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These two cities are just a short bus ride away from each other, and have a lot in common with their small streets lined with creaky old wooden buildings that demand to be photographed! But if you don’t have time to visit both on our trip, which one is the right choice for you? Here’s how to make the decision…
Takayama at a Glance
Takayama is refreshingly small – a 12-minute walk gets you from the train station to the old town centre. Don’t let the size fool you, though. You’ve got the historic streets, morning markets where locals actually shop, several shrines (including one dedicated to a tiny monkey-like doll), and a surprising number of museums that will keep you busy.
The standouts? The matsuri float museum (those festival floats are massive up close), a quirky place showcasing miniature temple models, an outdoor folk village, and not one but two museums packed with retro Japanese stuff – old cars, vintage gadgets, and classic video games you can actually play.
Get more specific details in our guide to the top 10 things to do in Takayama.
Kanazawa at a Glance
Kanazawa is larger and offers a broader variety of activities.
You’ve got three distinct old districts – two former geisha quarters and one samurai neighborhood, each with its own character.
The Ninja Temple lives up to its name with hidden passages and trap doors (though the tour’s in Japanese). There’s also a major contemporary art museum, Kenroku-en garden (considered one of Japan’s top three), a bustling fish market, and plenty more. Kanazawa is also a dream destination for crafters.
You can walk everywhere, but your legs will feel it—the bus system becomes your friend quickly.
Get more specific details in our guide to the top 10 things to do in Kanazawa.
How to Decide Between Them?
If you only have time to visit one of the two on your trip, which should it be? Here’s what to consider to make the perfect decision.
How Much Time Do You Have?
If you only have a day to visit, I would suggest sticking with Takayama. The main sights are all a short walk around the old town, and you’ll be able to easily tick off admiring (and shopping) in the small streets and wooden buildings of the town centre. You could also easily see the fun Showa Museum, the float museum, and the surrounding sights in one day.
To see how much you can do, check out our guide to one day in Takayama here.
Kanazawa’s old geisha district of Higashi Chaya is also compact, so you could visit and see that a few other things like the quirky Ninja Temple in a day (see our guide to one day in Kanazawa), but, because there are so many other things to do here, you might feel a bit short-changed only having a day to spare.
If you have a little more time, I think Takayama takes two days to feel like you’ve done it well, and Kanazawa takes three.
Do You Want a Variety of Activities?
Takayama keeps things simple – it’s all about the town itself and daily life within it. You’ll duck down side streets, stumble across local shrines (or take the longer shrine walk), browse the museums, and quite possibly end your day soaking in an onsen at your hotel before visiting the cute bar area for dinner and a glass of sake.
Kanazawa throws more variety at you – you could start your day standing in the famous swimming pool art exhibit, enjoy the greenery of that celebrated garden, get chills at the secret room in the Ninja Temple, and go back in time in Higashi Chaya – all while nipping in and out of some shrines with interesting touches like a giant Gundam head. And that’s just scratching the surface.
When Are You Going?
The weather in both cities is generally quite similar, but, Takayama gets colder in winter – with potential lows down to min -9.7°C (14.5°F) and max -1.8°C (28.8°F) in January – compared to Kanazawa which has a low of 0.9°C (33.6°F) and a high of 6.8°C (44.2°F) (figures from Weather Atlas).
Snow is likely in both cities. In January, for example, Takayama sees snow fall for 24.9 days and accumulates 675mm (26.57″) of snow. In Kanazawa, snow falls for 19.1 days, but you could see 1190mm (46.85″) of snow. The best choice for you depends on your love of white fluffy stuff!
In summer, Takayama is cooler than Kanazawa. It gets an average peak of 25.5°C (77.9°F) and a low of 15.9°C (60.6°F) – it does rain almost every day in August.
Kanazawa’s summer sees less rainfall, and the temperature can reach an average high of 30.9°C (87.6°F) and a low of 23.7°C (74.7°F); and it can feel significantly hotter than these averages.
If you’re traveling in the height of summer, you might want to stick with Takayama.
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Are You Looking to Chill out a Bit?
I didn’t appreciate how many hotels in Takayama had onsens on the property until I started writing our piece on where to stay in Takayama. That combined with its smaller size, means I think it’s a bit more relaxing than Kanazawa, which has more to do, more space to cover, and not so many hotels inviting you to lie back in hot water and soak your cares away.
Are You Hoping to Avoid Crowds?
In that case, whichever town you choose, you’ll want to stay at least one night, as this allows you to visit the Takayama old city area or Kanazawa’s Higashi Chaya, either early in the morning or late afternoon when the day trippers have gone home.
In peak hours, Takayama can feel quite touristy due to its compact size and the crowds of people filling the three blocks of the old town while the shops are open.
