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Now in Hokuriku · winter timetable from 25 October
The winter timetable runs from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027. Komatsu has EVA Air daily from Taipei, Tigerair on Thursday and Sunday and HK Express on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Toyama has China Airlines on Monday and Thursday.
春 夏 秋 冬
Winter 2026–27 flights checked 24 October 2026
Plan · airports and gateways

Flying into Hokuriku北陸への空路

Komatsu Airport has a daily EVA Air flight from Taipei and is 40 minutes by bus from Kanazawa. Toyama has China Airlines twice a week. The other ways in go through Nagoya, Osaka or Tokyo, and the train does the rest.

Komatsu: daily from Taipei Bus to Kanazawa ¥1,400 Toyama: Mon and Thu
By Kelvin Updated 24 Oct 2026 10 min read
In brief

Fly into Komatsu (KMQ) if you can. EVA Air flight BR158 leaves Taipei at 06:35 and lands at 10:25 every day, and the Hokutetsu limousine bus reaches Kanazawa Station in 40 to 55 minutes for ¥1,400. Tigerair adds Thursday and Sunday flights, HK Express flies from Hong Kong on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and Korean Air flies daily from Seoul. Toyama has China Airlines on Monday and Thursday only. Noto Airport has no international flights. Everything else comes in through Nagoya, Osaka or Tokyo and finishes by train.

Which airport, quickly

Kanazawa, Kaga Onsen or Fukui first: Komatsu. The bus is quick, runs to flights and the Shinkansen from Komatsu Station is 11 minutes from Kanazawa. Toyama, the Alpine Route or the Kurobe Gorge first: Toyama Airport if a Monday or Thursday flight suits you, otherwise Komatsu and the Shinkansen (Kanazawa to Toyama is 18 minutes). Takayama and Shirakawa-go as well: consider flying into Komatsu and out of Nagoya, or the other way round (see the open-jaw ideas).

These are small airports with one to three international flights a day, so days and times matter more than usual. The winter timetable began on 25 October 2026 and runs to 27 March 2027; I checked it on 24 October 2026. Airlines move days and times with little notice, so confirm your flight before you book hotels around it.

Compare

Six ways in, side by side

Door-to-station times and costs from the airport to Kanazawa and Toyama, adult, one way, reserved seats on the Shinkansen. The two local airports are quickest; the others add a day of travel but have more flights.

AirportFlights from TaipeiTo KanazawaTo ToyamaCost
Komatsu 小松 (KMQ)Daily (EVA Air), plus Tigerair on Thursday and Sunday40–55 min by busabout 1h 15m by bus and Shinkansen¥1,400 to Kanazawa
Toyama 富山 (TOY)China Airlines, Monday and Thursdayabout 1h by bus and Shinkansenabout 25–30 min by bus¥470 bus (free for Taipei flights), then ¥3,390 to Kanazawa
Noto 能登 (NTQ)None: ANA from Haneda onlyabout 2h by busnot worth itfor the Noto Peninsula only
Chubu Centrair 中部 (NGO)Several flights a day, more than any Hokuriku airport (check carriers)about 3h 40m by trainabout 4h by train¥10,510 to Kanazawa
Kansai 関西 (KIX)Many daily flightsabout 3h 15m–3h 45m by trainadd 18 min from Kanazawa¥7,720 from Kyoto, plus the Haruka
Haneda 羽田 (HND)Many daily flightsabout 3h 30m by trainabout 3h 10m by train¥15,140 (Haneda) to Kanazawa; ¥13,720 to Toyama

Komatsu and Toyama to the other city are my estimates: the airport bus to the station, a short wait and the Shinkansen. The Nagoya total is ¥1,430 for the Meitetsu μSKY to Nagoya Station plus ¥9,080 for the Shirasagi and the Shinkansen. The Haneda total is ¥540 to Tokyo Station plus the Kagayaki fare; Narita adds about 25 minutes (the Narita Express is ¥3,140). More on each gateway below.

