Nagoya JR Gate Tower Hotel
Meieki 1-chome, next to Nagoya Station
The shortest walk to the Shirasagi and the Tokaido Shinkansen gates, so the 7:51 departure or the early Kodama costs you no extra minutes.
Check rates ↗Oct–NovThere has been no through train since March 2024. The Shirasagi limited express runs from Nagoya to Tsuruga, you go upstairs, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen takes you the rest of the way.
Nagoya to Kanazawa takes about 2h 50m and costs ¥9,080 with reserved seats on both trains. Take the Shirasagi limited express to Tsuruga (1h 36m), change upstairs, and ride the Tsurugi Shinkansen on (41–58 minutes). Add the Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara and it drops to from 2h 15m for ¥10,380. The highway bus is about 4 hours and ¥3,600–5,800.
The Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended from Kanazawa to Tsuruga in March 2024. The Shirasagi, which used to run on to Kanazawa, now stops at Tsuruga and meets the Shinkansen there, so every journey from Nagoya changes once. The Shirasagi has no unreserved cars (car 1 is the Green car), so your seat is fixed; when a train is full, standing tickets are sold. The change is designed for it: the limited-express platforms sit directly below the Shinkansen. How the Tsuruga transfer works. Heading further than Kanazawa, to Toyama, Takayama or Fukui? See Nagoya to Hokuriku.
| Leg | Train | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nagoya → Tsuruga | Shirasagi (all reserved) | 1h 36m–1h 39m | ¥4,700 if bought alone |
| Tsuruga | Change upstairs | 8 min minimum | no extra charge |
| Tsuruga → Kanazawa | Tsurugi Shinkansen | 41–58 min | ¥5,480 if bought alone |
| Nagoya → Kanazawa | One through ticket | 2h 43m–2h 52m | ¥9,080 |
| Nagoya → Kanazawa, Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara | Hikari or Kodama, then the same Shirasagi | from 2h 15m | ¥10,380 |
| Nagoya → Toyama | Same route, stay on the Shinkansen | from 3h 12m | about ¥1,000 more |
Regular-season reserved fares. Buy Nagoya to Kanazawa as one ticket: it is ¥1,100 less than the two legs bought separately (¥4,700 + ¥5,480). Quiet weeks run about ¥200 lower and the busiest days about ¥400 higher. Times are the timetable of 14 March 2026, which runs to mid-March 2027. Checked 24 Oct 2026.
Eight Shirasagi a day, each timed to a Shinkansen at Tsuruga. All ¥9,080 on one ticket.
| Shirasagi from Nagoya | Reaches Tsuruga · change | Shinkansen from Tsuruga | Reaches Kanazawa | Total | Or leave later by Hikari |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:51 · Shirasagi 1 | 09:27 · 19 min | 09:46 · Tsurugi 8 | 10:43 | 2h 52m | 08:13 · 2h 30m |
| 08:51 · Shirasagi 3 | 10:27 · 16 min | 10:43 · Tsurugi 12 | 11:41 | 2h 50m | 09:21 · 2h 20m |
| 09:48 · Shirasagi 5 | 11:26 · 13 min | 11:39 · Tsurugi 16 | 12:36 | 2h 48m | 10:21 · 2h 15m |
| 11:48 · Shirasagi 7 | 13:27 · 14 min | 13:41 · Tsurugi 22 | 14:39 | 2h 51m | 12:21 · 2h 18m |
| 13:48 · Shirasagi 9 | 15:26 · 15 min | 15:41 · Tsurugi 28 | 16:38 | 2h 50m | 14:19 · 2h 19m |
| 15:48 · Shirasagi 11 | 17:26 · 12 min | 17:38 · Tsurugi 34 | 18:35 | 2h 47m | 16:19 · 2h 16m |
| 17:48 · Shirasagi 13 | 19:27 · 12 min | 19:39 · Tsurugi 42 | 20:36 | 2h 48m | 18:19 · 2h 17m |
| 19:48 · Shirasagi 15 | 21:26 · 16 min | 21:42 · Tsurugi 48 | 22:39 | 2h 51m | 20:02 · 2h 37m |
The last column is the Tokaido Shinkansen option: a Hikari takes 23 minutes to Maibara and catches the same Shirasagi, so you leave Nagoya 14–33 minutes later, arrive at the same time and pay ¥10,380. It is the better choice when you would rather not leave at 7:51. The earliest arrival into Kanazawa is 09:28, on the 07:11 Kodama from Nagoya with the Shirasagi 51 from Maibara. The last through Shirasagi is the 19:48 (Kanazawa 22:39); after that the 20:30 Tokaido Line rapid, Shirasagi 63 from Maibara and Tsurugi 50 reach Kanazawa at 23:25 for ¥8,090.
