Japan Guide
Central Honshū
Higashi Chaya
Kanazawa is the only place outside of Kyoto to support the old-style training of geisha and the district in which this mainly happens is Higashi Chaya, a fifteen-minute walk northeast from Kenroku-en across the Asana-gawa. The city's geisha put on free concerts throughout the year and perform at various festivals: check with the tourist office for details of when. At other times you might be fortunate enough to spot one flitting between Higashi Chaya's well-preserved wooden latticed houses.
Relish Higashi Chaya's cloistered atmosphere at one of several old teahouses open to the public. The Ochaya Shima (daily 9am–6pm; ¥400) is the most traditional, while opposite is Kaikarō (daily except Tues 9am–6pm; ¥700), decorated in a more modern style, including an unusual Zen rock garden made entirely of broken chunks of glass and a tearoom with gilded tatami mats. At both you can take tea (without geisha, unfortunately) for a small extra fee. Tea is also part of the deal at the venerable Shamisen-no-Fukushima (Mon– Sat 10am–4pm, closed 2nd & 4th Sat of month; ¥300), where you can learn to pluck the Japanese stringed instrument the shamisen. Walk off all that tea by exploring the scores of temples nestling at the foot of Utatsuyama in the north area of Higashi Chaya.