Kanazawa’s larger spread means crowds disperse more, things will only really feel crowded if you visit Higashi Chaya around lunchtime – the above picture was taken in Nishi Chaya, the other old geisha district, around 11 am, and, as you can see, it’s pretty empty.
What’s Your Budget?
Hotel prices are similar in both cities. Looking at the hotels I stayed in, for a date three months into the future, the Hotel Wing International in Takayama charges AU$320, while the Hotel Forza in Kanazawa (below) charges AU$231. Generally speaking, the spread of hotels on the dates I checked shows that Kanazawa is fractionally cheaper than Takayama.
If budget is a consideration, watch out for the Takayama Matsuri, which takes place twice a year in April and October. Check your dates carefully if this is when you’re planning on visiting, as it will significantly increase the costs.
Which is Best for Kids?
That depends on your kids; both Takayama and Kanazawa are very much about appreciating the atmosphere and old streetscapes, and if your kids will enjoy that, then you’ll have a great time in either destination.
However, if they need something a bit more fun to break things up, then I think Takayama is a little bit more kid-friendly.
It has the cute Teddy Bear Museum and the Hida No Sato outdoor park, which are both fun for kids. The models of the temples of Nikko in the Sakurayama Nikkokan are fascinating and the two Showa Museums also have retro video games to play. You could also take a trip to nearby Hida Furukawa and feed the fish that swim in the streets.
Kanazawa doesn’t have any obvious kid-friendly attractions. The Ninja Temple sounds like a cool attraction, but it’s actually a tour in Japanese. It’s fantastic, and my favourite thing in Kanazawa, but younger kids might get bored.
Do You Want to Go to Shirakawa-Go?
I’ve included this information in case you’re wondering, but there’s very little difference in reaching Shirakawa-go from either city, as you just get on the bus at one end and get off at the other!
Takayama slightly wins for convenience, though, as the bus journey is slightly shorter – 50 minutes from Takayama compared to 75 minutes from Kanazawa. Buses from both cities run regularly, but there are more regular services from Takayama.
Whichever you choose, it’s a good idea to reserve, though. Some of the services are reservation only, and the others do sell out. Check timetables and discover how to book tickets here. The price is the same from either city – 2800 yen on the day I write this.
RELATED READ: The Things I Wish I’d Known Before Visiting Shirakawa-go
For Other Day Trips
Shirakawa-go is probably the most popular side destination for Kanazawa and Takayama, but it’s not the only one. If you’re planning on basing yourself here for a few days, Takayama offers easy access to Hida Furukawa and is closer to Kamikochi and Mount Norikura.
Kanazawa is better connected to the Noto Peninsula for its coastal scenery, or you can visit Fukui for its dinosaur sights.
Both have easy access to Toyama, enabling you to visit this great town for gourmets or head toward the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
Need Extra Planning Help?
Our Japan trip planners can help. You might like our First-Timers Japan Planner, which will help you plan your trip to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka step-by-step, including tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing and dining. Or our super-duper Tokyo Disney Planner makes arranging your park trip MUCH easier. Find them in our Planners store – printable and digital versions are available.
Where Are You Coming From/To?
I wouldn’t say this was the main reason to determine which to visit, but it might be the final deciding factor if you can’t make your decision.
If you’re coming from/going to Kyoto or Osaka, Kanazawa is an easy train journey. You can take the Thunderbird train from Kyoto Station to Tsuruga, then get on the Shinkansen to Kanazawa (or vice versa). From Kyoto, the journey takes one hour and 42 minutes and costs from 8120 yen. The journey from Osaka takes about 15 minutes longer, maybe more depending on the train connections. It costs from 9810.
Takayama from/to Kyoto is a bit more of a complex journey, requiring you to go to Nagoya, then take the train or a bus up to Takayama (or vice versa). The trip takes at least 3 hours and 5 minutes, costing 9,780 yen by bus and 12,120 yen by train. The journey is pretty much the same from Osaka, but takes 15 minutes longer.
If you’re coming from/to Tokyo, it will take 2 hours and 35 minutes to reach Kanazawa on the fast Kagayaki service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen – it costs 14,780 yen.
To reach Takayama from/to Tokyo takes about four and a half hours. You’ll need to go to Nagoya and catch a bus or second train from there – or vice versa. It costs from 15,100 yen.
RELATED READ: The Kagayaki is one of the Shinkansen trains that always need reservations. Read up on these so you don’t get caught out.
And that’s it – all the things I think you need to consider when deciding whether to stay in Kanazawa or Takayama. Now, once you know, check out our guides on where to stay – here’s where we suggest you stay in Kanazawa and here’s where you might want to think about staying in Takayama.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, Escape, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve traveled to Japan eight times before – solo and with my partner and visited over 25 towns and cities. My last visit was November 2024 so, everything here is pretty up to date.
