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Golden Week 2025: Festivals and Events in Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Region

 During the Golden Week(around 26th Apr - 5th May), which is ideal for outdoor sightseeing, a variety of events will be held both in and around Kanazawa City. Highlights include the illuminations at Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Garden, the grand "Hyakumangoku Kashi Hyakkō Ten" (Confectionery Exhibition) held at Kanazawa Castle Park, and the "Gargantua Music Festival," where top-tier music can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors. In the surrounding Kanazawa area, visitors can also experience amazing events such as the Tonami Tulip Fair, the majestic and dynamic Hikiyama Festival, and the Kutani Ceramics Festival, which offer opportunities to connect with nature and local culture. For your Golden Week trip, be sure to visit the Kanazawa & Hokuriku area!


Golden Week 2025: Festivals and Events in Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Region

Golden Week Events in Kanazawa

●Kenrokuen & Kanazawa Castle Four Seasons Story : Spring Edition

Kanazawa Castle & Kenrokuen Garden Illuminations / Free Admission

Dates: April 26 (Saturday) - 27 (Sunday), 2025, May 3 (Friday, National Holiday) - 5 (Monday, National Holiday)
Time: 19:00 - 21:00

details here


●Gargantua Music Festival

Top artists from around the world gather in Kanazawa, bringing a series of world-class concerts and transforming the city into a classical music celebration.

★Main Performances (Paid Events)
Dates: May 3 (Saturday, National Holiday) - May 5 (Monday, National Holiday), 2025
Venues: Ishikawa Prefectural Music Hall, Kanazawa City Art Hall, Hokuriku Shimbun Akahashi Hall

details here


●Hyakumangoku Kashi Hyakkō Ten(Confectional Festival)

An event celebrating sweets at Kanazawa Castle Park, featuring confectionery sales and traditional wagashi-making experiences.

Dates: May 3 (Sat.) - May 5 (Fri.), 2025
Venue: Kanazawa Castle Park
Admission: Free

Ishikawa-Kanazawa Gargan Music Festival
Ishikawa-Kanazawa Gargan Music Festival
United by music from around the world, together in harmony.
more
The Four Seasons of Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Garden: Spring Illuminations
The Four Seasons of Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Garden: Spring Illuminations
Light-up event amid the fresh greenery and flowers of spring.
more
Asanogawa River "Koinagashi"
Asanogawa River
An event unique to Kanazawa, based on a traditional Japanese custom
more

Festivals and Events Around Kanazawa City During Golden Week

●Kurikara Double Cherry Festival

A festival held to coincide with the blooming of 6,000 double-flowered cherry trees at Kurikara Pass, the site of the historic Genpei War.

Dates: April 19 (Saturday) - 29 (Tuesday, National Holiday), 2025


Tonami Tulip Fair

One of Japan’s largest flower events, featuring 300 varieties and 3 million tulips in full bloom.

Dates: April 22 (Tuesday) - May 5 (Monday, National Holiday), 2025

Access: About 50 minutes by express bus from Kanazawa Station East Exit to Tonami


Kutani Ware Ceramics Festival(in Japanese only)

Around 50 special shops offering Kutani ware, from everyday tableware to exquisite works by renowned artisans, all at special prices.

Dates: May 3 (Saturday, National Holiday) - 5 (Monday, National Holiday), every year


Johana Hikiyama Festival

A splendid and luxurious festival held at Johana Shinmeigu Shrine, boasting a 300-year history.

Dates: May 4 (Eve Festival) - 5 (Main Festival), every year


Fukuno Yotaka Festival (Paper Lantern Parade Festival)

A breathtaking sight as the towering lanterns parade through the town on a spring evening.

Dates: May 1 & 2 (Eve Festival), May 3 (Main Festival), every year


Takaoka Mikurumayama Festival

Held every year on May 1 at Takaoka Sekiya Shrine in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, this spring festival features magnificent floats.

Dates: May 1 (with an Eve Festival on April 30)


Seihaku Festival

A stunning spectacle featuring massive 12-meter-high, 20-ton floats, a representative symbol of spring in Noto.

Dates: May 3 - 5, every year


Fukuno Yotaka Matsuri Festival[Paper lantern parade festival]
Fukuno Yotaka Matsuri Festival[Paper lantern parade festival]
A traditional festival in the Fukuno district of Nanto City, next to Kanazawa City.
more
Johana Hikiyama Matsuri Festival
Johana Hikiyama Matsuri Festival
One of “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO”
more
Takaoka Mikurumayama Festival
Takaoka Mikurumayama Festival
A UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Important Tangible Folk Cultural Asset, and Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset.
more

Recommended Golden Week Bus Tours Departing from Kanazawa!