Eight Shirasagi a day leave Tsuruga for Nagoya. Same ¥9,080 one-ticket fare.
| Shinkansen from Kanazawa | Reaches Tsuruga · change | Shirasagi from Tsuruga | Reaches Nagoya | Total | Or Hikari from Maibara |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00 · Tsurugi 1 | 06:57 · 14 min | 07:11 · Shirasagi 2 | 08:51 | 2h 51m | 08:25 · 2h 25m |
| 08:02 · Tsurugi 9 | 08:59 · 12 min | 09:11 · Shirasagi 4 | 10:49 | 2h 47m | 10:25 · 2h 23m |
| 10:05 · Tsurugi 17 | 11:01 · 9 min | 11:10 · Shirasagi 6 | 12:48 | 2h 43m | 12:25 · 2h 20m |
| 12:05 · Tsurugi 21 | 13:02 · 8 min | 13:10 · Shirasagi 8 | 14:48 | 2h 43m | 14:25 · 2h 20m |
| 14:05 · Tsurugi 25 | 15:02 · 8 min | 15:10 · Shirasagi 10 | 16:49 | 2h 44m | 16:23 · 2h 18m |
| 15:04 · Tsurugi 29 | 16:01 · 8 min | 16:09 · Shirasagi 12 | 17:49 | 2h 45m | 17:23 · 2h 19m |
| 17:02 · Tsurugi 37 | 17:59 · 9 min | 18:08 · Shirasagi 14 | 19:46 | 2h 44m | 19:25 · 2h 23m |
| 19:06 · Tsurugi 45 | 20:02 · 13 min | 20:15 · Shirasagi 16 | 21:54 | 2h 48m | 21:18 · 2h 12m |
The last column changes at Maibara instead of riding the Shirasagi all the way: about 25 minutes quicker, ¥10,380. If you miss the 19:06 from Kanazawa, the 20:03 reaches Nagoya at 23:05 (Shirasagi 64 to Maibara, then a Kodama, ¥10,380). The one-ticket fare is the same in both directions.
The shortest walk to the Shirasagi and the Tokaido Shinkansen gates, so the 7:51 departure or the early Kodama costs you no extra minutes.
Check rates ↗A newer business hotel (opened 2021) on the Shinkansen side of the station, for an early start without the station-tower price.
Check rates ↗Platform to platform.
The train starts here, so you board with plenty of time and a fixed seat. Most of the ride is the Tokaido Line to Maibara, then north on the Hokuriku Line to Tsuruga. Car 1 is the Green car; cars 2 to 6 are ordinary reserved.
Follow the signs up to the transfer concourse, put all your tickets in the gate together, and go up again to the Shinkansen. The minimum is 8 minutes; the table above shows 12 to 19 on the usual connection, so there is time for a drink but not for a wander. Step by step, and what to do if you miss it.
It takes 41 minutes on the faster pattern and 57–58 when it stops at every station. If your seat ticket says Hakutaka or Kagayaki instead, it is the same platform and it continues to Toyama and Tokyo.
Pick by time, price or what you want to see on the way.
| Route | Time | Fare | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shirasagi + Shinkansen | 2h 43m–2h 52m | ¥9,080 | The simple answer: one ticket, one change |
| Tokaido Shinkansen + Shirasagi + Shinkansen | from 2h 15m | ¥10,380 | A later start, or the 07:11 Kodama for a 09:28 arrival |
| Tokaido Line rapid + Shirasagi + Shinkansen | 2h 55m–3h 18m | ¥8,090 | The cheapest rail fare, and the 06:10 and 20:30 departures |
| Hida to Toyama + Shinkansen | about 4h 20m | ¥11,180 as two tickets | The mountain route down the Hida gorge, on the Takayama-Hokuriku pass |
| Daytime highway bus | about 4h | ¥3,600–5,800 | The lowest price, no change |
| Night bus | 6h 35m | ¥5,190 | Skipping a night in a hotel |
| Via Takayama and Shirakawa-go | 2 days | from ¥10,340 | Seeing the villages on the way |
All rail fares are regular-season reserved fares. The Tokaido Line rapid is the one-hour-plus ride to Maibara; leave Nagoya at 06:10 for Kanazawa at 09:28, or at 20:30 for 23:25. The Hida route is Hida to Toyama (3h 49m, ¥7,790) plus the Shinkansen to Kanazawa (22 minutes, ¥3,390).