Winter 2026–27 flights

Who flies where, and on which days

Komatsu times are from the airport bus company's winter timetable (25 October to 30 November 2026) and booking-site listings. The Toyama times are from the airport's own timetable. Local times: Taiwan is one hour behind Japan.

RouteAirline, flightDaysTimesNotes
Taipei Taoyuan ⇄ KomatsuEVA Air BR158 (to Komatsu), BR157 (to Taipei)DailyTaipei 06:35 → Komatsu 10:25
Komatsu 11:45 → Taipei 14:25		Airbus A321. The bus company lists it as daily; one flight tracker showed no flight on Tuesday 27 October, so check your date
Taipei Taoyuan ⇄ KomatsuTigerair Taiwan IT252 (to Komatsu), IT253 (to Taipei)Thursday, SundayTaipei about 12:00 → Komatsu 15:35
Komatsu 16:45 → Taipei 19:20		Winter schedule from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027. Taipei departure time is from booking listings (11:50 or 12:00)
Kaohsiung ⇄ KomatsuTigerair Taiwan IT294 (to Komatsu), IT295 (to Kaohsiung)Thursday, SundayLands Thursday 12:05, Sunday 12:15
Leaves Thursday 12:55, Sunday 13:05		New route from 3 September 2026, two a week. In the bus timetable to 30 November; confirm later dates
Hong Kong ⇄ KomatsuHK Express UO814 (to Komatsu), UO815 (to Hong Kong)Tuesday, Thursday, SaturdayLands 14:05
Leaves 14:50		Cathay Pacific sells it under a CX code. The summer timetable showed the same three days
Seoul Incheon ⇄ KomatsuKorean Air KE2189 (to Komatsu), KE2190 (to Seoul)DailyLands 9:15 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) or 9:40 (Tue, Thu, Sat)
Leaves 10:25 or 10:50 on the same pattern		Daily since 29 March 2026 (it was three a week before)
Shanghai ⇄ KomatsuChina Eastern MU557SuspendedNoneThe bus timetable notes no service during the winter schedule
Taipei Taoyuan ⇄ ToyamaChina Airlines CI170 and CI171 (Monday), CI370 and CI371 (Thursday)Monday, ThursdayMonday: Taipei 07:15 → Toyama 11:15; Toyama 12:15 → Taipei 14:40
Thursday: Taipei 13:55 → Toyama 17:55; Toyama 18:55 → Taipei 21:20		Airbus A321neo, 180 seats. The route restarted on 20 August 2026. The airline had set it to 24 October, the end of the summer timetable, and I could not find a winter announcement, though the airport's timetable still lists it
Seoul, Shanghai, Dalian ⇄ ToyamaVariousNot operatingNoneThe airport lists Seoul as suspended and shows no timetable for Shanghai or Dalian

Seasonal and suspended: the winter timetable ends on 27 March 2027, and the summer one starts on 28 March, when days and times can change. Komatsu is the only airport here with a daily Taipei flight. If you must be somewhere on a fixed date (a ski day, a light-up night), do not rely on a once-a-week flight. The airports' own pages: Komatsu and Toyama.

Komatsu Airport 小松空港

From Komatsu to Kanazawa, Kaga Onsen and Fukui

The airport has no railway station. Buses leave from the stops outside the terminal; the stop for Kanazawa is number 1 at the airport bus terminal.

