Kanazawa has excellent bus transportation services that make it easy to get around the city. As well as regular city buses there are special bus services for tourists that cover the major sightseeing locations. Information, advice and free bus maps are also easy to get, either at the Tourist Information Center inside Kanazawa Station or at the Transportation Information Center which is right outside the station’s East Gate exit. In this article we will look at the best bus services to use when visiting Kanazawa.
The transport information center at Kanazawa Station
Table of Contents
Kanazawa Station’s East Gate Bus Terminal
Kanazawa Station has a bus terminal at both its east and west gates, but the main tourist buses depart from the East Gate bus terminal. This terminal is very easy to use. There is an information center right outside the station exit where you can ask which bus to use. Here you can also pick up maps and timetables and buy discount bus passes. All the bus stops at the terminal are clearly numbered and signed with their destinations in Japanese and English. Departure signs also show when each bus is leaving.
Taxi and Bus information stand
Useful Bus Services for Sightseeing
The easiest services for visitors are the Castle Town Kanazawa Loop Bus, the Kanazawa City One Day Pass, the Kanazawa Light-Up Bus on Saturday evenings and selected dates, and the Kanazawa Shopping Bus on weekends and holidays. These services are useful because they connect Kanazawa Station with major sightseeing areas such as Omicho Market, Higashi Chaya, Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, Hirosaka, Korinbo, Katamachi, and Nagamachi.
A display of bus departure times
The Castle Town Kanazawa Loop Bus
The Castle Town Kanazawa Loop Bus has right-loop and left-loop routes from bus stop #7 at Kanazawa Station’s East Gate bus terminal. The Right Loop runs about every 15 minutes from 8:30 to 18:00. The Left Loop runs about every 20 minutes from 8:38 to 17:58. A single ride costs 220 yen for adults and 110 yen for children.
The Right Loop Bus
The Right Loop Bus travels from Kanazawa Station toward Omicho Market, the Higashi Chaya and Kazue-machi tea house districts, Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, the Hirosaka museum district, Korinbo, Minamicho, and back toward Kanazawa Station. This is often a good choice if you want to visit Higashi Chaya, Kenrokuen Garden, or Kanazawa Castle first.
The Left Loop Bus
The Left Loop Bus travels from Kanazawa Station toward Omicho Market, Minamicho, Korinbo, Katamachi, Hirokoji, Honda-machi, Hirosaka, Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, Hashiba-cho, and back toward Kanazawa Station. This is often a good choice if you want to visit Omicho Market, Oyama Jinja Shrine, Korinbo, Katamachi, Nishi Chaya, or the Hirosaka museum area first.
The right and left loop routes were reorganized into separate courses in April 2025, so check the official route map before choosing a direction. For Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa Castle, use the Kanazawa Loop Bus or regular local route buses from Kanazawa Station. Ask at the bus information counter or check the official route map if you need the fastest route to a specific gate.
A former Kenrokuen Shuttle bus
Popular Hotels near Kanazawa Station
The Kanazawa City One Day Pass
The Kanazawa City One Day Pass is a discount ticket that is useful if you plan to take the bus several times in one day. It costs 800 yen for adults and 400 yen for children and is valid for one date.
This pass covers the Castle Town Kanazawa Loop Bus, Hokutetsu Group local buses within the designated area, West Japan JR Bus local routes within the designated area, Kanazawa Flat Bus, and the Kanazawa Shopping Bus. It is not valid on the Kanazawa Light-Up Bus, regular sightseeing buses, express buses, highway buses, or travel outside the pass area. The pass is not sold on buses, so buy it in advance at an information counter, participating hotel, ticket office, or as a digital ticket.
The pass also gives same-day admission discounts at selected attractions. Check the official Kanazawa City One Day Pass page for pass validity, sales locations, and attraction discounts.
Kanazawa City One Day Pass
The Kanazawa Light-Up Bus
The Kanazawa Light-Up Bus is a special bus service that runs on Saturday evenings and selected special dates. For the 2026 service year it runs every Saturday except in January 2027, with extra operation on 3-May-2026, 4-May-2026, and 22-Nov-2026. The bus stops at illuminated sightseeing locations around the city and is useful for seeing Kanazawa after dark.
Buses depart from bus stop #7 at Kanazawa Station’s East Gate bus terminal every 20 minutes from 19:00 to 21:40, and the last bus arrives back at Kanazawa Station at 22:25. A single ride costs 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for children. The dedicated Light-Up Bus Unlimited Ride Pass costs 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. The Kanazawa City One Day Pass is not valid on this bus. Check the official Kanazawa Light-Up Bus page before traveling, because operation dates can change by season.
The Kanazawa Shopping Bus
The Kanazawa Shopping Bus runs on weekends, public holidays, the year-end/New Year period, and the Obon period. It links Kanazawa Station with Omicho Market, Minamicho / Oyama Jinja Shrine, Korinbo, Katamachi / Tatemachi, Honda-machi, Hirosaka / 21st Century Museum, and other central shopping and sightseeing areas.
Buses depart from bus stop #7 at Kanazawa Station’s East Gate bus terminal. A single ride costs 220 yen for adults and 110 yen for children, and the Kanazawa City One Day Pass is valid on this service. For exact departure times, check the official Kanazawa Shopping Bus page. Schedules list departures from Kanazawa Station beginning at 9:48, then generally three times an hour during the main daytime period, with later evening departures.
The Kanazawa Shopping Bus runs on weekends and holidays
Useful Tips for Kanazawa Buses
- Most local buses in Kanazawa are boarded from the rear and exited from the front, with fare payment when you get off.
- Take a numbered ticket when boarding local route buses unless the bus does not use numbered tickets. The Loop Bus, Shopping Bus, and some other services have their own payment rules, so check the signage when boarding.
- If paying cash, prepare the exact fare. The fare box does not give change, though many buses have a change machine for coins and 1,000 yen notes. Larger notes may not be changed on board.
- Cashless payment varies by service. The Kanazawa Loop Bus accepts nationwide transportation IC cards, ICa, contactless credit/debit card payment, digital tickets, and the One Day Pass. Other local buses may accept contactless credit cards or operator-specific cards but not all nationwide transportation IC cards.
The East Exit bus terminal at Kanazawa Station
For the latest route maps, timetables, fares, and payment details, check the official Hokutetsu sightseeing bus page and the official Visit Kanazawa getting around page before you travel.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 25-May-2026.
