Some of Kanazawa’s most precious districts are overshadowed by bigger, more famous areas

• but seeing the city through a local’s eyes creates an entirely new perspective. Visit Utatsuyama Park, an expansive forest in the middle of the city with over 100 types of wildflowers, and explore Nishi Chaya, a residential road where geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha) live and train. Forego crowded Higashi Chaya in favor of storybook Kazuemachi, a riverside district lined with wood-built, feudal-era buildings, and stop for coffee at a trendy cafe.

Within 24 hours after booking you’ll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you’ll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.