8 Things to do in Kanazawa, Japan

If you’re travelling to Japan and want to experience somewhere beautiful but with less crowds, check out Kanazawa - the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture.

It’s known as Japan’s ‘Little Kyoto’ and the ‘Gold leaf capital’, since it produces 99% of Japan's gold leaf so you’ll see a lot of this around. You’ll also be able to explore the famous Kenrokuen - known as one of the ‘Three Great Gardens’ of Japan.

How to get to Kanazawa?

We’d recommend spending at least 1-2 days in Kanazawa.

You can get there via:

Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo (~2.5-3 hours)
Or Limited Express trains from Osaka (~2 hours) and from Kyoto (~2.5-3 hours)

🎟️ Shinkansen Tickets: Get up to 10% off via Klook.com with code FEASTONITKLOOK

Book tickets here with discount code FEASTONITKLOOK

1. Explore Kanazawa’s Geisha Districts

Wander through the 3 Geisha Districts, filled with traditional teahouses, boutique shops, and cozy cafes.

Higashi Chaya – The most famous and lively area, filled with historic teahouses, sweets, and souvenir shops. We tried sweet Oyatsu Fu snacks at Fumuroya and ended up buying so many to take home because we loved them! We also tried Fu dumplings and mochi balls at Fumurochaya, and you can dip them in sweet soy sauce, which makes it a nice sweet treat.
Kazuemachi Chaya – A quieter district situated along the Asanogawa River.
Nishi Chaya – Smaller and more local, with two-story wooden chaya houses along the main street.

2. EAT!

There’s lots of iconic food in Kanazawa. We tried:

Famous Gold Leaf Ice Cream
Kanazawa Curry at the Kanazawa Curry Laboratory (inside Omicho Market)
Omicho Market - lots of different street food stalls

3. Explore Nagamachi (Samurai District)

Wander through the streets of the Nagamachi Samurai District as if you’ve stepped back in time to the Edo period.

Then visit Nomura-ke Samurai Residence – a beautifully preserved samurai home filled with historical artefacts, a tea room, and a Japanese garden.

⏰ Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5:30pm (until 4:30pm from October to March)
🎟️ Admission: 550 yen (Adult)

4. Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en is known as one of the ‘Three Great Gardens’ of Japan, so it’s definitely a must-visit. The gardens are so beautiful, and it’s peaceful to wander around and explore. We even stopped by one of the cafes to enjoy some udon.

⏰ Opening Hours: 7:00am – 6:00pm (8:00am – 5:00pm from 16 October - End of February)
🎟️ Admission: 320 yen (Adult), 100 yen (Children, 6 to 17 years old)

5. Kanazawa Castle

Right next to Kenroku-en, you’ll find Kanazawa Castle. You can explore the different buildings, learn about the castle’s history, or wander through the grounds and castle park.

⏰ Opening Hours:

Castle Grounds: 7:00am – 6:00pm (1 March – 15 October), 8:00am – 5:00pm (16 October – February)
Gojukken Nagaya Storehouse and Turrets: 9:00am – 4:30pm (entry until 4:00pm)
Kahoku-Mon Gate and Nezumita-Mon Gate: 9:00am – 4:30pm (entry until 4:00pm)

🎟️ Admission:

Castle Grounds: FREE
Gojukken Nagaya Storehouse and Turrets: 320 yen
Kahoku-Mon Gate and Nezumita-Mon Gate: FREE

6. Oyama-jinja Shrine

The Oyama-Jinja Shrine is dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of the Maeda Clan. There’s also a nice garden with ponds and bridges.

7. Ishiura-jinja Shrine

The Ishiura-jinja Shrine is the oldest in Kanazawa, built over 1500 years ago. The torii gates are perfect for photos, and this Shrine is also said to be for those wanting to find their soulmates, so it’s quite popular amongst locals and tourists.

8. Visit 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art

If you’re interested in art, check out the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.

Unfortunately, when we turned up, this was closed due to a public holiday which we were unaware about! However, we’d love to see it whenever we go back to Kanazawa. The museum has the famous illusion swimming pool, where you can walk into the pool from the bottom, and from the top, it looks like there’s actually water in it!

Where to stay?

Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi

We stayed at Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi and it was one of our favourite stays in Japan. It was so cute and cosy, and our room was spacious with lots of amenities. When we arrived, we were also greeted with welcome sweets, and there was free udon available every night, free drinks in the mini bar, and free tea, coffee and juice at reception. We’d highly recommend it!