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Unlike many cities you might visit in Japan, Kanazawa doesn’t have a train or metro system to take you to the main tourist sights. Instead, you need to use the buses, which can be a bit confusing for tourists. So, here’s what you need to know.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
There are three main types of bus you might want to catch in and around Kanazawa and I’ll cover each in turn.
Kanazawa’s Loop Buses
Kanazawa’s Loop Buses are made for tourists and are the easiest way for first-time visitors to travel between the city’s biggest attractions. There are two loop routes
- Right Loop Bus (RL): Runs clockwise around the city.
- Left Loop Bus (LL): Runs counter-clockwise around the city
Both loops start and end at the bus area at Kanazawa Station.
Where the Loop Buses Cover
The loop routes take you to most of Kanazawa’s must-see spots, including…
| Stop Name – and Stop Number | No (R) | No (L) | Good for Visiting |
| Kanazawa Station | 0 | 0 | Kanazawa Station, Buses to Shirakawago |
| Musashigatsu-ji | 1 | 1 | Omicho Market |
| Hashiba-Cho | 4 | 10 | Higashi-Chaya, Kazuemachi- Chaya |
| Kenrouken Garden/Kanazawa Castle | 6 | 9 | Kenrouken Garden, Kanazawa Castle |
| Hirosaka | 7 | 8 | 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art |
| Korinbo | 8 | 3 | Nagamachi – Samurai District, Oyama Shrine |
| Minamacho | 9 | 2 | Oyama Shrine |
| Hirokoji (Left Loop Only) | – | 5 | Ninja Temple, Nishi Chaya |
Important Points
- Both loops hit these major spots but in opposite directions, so choosing which one to take depends on where you want to go first. If you take the Right Loop Bus, you will hit the spots in the order above. If you take the Left Loop Bus, you’ll go the opposite way round.
- The stop numbers differ depending if you are using the Right Loop or the Left Loop. The numbers above refer to the Right Loop first, then the Left Loop. On maps, they also have different colours. The Right Loop is orange, the left loop is green. Use the numbers to check you are waiting on the right side.
- Remember, if you want to take the bus to the Ninja Temple or Nishi Chaya, you must get on the Left Loop. The Right Loop doesn’t go quite that far down. If you make a mistake, don’t worry. Just get off at the Korinbi stop, and it’s a 15-minute walk to the Ninja Temple.
- The Loop Buses run every 15-20 minutes. If you miss one, you might find a local bus that will get you to your destination a bit quicker.
- The Loop Buses don’t start until 8.30 am, and they finish their last Loops by 6.30 pm. Outside of these times, you’ll need to use the local buses.
- Google Maps will not always show the Loop Line bus as an option. If a local bus is coming first it will usually show that. That’s why it’s handy to have the map with you.
- When Google Maps does show the Loop Bus it uses kanji, which can be a bit confusing as there is only a tiny difference between the characters for Clockwise and Counter Clockwise. Check it out below.
- You can’t go around in a circle; when either of the Loop buses arrives at Kanazawa Station, all passengers have to get off.
- You can download a map of the route to help you with planning and navigating.
Getting on and Off the Loop Bus
Bus stops are clearly marked, and usually also have shelters.
You get on the door in the middle of the bus, and get off at the front by the driver.
The Loop Buses will usually stop at the main stops, but to make sure, hail the bus by raising your hand as the bus approaches the stop where you are getting on, and when getting off, push the buzzer.
You pay the driver as you get off the bus.
Paying For the Loop Bus
The Loop buses run on a flat fee system. Every journey costs ¥210 for adults and ¥100 for children, regardless of how far you go on the loop.
You can pay with cash (bus drivers don’t give change so have the right money ready), an IC card like Suica, or even tap your credit card or debit card.
You can also buy a one-day Bus Ticket that allows unlimited travel on the Loop Buses and most Local Buses. This costs 800 yen for the day for adults and 400 yen for children.
It isn’t sold on the bus. You can it buy the ticket at counters at the bus area of Kanazawa Station, or book digital tickets online. If you’re not staying by the station, you can pick up the passes in advance – they only start working when you first show them to the driver.
The One Day Pass also gives you some discounts at popular spots like the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
Using Local Buses in Kanazawa
By reading this you are already ahead of me on my trip to Kanazawa.
I didn’t research the Loop buses in advance at all and it took me a day or so to work it all out. At that time, I just stuck to Local Buses which was a bit silly as the Loop Buses are the easier system to navigate and the drivers are very used to tourists.
However, sometimes, there might be a long gap between the Loop buses, you might be traveling early or after 6.30 pm once they’ve stopped, or you just might want to go somewhere not directly on the Loop – like the DT Suzuki Museum, in which case, you’ll need to use the Local Buses.
The good news is they do usually have route numbers and destinations are on English on the front of the bus, but, they also have distance-based fares, meaning the cost depends on how far you travel. This can be a bit more complex to navigate for beginners than the flat fare buses.
Paying on Local Buses
Confusingly, some local buses take IC Cards, others don’t but will let you tap with your credit card. The route known as the Flat Bus doesn’t take either!
When you get on look for a tap console, and it should say which it accepts. If the bus doesn’t accept cards, you might also see big signs like the one below stuck on the doors or inside the bus.
If you do see a console, tap on as you get on, then tap off again by the driver as you leave.
If you want to pay cash, or, don’t see a tap device, then look for a machine giving out paper tickets by the entry door. Grab one. This ticket will have a number on it. This corresponds to the stop number where you go on the bus and it tells the driver how much you need to pay.
You then check this via the electronic screen at the front of the bus. This will be by the front door, above the windscreen. You’ll see a display of boxes, a bit like this table…
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 150 | 210 | 280 | 350 | 420 |
The top line of the box refers to the number of the stop you got on at. It’s also the number on your ticket.
The second line is the fare. You’ll notice it increases as the journey goes on.
When you get off at your stop, find the box on the screen relating to the number on your ticket. Then look underneath at the big number. That’s how much you need to pay.
Buses do not give change, so make sure you have small coins with you – or use the money changer machine by the driver.
Put the cash and the ticket into the money slot by the driver.
Catching Buses to Shirakawa-go or Takayama
This is the last type of bus you might catch in Kanazawa.
Shirakawago, the village of thatched-roof houses is a popular day trip from Kanazawa and, you get there by bus in about 80 minutes.
The buses also then carry on to Takayama if you are traveling between Kanazawa and Takayama. It takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to get between Kanazawa and Takayama.
The company that runs the buses is called Nohi, and they depart from the West exit at Kanazawa Station – this is not the same side as the local buses, so don’t get confused.
Reservations for these buses are essential at some times of day and highly recommended at others as the buses do fill up.
Find the bus timetable and make your reservations here. They open one month in advance.
And I think that’s about all you need to know about getting around by bus in Kanazawa.
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.
