Two-Day Weekend Trip Through Iwase and Higashiyama | Kyoto to Hokuriku
Make the most of your weekend with a quick Hokuriku getaway to experience GO FOR KOGEI 2025 (GFK). This rich, two-day itinerary weaves together art, cuisine, and a charming stay, taking you through the towns of Hokuriku alongside the GFK exhibitions. Here you'll find an example route from the Kansai region, made even more accessible thanks to the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension.
*For details of the works and venues, please refer to the guide map available at the Information Center.
DAY1
8:10
From Kyoto Station, board the Limited Express Service Thunderbird 5 bound for Tsuruga
9:11
Transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsurugi 6 bound for Toyama
9:52
Arrive at Kanazawa Station
10:00
Leave luggage at Hyatt Centric Kanazawa
10:20
Pick up your ticket for the GFK exhibitions at the Higashiyama Information Center (HATCHi Kanazawa by THE SHARE HOTELS)
10:30
Catch a glimpse into everyday life in Kanazawa through the exhibitions in the Higashiyama area
12:00
Recharge with the Oyakodon for lunch at Higashiyama Chokichi
14:00
Browse everyday crafts and cutlery at sayuu
15:00
Take a break at Mamezuki
16:00
Visit the special and collection exhibitions at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
18:00
Explore the flavors of Hokuriku at Higashiyama Wakon
21:00
Return to your accommodation
DAY2
9:00
Arrive at Kanazawa Station after checking out of your accommodation
9:17
Board the Hokuriku Shinkansen Hakutaka 558 bound for Tokyo
9:39
Arrive at Toyama Station
10:00
Visit the exhibition POP ART: THE FAB4! & 4 SPECIAL GUESTS at the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design
12:30
Lunch at Cave Yunoki, a private restaurant limited to one group per day
14:30
Start your exhibition visit from the Iwase Information Center (Masuda Shuzo Ten, Masuizumi)
16:30
Pause and unwind at Saseki
18:00
A soba kaiseki dinner at Shukyoraku Kuchiiwa
20:33
Board the Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki 515 from Toyama Station bound for Tsuruga
22:05
Transfer to the Limited Express Service Thunderbird 50 bound for Osaka
22:59
Return to Kyoto Station
DAY 1
8:10
From Kyoto Station, board the Limited Express Service Thunderbird 5 bound for Tsuruga
9:03 Arrive at Tsuruga Station.
9:11
Transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsurugi 6 bound for Toyama
Since the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga in March 2024, the journey from Tsuruga to Kanazawa has been reduced to approximately 40-45 minutes.
9:52
Arrive at Kanazawa Station
10:00
Leave luggage at Hyatt Centric Kanazawa
Situated in front of Kanazawa Station, Hyatt Centric Kanazawa is a full-service hotel that celebrates arts and crafts throughout its interior, from the entrance and lobby to the guestrooms, restaurants and rooftop bar. In addition to a comfortable stay, guests can look forward to seasonal afternoon teas and a breakfast buffet that fully incorporates local ingredients from Ishikawa Prefecture.
From Kanazawa Station East Gate Bus Terminal (#7), take a 10-minute bus ride on the Kanazawa Loop Bus (right loop) to Hashiba-cho.
10:20
Pick up your ticket for the GFK exhibitions at the Higashiyama Information Center (HATCHi Kanazawa by THE SHARE HOTELS)
Arrive at Higashiyama Information Center. Purchase your tickets for the GFK exhibitions here—either an Event Passport or a Single Area One-Day Ticket. Discounted advance tickets (¥500 off) are available online.
Buy tickets online here
(Advance tickets are available until Friday, September 12th)
10:30
Catch a glimpse into everyday life in Kanazawa through the exhibitions in the Higashiyama area
Artworks are exhibited in machiya townhouses and other spaces that have previously been closed to the public. Venturing into the hidden depths of the area behind Kanzawa's iconic Chaya District may just help you uncover new insights into how craft and everyday life are deeply connected.
12:00
Recharge with the Oyakodon for lunch at Higashiyama Chokichi
This long-established yakitori restaurant is tucked away in the backstreets of Higashi Chaya District. While bustling with locals in the evenings, their lunchtime-only oyakodon is also a crowd favorite—the charcoal-grilled chicken blending perfectly with eggs cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection.
14:00
Browse everyday crafts and cutlery at sayuu
This jewelry and cutlery boutique is owned by the metalwork artist Takemata Yuichi, an exhibiting artist for GFK 2024. Here you'll find handmade spoons, along with artisanal everyday items and tea utensils.
