Hashitate Private Tour Richest Village near Kaga onsen Kanazawa

Explore Hashitate, a seaside village in Kaga once known as Japan's richest village, on a private walking tour with a local guide from a shipowning family. From the 18th century to the late Meiji era, Hashitate was home to dozens of Kitamaebune shipowners whose merchant ships sailed between Osaka and Hokkaido. Today it is a preserved historic district and part of a Japan Heritage story.

Step inside Tadaya House, a National Important Cultural Property built in the early 1830s and normally closed to the public. Compare the black lacquer of the Edo period with the red lacquer of Meiji-era mansions, discover a temple with a dazzling golden altar funded by shipowners, and hear stories of the sailors, families and scholars who shaped this village.

As a private tour, the pace and focus can be tailored to your interests, from architecture and history to photography.