Kanazawa East Tea House Street

Higashi Chaya Street is a tourist spot that represents Kanazawa, and many old buildings from the Edo period are still preserved. The reason for its popularity is not only the beautiful old-fashioned townscape, but also the fact that you can enjoy the rich historical atmosphere and the cultural landscape full of Japanese beauty with all five senses. East Tea House Street Explore one of the largest geisha districts in Kanazawa In Japanese culture, geisha houses have been traditional venues for banquets and entertainment since the Edo period. Also known as the "tea house," it was where geisha entertained wealthy nobles and wealthy businessmen. Geisha are female entertainers who play traditional Japanese musical instruments and perform dances. Kanazawa city center was once dotted with geisha houses, but in 1820, these tea houses were moved to three specific areas away from the city center. The largest of these - and arguably the most famous - is Higashi Chaya Street. The geisha houses on Higashi Chaya Street have stunning traditional facades. The geisha house is characterized by beautiful latticework on the outside of the first floor, called "kimusuko", and Japanese-style guest rooms on the second floor. In the Edo period, it was forbidden to build two-story buildings except for geisha houses, so its appearance is even more eye-catching. These historic geisha houses have been designated as important areas for the preservation of traditional buildings, along with Gion in Kyoto and Kazuemachi in Kanazawa. No other geisha districts have been designated besides the above, so Higashi Chaya Street has a special presence. There are facilities here where you can tour the interior of a teahouse that was built about 200 years ago, as well as restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops that have been converted from old buildings. In addition, the Asano River is just a 3-minute walk from Higashi Chaya Street, making it a great spot to explore the surrounding area. The Kanazawa City Tourism Association hosts geisha performances on designated Saturdays in three geisha districts in the city, so be sure to plan your visit. Basic Information address: 920-0831 Higashiyama, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture Transportation: Take public transportation Take the Castle Town Kanazawa Tour Bus and get off at the "Hashibacho" (No.RL4 or LL10) stop and walk about 3 minutes PARKING LOT: have Parking lot: Large bus parking lot have Important Cultural Property "Shima" Shima is a teahouse that was built in 1820 at the same time as the teahouse district. It is designated as an important cultural property of the country because of its precious teahouse architecture. The guest rooms and waiting rooms on the second floor, the structures without storage, the garden, etc., the building itself was designed as a place for entertainment during the Edo period. In addition, there is also the "Chaya Cultural Center" inside Shima, which displays the musical instruments and props used by geishas. Recommended stores around: Located in Kanazawa City in central Ishikawa Prefecture, "Hachihyomon Honpo" is a store that was renovated from the retro townhouse "Kyushimura Gold Shop" in Kanazawa City. It was created in 2015 with the concept of "a place where countless guests, countless products, and countless services gather." The Japanese name "Hakkaman" means "an extremely large number that cannot be counted." From the outside, you can feel the historical atmosphere of Kanazawa City, which has been prosperous as a commercial center since the Edo period. The Hachimango Honpo has a traditional appearance, but displays a lot of modern goods, including a variety of sundries, souvenirs, Japanese-style snacks, etc. There are a total of 6 stores. There are many shops, such as "titi", a coffee and boutique complex, "secca", which sells tableware and artworks, "stoock", a specialty store for foods with a long shelf life, "Noto-style Shoten", a souvenir shop mainly selling products from the Noto Peninsula, and "Mr. Million's House", a specialty store that promotes Ishikawa Prefecture. One of them is the handcraft workshop held by "KUTANI SEAL", where you can experience making Kanazawa's traditional craft Kutani ware using popular pattern stickers. Basic Information Address: 920-0902 2-14-20 Owari-cho, Kanazawa City Phone076-213-5148 Hours10:00〜19:00 Closed Wednesday #Kanazawa East Tea House Street #Kanazawa #Hachimanmoro Shop #Geisha Culture #Edo Period transportation From Kanazawa Station, about 20 minutes on foot from Rokuen Exit