ToHowTimeFareNotes
Kanazawa Station West Exit 金沢駅西口Hokutetsu limousine busabout 40m¥1,400Continues to Musashigatsuji (Omicho Market) and Korinbo, 40–55 min in all. No reservation: first come, first served, and a full bus leaves you for the next. Child ¥700
Komatsu Station 小松駅Hokutetsu connecting busabout 12m¥310For the Shinkansen: Kanazawa 11 min, Kaga-Onsen 7 min, Fukui about 15–25 min. The local IR Ishikawa train to Kanazawa is cheaper (¥580, 36 min)
Kaga-Onsen Station 加賀温泉駅CAN BUS, Komatsu Airport line30–40m¥550For the Shinkansen at Kaga-Onsen, and the onsen towns Yamashiro, Yamanaka and Katayamazu on the same bus network. A day ticket is ¥1,300 (digital)
Fukui Station East Exit 福井駅東口Keifuku Busabout 1habout ¥1,400The timetable and fare changed on 1 April 2026, so check Keifuku. Weekend trial bus to Tōjinbō ¥1,000, 3 October 2026 to 28 February 2027: Tōjinbō
Kanazawa by taxiTaxi rank outside arrivals40–55m¥9,000–¥12,000Worth it for three or four people with luggage; the meter depends on traffic

Payment on the airport bus: cash (it gives change only for ¥1,000 notes, so carry coins), Hokutetsu's own ICa card, or a contactless Visa or Mastercard. Suica and ICOCA are not accepted. You can buy a ticket at the airport before you board. Expressway renewal work on the Hokuriku Expressway can delay the bus, and a cancelled flight can cancel the bus tied to it.

Which bus for your flight

Hokutetsu ties its buses to flights. A bus from the airport leaves about 15 minutes after a domestic flight lands, and about an hour after an international one. The table lists no bus tied to the Taipei, Kaohsiung or Hong Kong arrivals, so you take the next one.

Your flightWhich bus
EVA BR158 lands 10:25No bus is tied to it. The Haneda flight ANA753 lands at 10:45, so a bus leaves at about 11:00. Allow 45–60 min for immigration and baggage and plan on that one
EVA BR157 leaves 11:45Kanazawa Station West Exit 9:10, at the airport 9:55 (1h 50m before)
Tigerair IT252 lands 15:35No bus is tied to it. With immigration and baggage, plan on the bus that meets ANA1176 (lands 16:25), at about 16:40
Tigerair IT253 leaves 16:45West Exit 14:20, at the airport 15:05 (1h 40m before)
HK Express UO814 lands 14:05, UO815 leaves 14:50No bus is tied to it. The bus that meets JAL187 (lands 14:35) leaves at about 14:50, which suits a 14:05 landing.
To the airport: West Exit 12:30, at the airport 13:15 (1h 35m before)

Winter timetable, 25 October to 30 November 2026. The first bus to the airport leaves the West Exit at 6:05 and the last at 17:50; the last bus from the airport meets the Haneda flight that lands at 21:40. The "next bus" times for Taipei arrivals are my reading of the 15-minute rule, not printed times. Hokutetsu posts a new timetable for each period on its airport bus page.

Door to door

A private car from Komatsu

The bus is cheaper for one or two people. A car makes sense for a group, a late arrival or a first stop that is not a station.

車

Komatsu Airport to Kanazawa

Private car, priced per vehicle

A driver meets you at arrivals and takes you to your Kanazawa hotel in a sedan, Alphard or Hiace. The driver waits up to 60 minutes past the pickup time, and waiting charges apply after that.

See the transfer ↗
寺

Airport transfer with Natadera

Private car, with a temple or lunch stop

The same kind of private car, with a stop at Natadera, the mountain temple near the airport, or lunch on the way to Kanazawa. Good for an early flight when your hotel will not take bags yet.

See the transfer ↗
Toyama and Noto

The other two airports

01

Toyama Airport (TOY)富山空港

China Airlines, Monday and Thursday

The airport, nicknamed Kitokito, sits on the edge of the city. Passengers on Taipei flights ride a free direct bus to the north exit of Toyama Station (about 30 minutes, no stops on the way, timed to the flight; announced 25 August 2026, so confirm at the arrivals hall). Everyone else takes the Chitetsu route bus to Toyama Station for ¥470, seated passengers only, so a full bus leaves people for the next one. A taxi is about ¥3,600 and 20–25 minutes by guidebook figures.

From Toyama Station the Shinkansen reaches Kanazawa in 18 minutes (¥3,390 reserved), and the Hida limited express reaches Takayama in about 1h 30m. The Alpine Route starts from Dentetsu-Toyama next door. See getting to Toyama.

