Traveling from Osaka to Kanazawa

Kanazawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture located in central Honshu region between the Sea of Japan and the Northern Japanese Alps.

Kanazawa’s major tourist attractions include, the Kanazawa Castle, Miyoryuji Temple (also called the Ninja Temple) which has many secret passages and trap doors, the traditional teahouses of the Higashi Chaya geisha district, and Kenrokuen garden, which is considered to be one of the three great gardens of Japan.

Traveling from Osaka to Kanazawa by train

The Thunderbird Limited Express is a convenient and fast service that connects Osaka to the popular tourist destination of Kanazawa. The Thunderbird makes frequent departures from Osaka Station every day, stopping at Shin-Osaka Station on the way. From Osaka Station the train takes 2 hours and 40 minutes to reach Kanazawa Station and costs 7,130 yen. From Shin-Osaka Station the train takes 2 hours and 30 minutes for the same fare. The train is very impressive to look at from the outside and the inside seating is spacious and comfortable too, so traveling on the Thunderbird itself is a very enjoyable and exciting part of any trip.

This service is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass. If you do not have a Japan Rail Pass, you might consider investing in a Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass, or a Hokuriku Area Pass, to fully explore the Hokuriku area around Kanazawa.

Traveling from Osaka to Kanazawa by Highway bus

Regular daytime and overnight express buses run between Osaka and Kanazawa. Fares vary between 3,700 yen and 5,000 yen according to the time and service. Buses depart from Osaka Station’s JR Express Bus Terminal and arrive at Kanazawa Station after an average journey time of 5 hours and 35 minutes. You can look up journey times and make bookings online at Kousokubus.net or make enquiries and bookings directly at Osaka Station’s Bus Terminal Ticket Office.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.