Area / The 5 regions of Kaga
Each of Kaga City’s different areas—including three onsen towns, a castle town, and a fishing port—has its own distinctive character. With unique and bountiful blessings from the mountains and the sea in every season, Kaga’s plentiful charms will keep you coming back for more.
Discover Kaga City’s three unique onsen (hot spring) towns, each with its own unique landscapes and charms:
Yamanaka Onsen is a picturesque town nestled in the mountains that offers breathtaking scenery in every season. Immerse yourself in nature with a stroll along the stunning Kakusenkei Gorge, and stop by the riverside café, Kawadoko, for tea and sweets! Traditional arts and crafts lovers will also find themselves mesmerized by the thriving lacquerware stores and workshops, and by the geisha performances at the theater next to the public bathhouse.
A haven for history and culture buffs, Yamashiro Onsen is home to historical sites and a thriving kutani porcelain scene. Kutani porcelain is renowned for its astonishingly intricate patterns, but don’t take our word for it: watch masters at work, browse the stores, or try painting some kutani porcelain yourself! When you’re done, relax with a dip in the Ko-soyu, an Edo-period bathhouse decorated with stained glass and kutani porcelain tiles.
You’ll want to wake up early to catch the sunrise at Katayamazu Onsen, a serene town on the shores of Lake Shibayamagata. On clear days, you can also enjoy magnificent views of sacred Mount Hakusan, and admire the scenery from the Soyu (public bathhouse), or by renting a bicycle to traverse the 7-km cycling path that wraps around the lake.
Yamanaka Onsen is a picturesque town nestled in the mountains that offers breathtaking scenery in every season. Immerse yourself in nature with a stroll along the stunning Kakusenkei Gorge, and stop by the riverside café, Kawadoko, for tea and sweets! Traditional arts and crafts lovers will also find themselves mesmerized by the thriving lacquerware stores and workshops, and by the geisha performances at the theater next to the public bathhouse.
A haven for history and culture buffs, Yamashiro Onsen is home to historical sites and a thriving kutani porcelain scene. Kutani porcelain is renowned for its astonishingly intricate patterns, but don’t take our word for it: watch masters at work, browse the stores, or try painting some kutani porcelain yourself! When you’re done, relax with a dip in the Ko-soyu, an Edo-period bathhouse decorated with stained glass and kutani porcelain tiles.
You’ll want to wake up early to catch the sunrise at Katayamazu Onsen, a serene town on the shores of Lake Shibayamagata. On clear days, you can also enjoy magnificent views of sacred Mount Hakusan, and admire the scenery from the Soyu (public bathhouse), or by renting a bicycle to traverse the 7-km cycling path that wraps around the lake.
Daishoji is an Edo period castle town that was once home to the southern branch of the powerful Kaga Domain, based out of Kanazawa Castle. Today, vestiges of this history are interspersed with modern amenities, seamlessly blending the past and the present. Why not explore the area’s seven temples and one shrine, take a hike through the castle ruins, or just relax in one of the modern cafés situated in restored Edo-period townhouses? In this quaint little town, there’s something to be found around every corner.
The port of Hashitate is one of the most prominent along the Sea of Japan coastline, and for good reason: the quality of the catch is unparalleled. Seafood lovers will especially want to try some of the port’s famous snow crabs, sweet shrimps, and other seasonal delicacies at one of the town’s restaurants run by local fishermen. When your hunger is sated, take your time to explore the town! Hashitate, where the owners of many kitamaebune merchant ships lived, was once the richest village in Japan, and around 30 of their mansions still stand today. Some of these mansions even feature outer walls made with the planks from the ships’ decks, and some of the preserved homes now also serve as museums detailing the kitamaebune ships’ rich history.