How to get from Tokyo to Kanazawa

Going from Tokyo to Kanazawa entails crossing the center of Honshu Island out to the Japan Sea Coast. Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture and the largest city in the Hokuriku Region, is the current terminus of the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

Trip Duration Approx. 2.5-3 hours
First & Last Departure 6:16 AM/9:04 PM
💶 Cost From 14,180 yen
🚆 Distance 470 kilometers
🚉 Departing/Arriving Station Tokyo or Ueno Station/
Kanazawa Station
Hakutaka Shinkansen Bullet TrainKagayaki Shinkansen Bullet Train

Reserve Shinkansen tickets from Tokyo to Kanazawa!

READ MORE ABOUT SEAT RESERVATIONS // How to Reserve Seats on the Train in Japan

Oversized baggage on the Shinkansen

Passengers with big bags need to meet a number of restrictions in order to board the Shinkansen. Baggage over 160 cm in length, breadth, and height must be checked into the designated bulky baggage section located at the rear of the train car, per Japan Railway regulations. Additionally, owners of such bags need to reserve seats close to this area. Kindly note that bags larger than 250 cm in total are not allowed on the Shinkansen.

The baggage restrictions do not apply to baby carriages, musical instruments in cases, or athletic equipment (bikes, snowboards, etc.) in cases.

Dimensions for luggage on the Shinkansen bullet train

READ MORE ABOUT OVERSIZED BAGGAGE RULES // New Luggage Reservation Rules for the Shinkansen

The Shinkansen train leaves for Kanazawa Station from Shinagawa Station or Tokyo Station, which are both on the JR Yamanote Line and located in the center of Tokyo. The area around Tokyo Station is mostly commercial, featuring luxury department shops, retail malls, fast food and fine dining options, as well as serene parks like Hibiya Park and Imperial Palace Park. The station is home to a huge network of additional shops, restaurants, and department stores. 

Ueno Station is in the eastern sector of Tokyo with a number of interesting attractions around. Modest dining establishments line the streets around the station and the nearby Ueno Park and zoo are favorites of the city’s inhabitants. A great area to do some shopping is the Aki-Oka Artisan Alley nearby Akihabara, home to a number of small, independent shops with unique offerings.

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, Japan

@Wikimedia

Kanazawa Station is the last stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen that crosses Honshu Island from Tokyo out to the Japan Sea Coast. From Tokyo, passengers can ride the Shinkansen bullet train from either Tokyo Station or Ueno Station. Kanazawa Station itself is famous for the large gate-like structure in the front, known as the Tsuzumimon Gate. This structure is meant to resemble both a Shinto torii gate and traditional Japanese drums known as tsuzumi. This gate has become a symbol of Kanazawa itself, and to many, from a distance, the site of the gate with the dome of the station itself resembles a samurai helmet.

Higashichaya

Higashi-chaya, Kanazawa

@Wikimedia

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