Nishi Chaya District

Nishi Chaya District is a teahouse district in Nomachi 2-chome, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. It’s one of Kanazawa’s three major chaya districts, with kappo restaurants and machiya-style shops lining the streets. Traditional chaya architecture and long-established restaurants sit alongside shops selling easy-to-buy sweets like amanatto, confectioners, and cafés—many photogenic and distinctive. Toward evening you may see geiko walking about, and you can feel Kanazawa’s night atmosphere with sounds like shamisen in the background. In Nishi Chaya District, five teahouses—“Mion,” “Meigetsu,” “Han-ya,” “Asa no Ie,” and “Hana no Yado”—are in operation. It is said to have the largest number of geiko among the districts. While general visitors are typically not accepted into the traditional establishments, the Kanazawa City Nishi Chaya Shiryokan (museum) recreates a teahouse setting and volunteer guides provide explanations for free, so it’s recommended if you’re interested. Also worth seeing is the Yoshio & Yoshiro Taniguchi Memorial Kanazawa Architecture Museum opened in 2019. The area is also known as the place where novelist Seijiro Shimada spent his childhood. Access: from Kanazawa Station, about 15 minutes by bus; get off at Hirokoji, then walk about 3 minutes.