Flights are twice a week, so a Toyama arrival works best for a trip built around Toyama: the Alpine Route and the Kurobe Gorge close for winter, but the city, the sushi and the snowy mountains do not.

To Toyama Stn
25–30 min
Bus
¥470 / free
Taxi
~¥3,600
02

Noto Airport (NTQ)能登空港

Domestic only, ANA from Haneda

No international flights. From Noto Airport the shared Furusato Taxi runs to your address: Wajima ¥1,300, Suzu ¥1,800, Nanao ¥2,200, booked by 15:00 the day before. Hokutetsu express buses reach Kanazawa Station West Exit in about 2h. As of September 2026 the peninsula is still recovering from the January 2024 earthquake, so check each inn before you plan around it. See Noto.

Wajima
¥1,300
To Kanazawa
~2h
Book by
15:00 prior day
The big gateways

Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo instead

Many travellers land at a bigger airport for a cheaper or better-timed fare and finish by train. Each has a full guide.

名

Chubu Centrair, Nagoya

Kanazawa about 3h 40m · ¥10,510

Meitetsu μSKY to Nagoya Station in 28–30 minutes (¥1,430), then the Shirasagi to Tsuruga and the Shinkansen on: 2h 47m to 2h 52m, about ¥9,080. Takayama is one direct train, Shirakawa-go one direct bus. Nagoya to Hokuriku and Nagoya to Kanazawa.

関

Kansai, Osaka and Kyoto

Kyoto to Kanazawa from 1h 41m · ¥7,720

The Haruka runs from Kansai Airport to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka, where the Thunderbird to Tsuruga and the Shinkansen take over. Osaka to Kanazawa is from 2h 10m and ¥9,410. The Arch Pass, JR Pass and Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass cover the Haruka. Kyoto to Kanazawa and Osaka to Kanazawa.

東

Haneda and Narita, Tokyo

Toyama 2h 4m · Kanazawa 2h 24m from Tokyo

Haneda to Tokyo Station is about 39 minutes (¥540), Narita Express about an hour (¥3,140 reserved). Then the Kagayaki: Tokyo to Toyama 2h 4m (¥13,180), to Kanazawa 2h 24m (¥14,600). Tokyo to Toyama and the Shinkansen guide.

On arrival

Cards, passes and bags

What to sort out before you fly and in the first hour on the ground.

  1. 01
    An IC card helps once you reach the station. Suica and ICOCA work at the Shinkansen gates, on city trams and on most city buses (see getting around), but not on the Komatsu airport bus. Set up a phone Suica or ICOCA before you fly; a data connection helps with the rest, and a Japan eSIM can be live before you land.
  2. 02
    Carry coins and a contactless card. The airport bus takes cash (change only for ¥1,000 notes), ICa and contactless credit or debit cards. Rural buses and taxis later often want cash.
  3. 03
    Collect a rail pass at a JR ticket office. A pass bought online, or a voucher from Klook, is exchanged on arrival with your passport at a JR ticket office; such as the ones at Kanazawa and Toyama stations. The pass starts on the day you choose. The Arch Pass (¥35,000, 7 days) only pays if you also ride from Tokyo or on to Kyoto and Osaka.
  4. 04
    For a Komatsu to Toyama trip, price the Area Pass. The Hokuriku Area Pass (¥7,000, 4 days) covers unreserved Shinkansen seats from Tsuruga to Kurobe-Unazukionsen, which takes in Komatsu, Kanazawa and Toyama. It does not cover the airport buses. See the pass ↗
  5. 05
    Send the big case ahead. The tourist information office at Kanazawa Station (8:30–20:00) delivers bags to hotels in Kanazawa, Kaga Onsen, Noto and Awara the same day, so you can go straight from the bus to the sights.
  6. 06
    Leave a margin in winter. Heavy snow can delay or cancel flights and slow the airport bus, while the Shinkansen keeps running. Do not plan a same-day connection to an international departure from a snowy mountain town; sleep in Kanazawa the night before. See Japan in winter.
Where to stay

Beside the airport bus stop

The Komatsu bus drops at Kanazawa Station West Exit, so a West Exit hotel is the easy first or last night. Komatsu and Toyama have a station hotel each.