About 4 hours, no change, 1h 10m slower than the train and ¥3,300–5,500 cheaper.
| Bus | Leaves Nagoya | Reaches Kanazawa | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meitetsu Bus, daytime line | Meitetsu Bus Center 07:30, 08:30, 09:30, 10:30, 12:30, then 16:30 and 18:30 (more on weekends) | 3h 58m later, Kanazawa Station West Exit | ¥3,600–5,800 by date |
| Gifu Bus via Shirakawa-go | 09:50 (Shirakawa-go 12:30) and 15:00 | 13:55 and 19:10 | ¥2,800–5,500 by date |
| JR Tokai Bus, Hokuriku Dream Nagoya (night) | 22:40, Nagoya Station | 05:15, Kanazawa Station West Exit | ¥5,190 |
Day buses leave from the Meitetsu Bus Center and call at Nagoya Station about 15 minutes later; in Kanazawa they stop at the West Exit (Kanazawa Port side). Going back, day buses leave Kanazawa Station West Exit at 06:30, 07:30, 09:00, 11:30 and then hourly from 13:30 to 18:30 (Nagoya 22:20 for the last); the night bus leaves at 22:20 for Nagoya at 05:20. Seats are reserved: book on Highway Bus.com (高速バスドットコム) or by phone on the Meitetsu Highway Bus Reservation Center, 0570-08-0489, 9:00–18:00. Fares move with the date, and in snow the expressway slows the bus well past 4 hours. Check times for your date.
There is no railway through the mountains, so this takes a night and a bus.
The Hida runs up the Hida River gorge in 2h 31m–2h 35m (for example 09:39 to 12:14, 11:43 to 14:14), ¥6,140 reserved. Spend the afternoon in the old town and sleep in Takayama. Takayama guide. The bus from Nagoya to Takayama is ¥3,600 and about 2h 50m.
Take a morning bus from Takayama (several a day, most stopping at the village; times on the Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go and Takayama guide) or break it at the village: Takayama to Shirakawa-go is ¥2,800 and 50 minutes. Seats are reserved and open one month ahead. The full bus guide.
From the village the bus reaches Kanazawa Station West Exit in 1h 15m, ¥2,800; non-stop from Takayama it is about 2h 15m and ¥4,200. Tickets for the two days come to about ¥10,340 (Hida ¥6,140 + bus ¥4,200). Prefer Nagoya, Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa in one day? The Gifu Bus above leaves Nagoya at 09:50 and reaches the village at 12:30.
Worth it if the route bus is full or you want the sights without the planning.
Reserved seats on a shared coach linking Nagoya with Kanazawa, Takayama and Shirakawa-go. Pick the package that includes the stops you want.
See the bus options ↗A small-group coach tour from Nagoya (1 to 16 guests) with breakfast, a guide, insurance and entry to Kenrokuen and Kanazawa Castle. It returns to Nagoya, so it suits a round trip, and it runs only with 9 or more guests.
See the tour ↗Toyama, Takayama, Shirakawa-go and Fukui from Nagoya, with times and fares in the same format as here.
All routes from Nagoya →Not for the trip on its own. Only the Takayama route changes the sums.
Covers the Hida, Takayama to Toyama, the Shinkansen from Toyama to Tsuruga and the Shirakawa-go buses, but not the Nagoya to Maibara line, so ride via Takayama. Nagoya, Takayama, Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa is about ¥10,340 in tickets: no. Carry on to Kyoto or Osaka and add Toyama and it pays. Our pass guide.
See the pass ↗Covers every train here, including the Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara, the Shirasagi and the Hokuriku Shinkansen (no Nozomi), with reserved seats free. This journey is ¥9,080, so it pays only when the week is bigger. JR Pass guide.
See the pass ↗Covers Tsuruga to Kanazawa and the rest of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, but not Nagoya to Tsuruga: you still buy the ¥4,700 Shirasagi. It pays only in a week that also runs Tokyo, Kanazawa and Kyoto or Osaka. Arch Pass guide.
See the pass ↗Hot-spring top floor and a 2-minute walk to the Shinkansen platforms. Easy after an evening arrival from Nagoya.
Out of the gates and across the plaza. The reliable pick for early trains back to Nagoya.
A step up in room quality, near Ōmichō market for breakfast. Five minutes by bus from the station.
About 2 hours 50 minutes: 1 hour 36 minutes on the Shirasagi to Tsuruga, a 12 to 19 minute change, then 41 to 58 minutes on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Riding the Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara first brings it down to 2 hours 15 minutes at best.
¥9,080 one way with reserved seats on the Shirasagi and the Shinkansen, bought as one ticket, at regular-season 2026 fares. It is ¥8,880 in quiet weeks and up to ¥9,480 on the busiest days. With the Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara it is ¥10,380.
No. Since March 2024 the Shirasagi ends at Tsuruga, where you change to the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The Shirasagi has no unreserved cars, so book a seat.
The highway bus, from ¥3,600 to ¥5,800 depending on the date, in about 4 hours. The cheapest rail route is ¥8,090: the Tokaido Line to Maibara, then the Shirasagi and the Shinkansen.
Yes. The Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara, the Shirasagi and the Hokuriku Shinkansen are all JR. The Hokuriku Arch Pass covers only the Tsuruga to Kanazawa part, and the Takayama-Hokuriku pass covers the route via Takayama.
Yes, over two days: the Hida limited express from Nagoya to Takayama (about 2 hours 30 minutes), a night there, then the reserved bus through Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa.
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