24 Noteworthy things to do in Kanazawa: A City Rich in History and Tradition

Winter is recommended for enjoying the scenery during Kanazawa tourism.
The beautiful Kenroku-en and Nagamachi Samurai Residence Ruins, adorned with snow, are a must-see.
If you want to enjoy delicious gourmet food to your heart's content, visit in autumn.
You can eat seasonal seafood delicacies such as crab, shrimp, oysters, and cod milt.

From Tokyo, access is excellent at about 2 and a half hours by Hokuriku Shinkansen. Departing from Nagoya/Osaka, it is about the same duration by JR express trains.
By plane, it takes a mere 1 hour from Haneda Airport to Komatsu Airport in Ishikawa Prefecture.
From Komatsu Airport, a special express bus takes you to Kanazawa in about 40 minutes.

Since its opening in 2004 with the initial theme of “An art museum open to the world,” this special museum has grown into the nation’s most popular art spot, part of the fantastic sights that made the name, Kanazawa, tied to art with the unique exhibition methods.
A piece that captures light from the cut-out ceiling, a swimming pool in the yard which is actually a room to look up through the glass ceiling with water on top, and a host of artistic pieces that “suggest new values” will entertain you to no end.

This area still boasts the remnants of the residences of former Kaga Domain’s samurais.
Cobblestone alleys with earthen walls will take you back to the historical and rich Edo Period. Traditional craft shops and restaurants along the way will make your walk even more interesting and worth it.

Kenroku-en was founded and developed for about 180 years by the powerful Maeda clan lord in Kaga. The area is a strolling-style landscape garden and renowed as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan.
The walk-along garden allows you to take a stroll to enjoy the landscape, in contrast to the sit-and-view style garden, which allows you to view the garden from a specific spot, such as a room in the palace or the drawing room. This style allows for movement and the ability to see the garden from different angles.
There are ponds, winding streams, and artificial hills scattered throughout the vast site of approximately 34,600 tsubo (about 28 acres), and you can enjoy the entire garden by stopping at each spot.

This is one of Kanazawa's imperative tourist attractions.
The townscape with its beautiful Degoushi (latticed window) and the stone pavement has been selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the national government.
It was originally founded in 1820 when Maeda Narinaga, the 12th lord of the Kaga Domain, built a teahouse district by grouping tea houses that had once been scattered around the castle town.
Today, traditional buildings from the Edo period still stand side by side with modern day establishments. Cafes and stores selling Japanese sweets, traditional crafts, and miscellaneous goods are scattered throughout the town bringing diversity and wonder. Visitors can enjoy shopping and dining in the elegant atmosphere of the fantastical townscape.

In 1583 (the period of Tensho the 11th), Toshiie Maeda entered this castle as the first feudal lord. Since then the castle had been used by the Maeda family of Kaga Domain until early in the Meiji era. Later the ruins of this castle were reconstructed to use as a beautifully large park for citizens.
Ishikawa-mon gate and Sanjukken Nagaya remain true to their figures of what a power they were at the Edo period, while Kahoku-mon gate, Imori moat, and Gyokusen-in Maru Garden have successively been rebuilt and have since recovered their majesty.
The construction of stone walls should be remarked upon in particular for their attention to great detail. For example, placing the stones in the correct direction to prevent them from facing an unlucky direction and building based on an idea of septaria which are influenced by Chinese cosmology, the cosmic dual forces and the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth).

Built in 1873 by individuals from the former Kaga domain, this shrine worships the Kaga domain, and Lord Toshiie Maeda.
It is well known for the “Kami-Mon” (Gate of the Gods) created with various architectural styles from around the world.
At the very top, is a piece of glass that reflects the light of a sacred lantern to the town of Kanazawa.
It also acted as a lighthouse for ships traveling through the Japan Sea.

Along with Higashi Chaya-gai district and Nishi Chaya-gai district, this is one of Kanazawa's three all important Chaya-gai (or tea merchant) districts.
The area has a calm atmosphere with narrow alleys and Senbongoushi lattice fences along the refreshing Asanogawa River.
It has been selected as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
The name of the town comes from the residence of Kazue Tomita, who was head of the Hitomochi clan at the time (a position related to clan administration as a chief retainer of the clan) with a stipend of over 10,000 Goku (over one billion dollars today) in the Edo period, and whose wife was the grandson of the first lord of the Kaga clan, Maeda Toshiie. Incidentally, the town often appears in the works of the great writer Izumi Kyoka.

This Nichiren Shu temple was built in 1643 by Maeda Toshitsune, the third lord of the Kaga Domain, from a prayer hall near Kanazawa Castle.
Because of its Dejiro (outlying castle) to fortify the main castle in case of emergency, the entire building has a complex structure, with hidden stairs, rooms, and pits everywhere to scare off enemies.

Nishi-Chaya-gai was one of the Hanamachi(areas where Ochaya and geisha-houses were clustered) streets officially licensed by the Kaga Clan in 1820.
The name "Nishi-chaya-gai" comes from its location to the west, as seen from Kanazawa Castle.
Lined with beautiful two-story Chaya buildings (traditional and unique structured architecture) It is a pleasant place to stroll while stopping at cafes and stores with protruding latticework and timelessly fashionable store fronts.
This is the place where you can feel Kanazawa, the town of traditional entertainment. This area offers the most of Kanazawa's Ochaya district, and at dusk, you may see Geiko dressed up in gorgeous costumes.

Suzuki Daisetz, known as D. T. Suzuki across the world, is a Buddhist philosopher from Kanazawa.
This museum shares Suzuki’s ideas, thoughts and intimate details of his life.
With the wish and hope for visitors to learn about him and to thoughtfully contemplate their own life, it was opened on October 18, 2011.
Though it stands at the heart of a city, the building is surrounded in a profound peace to allow you to forget time.

The stunning tea house, built in 1820, is located within the Higashi Chaya-Gai District and is open to the public in its original historical state.
It is a valuable facility for tourists to learn about tea house culture, as Kanazawa's tea house culture has a tradition of "No first-time visitors" and even today, visitors are not allowed to enter without an introducer.

Kanazawa Station, the gateway to Ishikawa, is serviced by the famous Hokuriku Shinkansen, which began its run in 2015.
It connects Tokyo and Kanazawa in about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and serves as the starting point for sightseeing in Kanazawa and the Hokuriku region.
The entire premises has become a spot for introducing Kanazawa's traditional crafts, with gold leaf on the Shinkansen platforms, Japanese paper and Kaga Yuzen on the aisles and pillars, and more than 200 stunning crafts, including Wajima lacquerware and Kutani ware, decorating the walls of the waiting room.

This is Kanazawa’s kitchen, which has been known as “Omicho” for about 300 years.
It is always busy and vibrant, with approximately 170 stores selling fresh seasonal seafood, vegetables, prepared foods, souvenirs, and other items lined up in a narrow arcade to give the condensed and rich experience to those who come to vist.
Some of the stores prepare food right in front of their customers, while others have eat-in seating so you can enjoy the seasonal array of foods on the spot.
It is best to go in the morning since popular items sell out before noon.
There are over 40 restaurants offering fresh seafood at reasonable prices, such as Kanazawa’s specialty “Nodoguro” (blackthroat seaperch), sweet shrimp, and snow crab, so you can enjoy them to your heart's desire.

Ikiiki Tei Omicho Store is a sushi restaurant that opens at 7 am, located just near the popular tourist spot, Omicho market at the Musashi entrance.
The restaurant features only a meager 10 counter seats, offering a close and homey atmosphere where you can easily interact with the staff.
The "Mini Kanazawa Bowl" (1,600 yen) is famous for its just-right size and is recommended for those who want to enjoy various Kanazawa delicacies but do not want to take up too much room in their stomach.
The generous variety of toppings is served separately from the sushi rice, allowing guests to savor each piece as they top it on the rice each time.

Inside the Omicho Market, known as the "kitchen of Kanazawa citizens", where numerous stores line each side of the aisles, there is an izakaya (Japanese pub) operated by a former fishmonger.
The fresh fish, sourced daily from "Yamaka Suisan" within the market, are all exceptionally fresh and include a wide variety of seasonal seafood that just must be tasted.