During Golden Week, public transportation can get extremely crowded. By taking a tour bus, you can comfortably enjoy a day trip from Kanazawa to popular sightseeing spots in the Hokuriku region.

[Limited Time Only] Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route Snow Wall Walk – Day Trip Plan
[Limited Time Only] Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route Snow Wall Walk – Day Trip Plan
A limited-time snow corridor walk with a private guide.
more
Hakusan Alpine Botanical Garden and Historic Villages "SHIRAMINE" Bus Tour
Hakusan Alpine Botanical Garden and Historic Villages
Get in touch with the wonderful Japanese nature and culture!  From/to Kanazawa Station / lunch included / accompanied by an English-speaking guide
more
Shirakawa-go and Gokayama World Heritage Village Tour
Shirakawa-go and Gokayama World Heritage Village Tour
World Heritage Sites Shirakawa-go and Gokayama: Same but totally different!! From/to Kanazawa Station / lunch included / accompanied by an English-speaking guide
more
Shirakawa-go and Takayama Platinum route tour
Shirakawa-go and Takayama Platinum route tour
Bus tour to Shirakawago and popular Hida Takayama!! From/to Kanazawa Station / lunch included / accompanied by an English-speaking guide
more
Weekend only! World Heritage Shirakawa-go One-Day Bus Tour
Weekend only! World Heritage Shirakawa-go One-Day Bus Tour
Enjoy Shirakawago to the fullest! From/to Kanazawa Station / lunch included / accompanied by an English-speaking guide
more
Life in a Gassho-style Village: One-on-one Tour of Gokayama with a Local Guide
Life in a Gassho-style Village: One-on-one Tour of Gokayama with a Local Guide
more
The Kokiriko Experience: One-on-one Tour of Gokayama (Kaminashi) with a Local Guide
The Kokiriko Experience: One-on-one Tour of Gokayama (Kaminashi) with a Local Guide
more
【From Kanazawa】Tateyama Kurobe Snow Wall 2025 Festival 1 Day Bus Tour with English Guide
【From Kanazawa】Tateyama Kurobe Snow Wall 2025 Festival 1 Day Bus Tour with English Guide
Available only during this season. Please join us!
more
【One day bus tour】Kanazawa Sta.~Gokayama / Shirakawago / Takayama
【One day bus tour】Kanazawa Sta.~Gokayama / Shirakawago / Takayama
Reservation possible on the day!Explore world heritage sites including Shirakawa-go, Takayama,Gokayama
more
【One day bus tour】Kanazawa Sta.~Tojinbo/Eiheiji/Maruoka-Castle【Echizen Bus Tour】
【One day bus tour】Kanazawa Sta.~Tojinbo/Eiheiji/Maruoka-Castle【Echizen Bus Tour】
Reservation possible on the day
more
Highway Bus from Kanazawa to Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, and Takayama
Highway Bus from Kanazawa to Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, and Takayama
more
Walk through sacred Mount Iouzen
Walk through sacred Mount Iouzen
Enjoy forest bathing -spiritual waterside tour
more
  • Ishikawa-Kanazawa Gargan Music Festival
  • The Four Seasons of Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Garden: Spring Illuminations
  • Asanogawa River "Koinagashi"
  • Fukuno Yotaka Matsuri Festival[Paper lantern parade festival]
  • Johana Hikiyama Matsuri Festival
  • Takaoka Mikurumayama Festival
  • Shirakawa-go and Gokayama World Heritage Village Tour
  • Shirakawa-go and Takayama Platinum route tour
  • Weekend only! World Heritage Shirakawa-go One-Day Bus Tour
  • 【One day bus tour】Kanazawa Sta.~Gokayama / Shirakawago / Takayama
  • 【One day bus tour】Kanazawa Sta.~Tojinbo/Eiheiji/Maruoka-Castle【Echizen Bus Tour】
  • Hakusan Alpine Botanical Garden and Historic Villages "SHIRAMINE" Bus Tour
  • Life in a Gassho-style Village: One-on-one Tour of Gokayama with a Local Guide
  • The Kokiriko Experience: One-on-one Tour of Gokayama (Kaminashi) with a Local Guide
  • 【From Kanazawa】Tateyama Kurobe Snow Wall 2025 Festival 1 Day Bus Tour with English Guide
  • [Limited Time Only] Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route Snow Wall Walk – Day Trip Plan

Please be aware that, under certain circumstances, Google Maps may sometimes not display properly.

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