West Exit · 2 min walk

Hyatt Centric Kanazawa

Kanazawa Station West Exit (金沢港口)

Directly opposite the West Exit where the Komatsu bus arrives, with a rooftop terrace bar and a good breakfast. The easy choice for the first night after an international flight.

from ¥27,000Our notes →
Check rates ↗
Komatsu Station · 1 min walk

Henn na Hotel Komatsu Ekimae

Komatsu Station East Exit · 変なホテル小松駅前

A modern hotel about 30 seconds from the station exit, 12 minutes by bus from the airport. A good stop if you are heading straight on to Kaga Onsen or Fukui.

from ¥7,300
Check rates ↗
Toyama Station · 3 min walk

Hotel JAL City Toyama

Toyama Station · ホテルJALシティ富山

Three minutes from JR Toyama and Dentetsu-Toyama stations, 252 rooms, opened in 2022. The airport bus from Toyama Airport ends at the station, so the hotel is a short walk from arrival.

from ¥12,900Our notes →
Check rates ↗
See the Kanazawa hotels guide →
FAQ

Flying into Hokuriku, quick answers

Are there direct flights from Taipei to Kanazawa?

Yes, to Komatsu Airport, about 40 minutes from Kanazawa Station by bus. EVA Air flies Taipei to Komatsu every day, leaving Taipei at 06:35 and landing at 10:25. Tigerair Taiwan adds flights on Thursday and Sunday. HK Express flies from Hong Kong on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Toyama Airport has China Airlines from Taipei on Monday and Thursday only.

Which is better, Komatsu Airport or Toyama Airport?

Komatsu Airport is better for most trips, because EVA Air flies there every day and the bus to Kanazawa Station takes 40 to 55 minutes for ¥1,400. Toyama Airport suits a trip built around Toyama, but China Airlines flies only on Monday and Thursday and I could not confirm the route for the whole winter. From Komatsu, Toyama is about 1h 15m away by bus and Shinkansen.

How do I get from Komatsu Airport to Kanazawa?

Take the Hokutetsu limousine bus from stop 1 at the airport bus terminal to Kanazawa Station West Exit. It takes about 40 minutes and costs ¥1,400 (¥700 for a child), and continues to Omicho and Korinbo. There is no reservation, and you pay by cash, ICa card or contactless credit card. Suica and ICOCA are not accepted. A taxi costs about ¥9,000 to ¥12,000.

How do I get from Toyama Airport to Toyama Station?

Passengers on Taipei flights can ride a free direct bus to the north exit of Toyama Station, which takes about 30 minutes and is timed to the flights (announced 25 August 2026). Everyone else takes the Chitetsu route bus for ¥470, which carries seated passengers only. A taxi costs about ¥3,600.

Do the Taipei flights to Komatsu and Toyama run in winter?

The Komatsu flights run in winter: EVA Air daily and Tigerair on Thursday and Sunday, in the winter timetable from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027. China Airlines Taipei to Toyama restarted on 20 August 2026 on Monday and Thursday, and the airline had set it only to 24 October, so check it before booking. Komatsu to Shanghai is suspended for the winter schedule.

Is it better to fly into Nagoya or Komatsu for Kanazawa?

Komatsu is faster: the bus reaches Kanazawa in 40 to 55 minutes. From Nagoya's Chubu Centrair airport, the train to Nagoya Station takes 28 to 30 minutes (¥1,430) and the Shirasagi and Shinkansen to Kanazawa another 2h 47m to 2h 52m (about ¥9,080). Nagoya has more flights and makes sense for an open-jaw trip with Takayama and Shirakawa-go.

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