Experience Traditional Kanazawa at Kaikaro Teahouse

While admiring the traditional teahouse districts’ alluring buildings from the outside is one thing, sneaking behind the sliding doors of a preserved teahouse is like stepping back in time to the Edo period. Tucked away halfway down the main street of the Higashi Chaya District is the largest of the district’s teahouses, Kaikaro Teahouse. A wander around Kaikaro is an authentic insight into the workings of the teahouses back when they were primarily used for geisha performances hundreds of years ago.

Kaikaro Teahouse

Much like the rest of the two-story wooden houses along the street, Kaikaro Teahouse isn’t well advertised from the front. However, after stepping inside and removing your shoes at the entrance, the kimono-wearing staff cheerfully welcome you in to take a look around.

Kaikaro Teahouse

Exploring the upper story of the building you’ll find the traditional tatami rooms in which geishas still perform to this day. The red, wooden rooms are an impressive sight with beautiful fusuma-e paintings on the paper doors and a Kaga Yuzen kimono on display, an intricately designed silk pattern that gives the kimono a price tag of several thousand dollars.

Kaikaro Teahouse

The balconies on the upper floor overlook the typical black-tiled roofs of the area which pile up with snow during the winter months. During the Edo period the tradition was to throw the snow from your roof into your garden to prevent it from falling on passersby. A local artist has contributed a piece of artwork to Kaikaro Teahouse which can be seen down in the garden below; made up of chunks of broken glass, the artwork depicts the ice and snow that used to be found in the teahouses’ gardens in winter.

Kaikaro Teahouse

Down the steep, rickety staircase is the gold tearoom which houses some of the only gold tatami mats in Japan. The gift shop is also worth a mention for its unique souvenirs which include UV t-shirts with pictures of modernized geisha eating pizza and DJing as well as its gold leaf laced sake. A visit to Kaikaro is well finished off with a trip to the traditional cafe for green tea and Japanese sweets around the old central hearth where geisha used to perform tea ceremonies. The slanted design of the wooden slatted walls allow guests views onto the street while passersby can’t see in from the outside.

Kaikaro Teahouse

A bonus experience offered at Kaikaro Teahouse is its occasional geisha performances which are open to the public. While private geisha performances do still take place in the Higashi Chaya District, guests can only be invited on the recommendation of current clientele with the exception of Kaikaro’s show. While watching an authentic geisha dancing show, spectators are served up a traditional Japanese meal on the first floor of the teahouse. The experience will set you back 22,000 to 25,000 yen depending on the time of year that you visit.

Kaikaro Cafe

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Ishikawa Kanazawa-shi Higashiyama 1-14-8

0762530591

10:00-17:00

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