VISIT KANAZAWA, JAPAN - Official Travel Guide

While many visitors come to Kanazawa by way of train from Tokyo or Kyoto, travelers on Japan’s luxury cruise boats will get a warm seafaring welcome with the striking Kanazawa Port Cruise Terminal as their introduction to this rich cultural and artistic city.

Since the Edo period, Kanazawa’s port terminal was the historical sea gateway for traders making port calls along the present-day Osaka to Hokkaido trading route. Throughout the mid-18th to early 20th centuries, the influx of trade led to nearby Kanaiwa and Ono areas prospering into thriving port towns, which maintain much of their original historical charm to this day.

Today, the striking floor-to-ceiling glass facade of Kanazawa Port Cruise Terminal welcomes cruise ship travelers, one of the city’s contemporary contributions to its architectural landscape.The roof features a design evocative of the white foam-capped waves on the Sea of Japan. The deck also offers sensational views of the Sea of Japan. In addition, the terminal is beautifully illuminated at night, with its glass walls turning into a glowing beacon against the night sky. 

The Kanaiwa and Ono port towns are within an easy 30-minute walk from the terminal. Even today, the area’s trading heritage is present in the distinctive townscape with rows of soy sauce storehouses still engaged in soy sauce manufacture or converted into stylish galleries and cafés. 

The city center is also 30-minutes away by bus, giving efficient access to Kanazawa’s star attractions such as Kenrokuen Garden and Higashi Chaya District for visitors entering through Kanazawa port.