Higashi Chaya District

Kanazawa's best-preserved geisha quarter, where Edo-period wooden lattice tea houses line narrow cobblestone streets. Many buildings now house cafés, gold-leaf craft shops, and galleries — try gold-leaf ice cream, a Kanazawa signature. In the evenings, you may catch the sound of shamisen music drifting from a working tea house. The district is compact and photogenic, best visited in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds.