By rail
Kanazawa station, ~2.5 h by the Hokuriku shinkansen from Tokyo
East Asia · Japan
Kanazawa, Japan
Samurai streets and a famous garden
Getting there
By air
Komatsu (KMQ), ~40 min by bus
Best time to visit
March to May and October to November — mild
Don't miss
Kenroku-en
Kanazawa Castle
The Higashi Chaya district
The 21st Century Museum
Things to do
Kenroku-en garden
The samurai and geisha districts
Gold-leaf crafts
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5
What to pack
Layers, rain gear
A quieter corner
Myoryu-ji, the 'ninja temple' of hidden rooms
Questions travellers ask
When should I visit Kanazawa, and what should I pack?
March to May or October to November, when it's mild. Pack layers and rain gear.
How long is the shinkansen ride to Kanazawa?
About 2.5 hours from Tokyo on the Hokuriku shinkansen, into Kanazawa station. Komatsu airport (KMQ) is around 40 minutes away by bus.
Where can I find fresh seafood in Kanazawa?
At Omicho Market. Round it off with a gold-leaf soft-serve.
What's the story with Kanazawa's 'ninja temple'?
That's Myoryu-ji, known as the 'ninja temple' for its hidden rooms.
About Kanazawa
- Riverside
Where it is
Kanazawa, capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, lies between the Sai and Asano rivers near the Sea of Japan coast of central Honshu, Japan, with the Noto Peninsula to the north and the Hakusan mountains to the south-east.
History
Kanazawa grew up around a fortified Buddhist temple before the Maeda clan took its castle in 1583 and ruled the Kaga domain from it for almost three centuries. Kaga was the richest domain of the Edo period after the shogun's own lands, and its lords spent lavishly on gardens, crafts and the arts. The city escaped bombing in the Second World War, so its old districts survive.
People
Kanazawa's people speak Japanese in the Kanazawa dialect, and the city keeps alive the crafts fostered by the Maeda lords: gold-leaf beating, Kaga yuzen dyeing, lacquerware and Ohi pottery for the tea ceremony. The Hyakumangoku Festival each June recalls Maeda Toshiie's entry into the city.
Known for
- Kenroku-en, one of Japan's three great gardens
- The Higashi Chaya geisha district
- Gold leaf and Kutani porcelain
- Kaga yuzen silk dyeing
- Seafood at Omicho Market
Did you know?
Kanazawa produces about 99 per cent of Japan's gold leaf, which turns up everywhere from temple altars to gold-topped ice creams in the old tea-house districts.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.