Colors of Kanazawa (Traditional Crafts and Gardens)

What a wonderful day we had with Nozomi. Her enthusiasm and knowledge was outstanding and she made sure we had the best time. We so enjoyed seeing the tatami makers at work and the highlight was the umbrella ladies. To see the skill of these artisans and their passion for their work was a delight. They made us feel so welcome and having the opportunity to try some sewing of an umbrella was a great experience. Our time in Kanazawa was most certainly enhanced by our day with Nozomi and we feel we made a new friend. She was just the best!

I had an amazing time being guided around by a lovely, chatty woman called Saya. She was very welcoming and confident in answering any inquiries she was asked. It was very intimate which I was worried could have made it awkward but she was really friendly and nice to talk to. Around halfway in, we went into a café and tried yummy cold food (which was perfect on the sunny day!), I had a tirimisu parfait that I fell in love with! I think the stop was a great idea to cool us down and it’s very considerate for older people who may need a break from walking. We were also shown around Kenrokyen, a stunning garden and castle with gorgeous views and interesting history. To finish off, we designed a small Japanese styled bag, we were given stensils to paint over which meant we didn’t even need to be good at art to bring home a gorgeous bag! This took the pressure off and meant I could really enjoy the experience. Overall I would definitely recommend doing this tour!!

We highly recommend the "Colors of Kanazawa" tour. Our guide, Nicola, was fantastic and shared fascinating stories about the rich history of Kanazawa Castle and the breathtakingly beautiful garden. The absolute best part of the experience was the workshop at the end, where we got to try our hands at the traditional color and dyeing technique ourselves. It was incredibly fun and a wonderful souvenir to take home. Thank you, Nicola, for a memorable and educational day!