From Kanazawa: Kurobe Gorge, Unazuki Onsen, and Shomyo Falls

This tour starts at Kanazawa Station. Your guide will meet you in front of the Information Center near the Shinkansen Ticket Gates at 8:00am.

We will use our private bus to head to Unazuki Onsen for the tour to properly begin. This onsen area was founded just over a hundred years ago and even today it is recognized as having the clearest onsen spring water in all of Japan. The architecture of the town reflects the 1920’s Taisho period, a time of significant mixing of western and Japanese styles.

NOTE: Depending on availability, we may use public transport to get to and from Unazuki Onsen from the starting locations. This does not affect the itinerary or price of the tour.

Head on a walk out of the town to get some nice views of the town itself. Admire one of the red bridges and the beautiful valley. Embark on a 20-30-minute walk to see the stunning valley from all different angles. There are also certain times when the train runs across the bridge and we will wait at one of the observation decks to get pictures.

We will hop on the trolley train to the deep inner parts of Kurobe Gorge. Enjoy the breathtaking views as you feel the air rush through the train car. This is a long ride so make sure to dress for the weather. There is a roof on the carriage, but it is not 100% effective.

The train will take about an hour and forty minutes in total, including one stop where you can get off and walk around shortly. The train is on a shortened route currently, running between only Unazuki and Nekomata Station. Even now you can still see the deepest gorge in Japan, beautiful waterfalls, lakes and other interesting sights throughout.

The long spectacular train ride will eventually come to an end and next we will walk around the town. There is time for you to explore and get a feel for the onsen town’s covered foot baths. At the far end of Unazuki Onsen is the Omokage Observation Deck. This will also be the time for lunch. There are plenty of options in and around the station so feel free to ask your guide for recommendations. Afterwards, we will return to the bus to head to Shomyo Falls; the last activity of the day.

As we go through the highway, we'll eventually transition to more narrow and traditional road used by pilgrims to start their journey up the mountains. We'll head a little deeper into the mountain valley to reach Shomyo Falls.

There is a short hiking trail up to the base of the falls. The 350m waterfalls were first formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago, which carved the path of the valley.

Shomyo literally means "chanting scripture" and the sound of the waterfall's four drops is said to be one of the most beautiful in Japan. Ancient pilgrims thought the noise sounded like monks chanting in a temple.

At the end of your tour, the bus will drop you back off in Kanazawa. Here we will say our goodbyes but feel free to ask your guide any questions you may have about travelling Japan on the way back!