In Yamanaka Onsen Town in Kaga Onsen Region, you will find a stunning gorge that you will want to visit all year round. The 1.3 km Kakusenkei Gorge (鶴仙渓) starts from the Korogi Bridge (こおろぎ橋) at Daishōji River’s (大聖寺川) upstream and is the best attraction in the gorgeous town.
Along the gorge, there is a promenade for you to take a relaxing stroll.
But remember to put on a pair of comfortable shoes before you start exploring this Hokuriku Region‘s most astonishing gorge. Because while the promenade is well-maintained, the amount of walking could tire your feet!
Korogi Bridge (こおろぎ橋)
Korogi Bridge is a popular landmark at Yamanaka Onsen. Located at one end of the Yamanaka Onsen Town’s main street – Yuge-Kaido Street (ゆげ街道), many tourists pose on the bridge to use the surrounding scenery as a backdrop.
The old elegant Korogi Bridge was sadly replaced by a new one in October 2019. Whilst the color of the 4th generation Korogi Bridge is lighter, the new Korogi Bridge still blends in with the surrounding nature nicely.
One thing to note is the wood can be very slippery on a rainy day or when there is snow on the floor. So just be very careful.
Ayatori Bridge (あやとりはし)
The stylish magenta color S-shaped bridge in the middle of Kakusenkei Gorge is a great spot for the scenery of the gorge. The 94.6 meters bridge was completed in 1991. Designed by the head of the Sōgetsu School of Japanese flower arrangement at the time after a cat’s cradle, its purpose is also to bring a kind of energy to the landscape apart from bridging the two banks of the gorge.
Each night, there is lighting showing imaging the five colors used on the local specialty – Kutani ware (九谷焼).
Kakusenkei Kawadoko (鶴仙渓川床)
As you get closer to Ayatori Bridge (あやとり橋), you will start seeing some big red umbrellas with seating underneath. This is the famous Kakusenkei Kawadoko.
Kawadoko is a common way in Japan to escape the summer heat and enjoy the surrounding scenery enjoying some delicious food.
At Kakusenkei Gorge, Kawadoko is held from April to October from 9:30 am to 4 pm and from 10 am to 3 pm in November each year. Although there is no vegetarian lunch menu, having a morning or afternoon tea with a cup of Kanazawa Bōcha Tea (金沢棒茶) and a bowl of traditional dessert at Kawadoko is definitely going to be one of the highlights during your time at Yamanaka Onsen.
Tip: Kakusenkei Kawadoko is very popular. If you plan to stay overnight at the local ryokans/hotels, making the gorge the first spot the following day will be wise.
Important: Please note that Kawadoko may not be on if the weather is bad or the temperature is low in November.
Kurotani Bridge (黒谷橋)
At the end of the Kakusenkei Gorge, the dark color arched stone bridge that spans across the river is the Kurotani Bridge. From the bridge, you will get a nice wide view of the immense pool of water surrounded by weirdly shaped rocks covered by greeneries.
Before the concrete structured bridge that was completed in 1935, it was a wooden bridge that linked people to Nata Temple (那谷寺) and Komatsu City (小松市).
Getting onto the Kurotani Bridge is a must when coming to Yamanaka Onsen. The view of the bridge surrounded by nature is also stunning, especially in autumn.
Furthermore, sitting in a restaurant or a ryokan room nearby with this view in front of you is probably one of the most luxurious enjoyments you will get in the onsen town!
How to Get to Kakusenkei Gorge
From JR Kagaonsen Station (加賀温泉駅), take one of the bus services below:
- Kaga Tour Bus – CANBUS (加賀周遊バス キャン・バス) mountain route (山まわり) and get off at Yamanaka Onsen Kiku no Yu/Yamanaka-za (菊の湯・山中座). From there, it is a 5-minute walk.
- Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable.
- Kaga Onsen Bus (加賀温泉バス) Onsen Yamanaka Line (温泉山中線) from JR Kagaonsen Station west exit’s bus stop no. 2 and get off at Yamanaka Onsen Bus Terminal (山中温泉バスターミナル). From there, it is a 5 to 10-minute walk.
- For the service’s timetable, please refer to their website HERE and click open “運行時刻表を見る”.
- A one-way trip will cost 430 yen.
From JR Kanazawa Station west exit (金沢駅西口) bus stop no. 3
- Take the Kaga Yunosato Express (加賀ゆのさと特急) and get off at Kiku no Yu-Mae (菊の湯前)
- For the service’s timetable, please refer to their website HERE.
- You can also use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit.
Discover Other Parts of Yamanaka Onsen Town
Yamanaka Onsen Town, which is next to Kakusenkei Gorge is a gorgeous town filled with historical and cultural attractions.
For more information about the places you might be interested in, please refer to our article on Yamanaka Onsen!
