Getting around in Kanazawa
The best way to get around Kanazawa is to use city buses. In addition to the classic city buses, there are also 2 buses designed for tourists. Below you will find all the information.
Left Loop Bus – SONIC BLOOMING, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This day pass costs 800 Yen and allows you to take the Kanazawa Loop Bus, Kenrokuen Shuttle, Hokutetsu and JR company city buses. The JR Machi Bus and the Kanazawa Furatto Bus are not included.
Details for each bus can be found below.
Kanazawa Loop Bus
The Kanazawa Loop Bus, as its name implies, is a city bus that makes a circular route, touching the main tourist sites in the city.
There are 2 types of buses, the Left Bus (LL) which makes the loop counterclockwise and are green and the Right Bus (RL) which makes the loop clockwise and are red.
There are 14 stops on the route (including the departure stop at JR Kanazawa Station).
The service runs from 8:30 am until 6:05 pm and rides every 15 minutes.
A single-ride ticket costs 210 Yen. This bus is included in the One Day Pass.
Right Loop Bus – SONIC BLOOMING, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hokutetsu city buses
The Hokutetsu company operates Kanazawa’s urban bus network.
Tickets in the flat area cost 210 Yen per ride, while if you leave the area you pay a fare based on distance. All major places of interest are located in the flat area. This bus is included in the One Day Pass.
SONIC BLOOMING, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
JR city buses
The JR company offers 2 routes in Kanazawa. The Korinbo Route goes from the castle and Kenrokuen Garden to the Higashi Chaya district while the Owaricho Route goes directly to the Higashi Chaya district.
The ticket costs 210 Yen per ride. This bus is included in the One Day Pass.
If you have the Japan Rail Pass or the Hokuriku Arch Pass or the Kansai-Hokuriku Pass, you can use these buses.
Kitakyushuhamojiko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
JR Machi Bus
The JR Machi Bus only operates on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
It connects Kanazawa’s major shopping areas such as Omicho Ichiba market, Kohrinbo, Katamachi and Tatemachi shopping streets. It also passes by some places of interest such as the Oyama Jinja shrine, the Hirosaka museum district and the Kenrokuen garden.
The single ticket costs 100 Yen. Day passes are NOT valid on this bus, nor is the Japan Rail Pass.
SONIC BLOOMING, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons