Kanazawa is the most famous city in the Hokuriku region, having made its name as "Kaga Hyakumangoku" (one hundred million stone capital of Kaga). In addition to historical spots such as Kenrokuen Garden and the Higashi Chaya-gai district, Kanazawa is also filled with cultural spots such as the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.
Kanazawa prospered as the castle town of "Kaga Hyakumangoku. The city center is dotted with sightseeing spots of historical value and scenic beauty, such as Kenrokuen Garden, one of the three most famous gardens in Japan, Gyokuseninmaru Garden, and the Higashi Chaya-gai district.
There is also the Yasue Gold Leaf Craft Museum, where visitors can learn the traditional craft of gold leaf making. Kanazawa is also one of the most hotly contested wagashi districts in Japan, where you can compare and taste the best wagashi made by the best wagashi craftsmen.
To enjoy Kanazawa sightseeing
Kanazawa, which prospered as the castle town of "Kaga Hyakumangoku," is home to Kenrokuen Garden and Gyokusen-in-maru Garden, one of the three most famous gardens in Japan, as well as the Higashi Chaya-gai and Nagamachi Bukeyashiki Ruins, where you can feel the atmosphere of an Edo period town as you walk through the city.
The Myoritsuji Temple, famous as a ninja temple, is located in the temple district south of Kanazawa Castle, while the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa and the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art are located near Korinbo, where young people gather to enjoy the world of art. The Yasue Kanpaku Kogei Kanazawa Museum, where visitors can learn about the traditional craft of gold leaf making, is another tourist attraction where visitors can indulge in cultural contemplation.
History of Kanazawa
In the Middle Ages, Kaga was called "the country where the peasants have their own land" and was self-governed for about 100 years. During the Warring States period, the Maeda Toshiie family ruled the area for about 280 years until the Meiji period (1868-1912).
The Kaga clan, which boasted the highest stone value among the feudal lords, enjoyed a flourishing samurai culture centering on Kanazawa, its home town, and traditional industries such as gold leaf production and pottery developed. From the Edo period to the early Meiji period, Kaga became a strategic point for the Kitamae Ship, which connected Hokkaido to the Seto Inland Sea, and the Sea of Japan coastline developed as well.
In modern times, Kanazawa continued to flourish as the center of the Hokuriku economy without major damage during the war, and in 2015 the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train service opened between Tokyo and Kanazawa. The renewed JR Kanazawa Station, with its gold-leaf decorated pillars, conveys the elegance of Kaga Hyakumangoku to the present day.
Kanazawa's Local Gourmet, Food Culture, and Specialties
Kanazawa's proximity to the Sea of Japan makes it possible to enjoy fresh seafood throughout the year. Especially in winter, when the fish are fatty, you can enjoy premium ingredients such as bluefin tuna and snow crab, as well as cold yellowtail and amaebi (sweet shrimp).
It is also a pleasure to eat Kanou crab landed in Noto and Kabako crab, which is filled with roe and miso (soybean paste). There is also a wide selection of local cuisine, such as sasazushi, made by wrapping vinegared ingredients and vinegared rice in kumazasa bamboo leaves; kaburazushi, made by sandwiching ingredients between slices of kabura and fermenting them; and jibeni, a sweet-and-salty stew of duck meat dipped in flour and vegetables.
While the area is steeped in history and tradition, where Kaga vegetables are still cultivated, it is also a treasure trove of B-class gourmet foods, such as Kanazawa curry, which features a combination of thick roux and sauced pork cutlet, and Hanton rice, an omelet with fried white meat fish.
In addition, since Japanese confectionery has long flourished in Kanazawa, there are many famous confectionery stores throughout the city, so you will have no trouble comparing different types of sweets and choosing the best souvenirs to take home with you. You will never be able to eat them all, so research before your trip is a must!
The museum is like a park where anyone can drop in. The museum's concept is to provide a place where visitors can feel familiar with contemporary art and encounter it in a variety of ways. The word "contemporary art" may sound esoteric to some, but here you can actually see, touch, and feel many exhibits, including Leandro Erlich's "Swimming Pool" (also known as "Leandro's Pool"). Visitors can en...»
Kenrokuen Garden is a beautiful garden known as one of the three best gardens in Japan. The vast grounds are dotted with mountains, ponds, teahouses, and other features that allow visitors to enjoy a variety of landscapes. The garden is decorated with natural beauty from season to season, and the snow hanging in winter is especially famous as a Kanazawa tradition. The garden is illuminated at n...»
This is a historical townscape with many traditional townhouses built from the time of the establishment of the teahouse district to the early Meiji period (1868-1912). The beautifully designed deogoshi (latticework) and cobblestone-paved streets are full of taste, and the area has been selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the Japanese government. ...»
The temple Myoritsu-ji is also commonly known as "Ninja Temple" because of its unique architectural structure and secret tricks used to deceive the enemy. In fact, there were no ninjas involved; the name derives from the temple's architectural structure. When Maeda Toshiie entered Kanazawa Castle in 1583 during the Warring States period, the temple was built as a prayer hall for his political ph...»
Kanazawa's Nagamachi area, which was once the castle town of the Kaga Hyakumangoku clan, was inhabited by samurai during the Kaga Domain era, and is lined with samurai residences. The stone pavements and earthen walls of the old days still remain, and among them is the Nomura family's samurai residence, which is open to the public. The Nomura family's residence is a perfect combination of a pres...»
The quiet Nagamachi area was once home to middle-class samurai of Kanazawa, the castle town of Kaga Hyakumangoku, and is lined with samurai residences. The old castle town scenery still remains, with its earthen walls, stone-paved alleyways, nagaya-mon gates with samurai windows, choji-ji streets, and cul-de-sacs. Komogake," which protects earthen walls from snow, and Onosho Waterworks are also ...»
Kanazawa Castle Park is one of Japan's representative early modern castles and a symbol of Ishikawa Prefecture. Kanazawa Castle Park was built on the ruins of Kanazawa Castle, the former residence of the Kaga Clan, and is attractive for its historical buildings and abundant nature. Restored historical buildings such as the Hishi Yagura (water chestnut turret), Gojyumen Nagaya (row houses), and H...»
About 180 stores line the narrow lanes, offering a wide variety of fresh seafood, locally grown vegetables and fruits. You can get seafood such as nodoguro (Pacific bluefin tuna) and locally caught amaebi (sweet shrimp). The highly reputed kaisen-don (seafood bowl) is especially well known for the size and taste of its ingredients. While enjoying local gourmet food made from local ingredients, ...»
The Ninja Weapons Museum in Nishi Chaya-gai, Kanazawa, houses about 160 valuable ninja weapons of 50 different types, including shurikens, chain weapons, and armor. Visitors are intrigued by their unique design and function!At the "Shuriken Experience" corner, visitors can try their hand at ninja techniques. In the souvenir store, you will find a variety of attractive items such as imitation swo...»
"Kanazawa curry" is very distinctive as it is made with caramel, and is blackish and very thick. Its sweet and rich flavor is very popular not only among the locals but throughout Japan. The curry is served in a Kanazawa style - curry in a stainless plate, and served with a folk or spork. There are several rules of Kanazawa curry - there are always shredded cabbage on the side, and rice is fully c...»
Kabura Sushi is a kind of “Nare Sushi” made with salted buri wrapped with salted kabu (turnips) then pickled in kouji (amazake). Kabura Sushi has been one of the preserved foods of winter in Kanazawa. Each home has its own recipe, and some uses mackerels as well. “History of Kanazawa City (people’s daily life edition)” describes about the delicacy dishes for guests in the New Year as “Namako, kono...»
Kobako Kani-don is a popular local rice-bowl dish served with plenty of “eggs” known as sotoko (fertilised eggs) and uchiko (ovaries) of snow crabs. Not only because sotoko and uchiko are available from female crabs, but also because the fishing season is limited to only one month of the year, they are extremely popular delicacy of the area, and Kobako Kani-don is the recommended dish to fully enj...»
This dish was imported from overseas to Kaga Domain through Nagasaki, and made of snappers from the local with "unohana" stuffed inside the snappers. Unohana is made of okara, shredded lotus roots, carrots, burdocks, ginnan, cloud ear mushrooms and hempseeds all together simmered in dashi, sake, sugar and soy sauce. Unohana by itself is a delicacy dish, but it becomes even more delicate stuffed in...»