This is a shop operated by Hakuichi. It was built on the site of "Higashi-yu" which was a public bath that was popular amongst the Higashi Chaya-gai.
The shop has an atrium from its past glory days of public baths.
You can enjoy shopping in an open and airy atmosphere.

Located only a 1-minute walk from JR Kanazawa Station, this commercial facility operated by OPA features approximately 190 stores on each of its impressive eight floors.
Offering a wide variety of goods from fashion items to interior design pieces, lifestyle goods, cosmetics, jewelry, and so much more, it stands proudly as a hub for those who enjoy shopping.
The building will undergo a major renovation spanning three phases from 2021 to 2022 under the "REBORN PROJECT 2021-2022"

This commercial facility is directly connected to JR Kanazawa Station.
It consists of three buildings: "Anto," which offers numerous shops sporting Kanazawa souvenirs and gourmet foods; "Rinto," which has multitudes of special stores focusing on fashion items, sundries, and cafes; and "Anto West," a daily necessity building with a fresh food supermarket and a clinic that is suitable for daily life.

This well-regarded ryokan was established in the historic age of 1890.
The first owner of the ryokan was a famous man whom Kitaoji Rosanjin called "the best man in Hokuriku, a guest of honor in Kanazawa, and a great tea master on top of it all.
This ryokan has attracted many high class tasters, renowned figures and tea masters from all over Japan.
We reccommend you taste their well refined dishes which have inherited and continued the “one restaurant for one guest” motto of hospitality since its establishment.

This stylish hotel is located a very short and convenient 4-minute walk from Kanazawa Station, the starting point of any trip to Kanazawa.
The lounge displays traditional crafts and other items for a casual encounter with art.
On the second and third floors reside the large "Kottori Baths” decorated with Kaga Yuzen-patterned lanterns, where guests can relax and relieve travel fatigue while gazing at the beautiful lanterns.
The wash basins in the women's bathing area are equipped with carbonated cosmetics and other amenities.

Kanazawa is a city where it rains so much that there is a saying, "it’s ok if you forget your lunchbox, but don’t forget your umbrella!”
The hotel was named "Uan" in the hope that guests will enjoy not only sunny trips but also rainy trips to the fullest, and be “glad that it rained”.
In the lounge "Hare no Ma” on the first floor, visitors can casually experience Kanazawa culture through an exhibition of books and artworks related to Kanazawa and indulge in a free service of Kaga-bocha tea and soba noodles (9pm - 11pm).

This fantastically long-established Japanese confectionery shop, with a history of more than 170 years, was founded between 1830 and 1844 (In theTempo era).
The shop sells a wide range of handmade, high-grade, Japanese fresh confections and baked sweets made by confectionary artisans, including Kaichin, a popular souvenir.
Sparkling and shining like jewels, kaichin is an amber sugar made from special agar and sugar that is naturally dried.
It is said that the colorful appearance is due to the fact that in old Kanazawa people used to call the tidbits "kaichin".
One bite is crispy on the outside and jelly-like inside, giving the unique texture that the sweet is famous for.

"Kaga Hachiman Okiagari Monaka" is produced by Kanazawa Urata, a long-established and historical Japanese confectionery in Kanazawa.
The boutique has been in business for more than 80 years, never losing popularity.
The cute shape of this classic souvenir is based on the motif of "Kaga Hachiman Okiagari," a local toy that was made when Kaga Hachiman-sama, who later became Emperor Ojin, was born, and was originally a doll with only its face sticking out of a red maternity gown for the celebration.

Founded in the first year of Tempo 1830, this pensioned candy shop has a history of over 190 years.
Made only from domestic rice, barley, and water, the candy is highly nutritious and has long been popular as a natural food to restore strength to the sick and promote health.
Among their multitude of products, the best souvenirs are "Tawarakko," made from "Okoshi Ame" (the signature product), which is made by boiling down "Jiro-ame" to remove the water content, into hard granules for easy licking, and "Amenko," which is kneaded and made into granules producing a candy like treat.