to be missed.
Next onto the adjacent valley where the UNESCO village of Shirakawa-go is nestled. You will spend 2 and half hours here, exploring the town and taking in lunch. Crossing the spectacular pedestrian bridge across the Sho river, your senses will be filled with the sounds and smells of authentic rural life. This fairy-tale village is bound to inspire you as one of Japans most picturesque sites.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We collect from all Kanazawa Hotels. If your hotel is not listed, please let us know your hotel name so that we can arrange the pick up
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- If your hotel is not listed, please let us know your hotel name so that we can arrange the pick up
Reviews(54)
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to both locations with a great guide who also did our transfer from Takayama to Kanazawa. Kumiko was a very knowledgeable and professional guide as well as an excellent driver! She explained what we were visiting using diagrams and pictures to reinforce what we either saw or was about to. On arrival she handed us a packet with materials that we could peruse at our leisure or keep as a souvenir. Additionally, she welcomed questions and tried to individualize our tour with special experiences. We thoroughly enjoyed her warm and caring personality and would highly recommend her for her expertise as well as her charming personality. We also appreciated all the ways she navigated around the crowds and included hidden gems on our tour. We highly recommend her and would use her services again.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time with Kumiko and that she was able to make your transfer and tour from Takayama to Kanazawa so smooth, informative, and personal. It’s great to know her use of visuals, materials, and thoughtful explanations helped bring each place to life, and that her care and attention made the experience even more special for you. We’re also very happy she could help you discover hidden gems and navigate the crowds so comfortably. Thanks from all of us at Kanazawa Tours, we truly appreciate your kind recommendation!
Had a great day with Ian exploring Gokayama Shirakawago and Takayama. Nice yo get out and explore small UNESCO villages. Ian’s knowledge made village life come alive. It was a long day time wise but felt short with Ian’s explanations filling the time with inters facts and stories. Definitely recommend
Thank you so much for your kind feedback. We’re really glad to hear you had such a great day with Ian exploring Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, and Takayama, and that his knowledge helped bring the villages and their history to life for you. It’s wonderful that the journey felt engaging and passed so quickly despite being a long day. Thanks from all of us at Kanazawa Tours, we truly appreciate your recommendation!
We had a wonderful time. Yuka was a great driver/guide. She did a great job catering to my limitations without missing a thing. Thank yo for an excellent day.
It’s so lovely to hear you had such a great day, thank you for sharing! We’re really glad Yuka was able to tailor the experience to your needs while still making sure you didn’t miss anything. Yuka will be very happy to hear your kind words. Thanks so much from all of us at Kanazawa Tours.
During our travels across Europe and Asia, our guide Kumiko stood out as truly exceptional. From the moment she met us at the train station in Takayama, we knew we were in great hands. Her deep, thoughtful knowledge of Japan was remarkable, and her organization kept everything running seamlessly, allowing us to experience a rich and unforgettable itinerary.
We really value your feedback—thank you. We’re delighted to hear that Kumiko made such a remarkable impression during your travels, from her thoughtful knowledge of Japan to her seamless organization, ensuring a rich and unforgettable itinerary. Kumiko will be thrilled to hear your kind words. Warm thanks from everyone at Kanazawa Tours.
A wonderful day for the 4 of us. Large comfortable and clean car. Caring, careful driver. Punctual, kind and was able to get a toboggan for our son to play with while we explored the village. Got us a table for lunch. Highly recommend and would use again.
Thank you very much for your lovely review. We’re happy to hear your family had a wonderful day and that the comfortable car, thoughtful driver, and small personal touches made the experience special. We truly appreciate your recommendation and would be delighted to welcome you again. Thank you from all of the team at Kanazawa Tours!
Hugely enjoyable and interesting. Our driver was knowledgeable and courteous, and the visits to the thatched houses unforgettable.
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We’re delighted to hear you found the tour both enjoyable and informative, and that the visits to the thatched houses left such a lasting impression. Thank you from all of the team at Kanazawa Tours.
We had a good time visiting Shinagawa-go and Gokayama with our guide Ian. Ian was great at explaining and sharing insight about the villages. He also shared where we could get great pictures, lookout points, and shops. We enjoyed our time and highly recommend this tour! If you’re thinking about visiting Shirakawa-go, we would also recommend adding Gokayama. It’s a smaller village but there were less visitors. When I was booking, I reached out to the team to ask for advice about which to book and they suggested a shorter tour because it was winter, which we appreciated!
Thank you very much for your thoughtful feedback. We’re happy to hear that Ian’s insights, photography tips, and recommendations helped make your visit to Shirakawago and Gokayama so enjoyable, and that our booking advice was helpful for winter travel. Thank you from all of the team at Kanazawa Tours.
Excellent tour of snowy villages. Our guide, Asako, was prompt, efficient, and helpful. We were able to navigate around the crowds to get the most of our tour. She was also flexible to allow us time to dither at some stops and move ahead in items we were less interested.
Thank you for your kind review. We’re pleased to hear that Asako’s efficient, flexible guiding helped you navigate the villages comfortably and enjoy the experience at your own pace. Thank you from all of the team at Kanazawa Tours.
We had a wonderful time in the snow! Ian was friendly and very knowledgeable. The timing of the tour was perfect with enough time in both villages. They were so fascinating and beautiful. A comfortable trip to and from Kanazawa and a fabulous family day we won’t forget!
Thank you very much for sharing your experience. We’re delighted to hear that Ian’s knowledge and pacing helped make your snowy village tour comfortable, memorable, and a wonderful family day. Thank you from all of the team at Kanazawa Tours.
Very good service. The tour guide is very professional and experienced Planning and setting of travel time is very good and efficient
Kami sangat senang mendengar bahwa Anda menikmati tur Anda! Terima kasih dari seluruh tim Kanazawa Tours!
![[One-day bus tour departing from Kanazawa Station] Shirakawa-go and Gokayama - Two World Heritage Villages Enjoyable Bus Tour](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cdn.tripadvisor.com%2Fmedia%2Fattractions-splice-spp-720x480%2Fr%2F33%2Fc8%2F1b%2F91%2Fcaption.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
![[One-day bus tour departing from Kanazawa Station] Shirakawa-go/Takayama tour platinum route bus tour](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cdn.tripadvisor.com%2Fmedia%2Fattractions-splice-spp-720x480%2Fr%2F32%2Ff9%2Fae%2F5d%2Fcaption.jpg&w=3840&q=75)