Amaharashi Coast & Shokawa Cruise from Kanazawa

The meetup point is outside of the Shinkansen ticket gates, in front of the information center. If you are heading out from the gates, look forward and to the right and you will see four large sumo wrestlers lined up. It's then an hour ride to the Amaharashi Coast.

The first stop on the tour is the famous Amaharashi. This area as popped up in historical records a few times. The first was as a famous poet passed through the area and wrote about its beauty in the Man'yoshi, the most famous anthology of poetry in Japanese history. A general and his troops also came through the area, sheltering in the rocks on the coast which can still be seen to this day. The view here is absolutely stunning with the small island in front of the snow-capped mountains of the Central Japan Alps. Here you will have some time to walk around and see the coast from a few different angles and even can shop a bit at the tourist information center across the street. After enjoying this area, we will go where most visitors don't, further up the coast to check out a few more spots!

Nearby is the historical city of Takaoka which is rich in traditions and interesting architecture. Takaoka was the second city of the Maeda family and their vast domains during the Edo period. The city was famous for its metalworking and other industries. This history of metalworking can be seen throughout the city but especially at the Takaoka Great Buddha in the middle of town. It is here that the tour will first go before allowing you to walk around the city and discover for yourself. This is also the time to find lunch. There are a variety of restaurants in the area so walk around and check them out! It's then a 40 minute drive to the Shokawa River Cruise.

final destination of the day, the Shokawa Valley and cruise! This river has been the main connection for the mountain town of Gokayama to the rest of the world for centuries. When it was dammed in 1930, an agreement was made for a modern boat service to allow for the people and goods to quickly and easily travel to the towns and cities below. That same service is available today with the Shokawa Cruise that you will experience! The entire boat ride takes about an hour and ten minutes where you can see the beautiful mountains of the area. There are two amazing red bridges that cross the river, waterfalls everywhere and an onsen hanging over the water. On the boat itself there is an outdoor second floor and a heated/air-conditioned first floor, so you can enjoy the ride however you want! The ride to Kanazawa Station, the end of tour, is between 40 minutes and an hour.

Arrive back at Kanazawa and say goodbyes!