15:00
Take a break at Mamezuki
This café offers seasonal bean dishes, including kuromame-kan (black bean jelly) and chilled shiratama zenzai (sweet red bean soup with rice flour dumplings). Housed in a renovated, authentic Kanazawa townhouse, guests can savor these carefully crafted treats while gazing out at the serene garden.
From the Hashiba-cho bus stop, take a seven-minute bus ride on the Kanazawa Loop Bus (right loop) to Hirosaka•21st Century Museum, then walk one minute.
See here for more information on buses
16:00
Visit the special and collection exhibitions at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Photo: Kanazawa City
KAKINUMA Koji, ONE – BOSE Ver., 2011
Collection: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art,
Kanazawa
© KAKINUMA Koji,
photo: SUEMASA Mareo
The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, is one of the city's most iconic destinations for contemporary art. During the GFK period, both special and collection exhibitions will be presented in two phases. Until late September, the special exhibition Layers of Accumulated Time: Depicting the world we live in will be on view, along with Collection Exhibition 1: Material Fever, which runs through mid-September. Later in the season, Collection Exhibition 2: The Possibilities of the Written Word opens on September 27 (Sat), followed by the special exhibition SIDE CORE from October 18 (Sat). Notably, Possibilities of the Written Word will feature works by Kakinuma Koji, a former GFK participant, making it a highlight not to be missed.
18:00
Explore the flavors of Hokuriku at Higashiyama Wakon
As dusk falls, the Higashiyama area—bustling with tourists by day—returns to its tranquil roots. Tucked in at the end of a narrow street, this innovative Japanese restaurant pairs seasonal ingredients with handpicked tableware in delightfully unconventional ways, offering a dining experience that engages all the senses.
DAY 2
9:00
Arrive at Kanazawa Station after checking out of your accommodation
9:17
Board the Hokuriku Shinkansen Hakutaka 558 bound for Tokyo
9:39
Arrive at Toyama Station
Take a four-minute taxi ride or walk 15 minutes to the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design.
10:00
Visit the exhibition POP ART: THE FAB4! & 4 SPECIAL GUESTS at the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design
Photo: Kosugi Photo Office
On view from September 6 (Sat) to October 26 (Sun), POP ART: THE FAB4! & 4 SPECIAL GUESTS spotlights four artists, led by Andy Warhol, who reshaped the American art scene of the 1960s by incorporating everyday life and pop culture into fine art. Featuring approximately 120 rare works, including prints, posters, and clothing items, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the allure of pop art.
From Oarks Canal Park Hotel Toyama Station, take a 22-minute tram ride on the Portram (Toyama Light Rail) bound for Iwasehama to Keirinjo-mae Station, then walk eight minutes.
12:30
Lunch at Cave Yunoki, a private restaurant limited to one group per day
At this restaurant, chef Yunoki Eiju’s culinary masterpieces take Toyama’s freshest local ingredients to unprecedented heights. Yunoki creates original menus available nowhere else, using wild game he obtains directly from a local hunter he knows personally. Meals are beautifully presented on ceramics crafted by Iwase-based artists Shakunaga Gaku and Yasuda Taizo. Reservations are required.
14:30
Start your exhibition visit from the Iwase Information Center (Masuda Shuzo Ten, Masuizumi)
If you’ve already checked in at the Higashiyama venue, there’s no need to check in again here—but feel free to ask the staff for tips on how to best explore the area.
16:30
Pause and unwind at Saseki
Take a moment to rest your feet as you enjoy a tasting from over 100 varieties of Masuizumi sake. Original products are also available for purchase.
18:00
A soba kaiseki dinner at Shukyoraku Kuchiiwa
Stop by Shukyoraku Kuchiiwa for Japanese sake, soba, and occasional al fresco drinking. The restaurant’s multicourse menus showcase the owner Kuchiiwa Tomohiko’s spirit of inquiry when it comes to soba. Guests are treated to a multisensory experience as they witness the culinary creations come to life before their eyes. Reservations are required. During GFK, a special dining experience featuring tableware by exhibiting artist Kuwata Takuro will also be offered.
Take a 15-minute taxi ride to Toyama Station.
20:33
Board the Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki 515 from Toyama Station bound for Tsuruga
21:34 Arrive at Tsuruga Station.
22:05
Transfer to the Limited Express Service Thunderbird 50 bound for Osaka
22:59