Kanazawa

Kanazawa’s castle town is a masterpiece of urban design, with samurai residences, townspeople’s quarters, and temple and shrine districts carefully arranged around Kanazawa Castle.
At its core were the samurai areas, played an essential role in the city’s functions. The legacy of samurai life can still be vividly experienced today in the preserved Nagamachi samurai district.

Kenrokuen is a feudal lord’s garden built over nearly 200 years by successive lords of Kanazawa Castle. Counted among Japan’s three most celebrated gardens, it attracts visitors from across the country and abroad.
Here, history and nature are beautifully intertwined: cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, vibrant autumn leaves in fall, and the iconic snow hangings in winter.
At Kenrokuen, you can experience the ever-changing beauty of the seasons, shaped both by time and by the careful hands that have preserved it.

Kanazawa has three historic teahouse districts, each lined with traditional townhouses featuring elegant latticed windows.
In Kanazawa, Geisha are called Geigi, and they remain an important part of the city’s cultural heritage.
As you stroll through these streets, you may hear the sounds of shamisen and taiko drums from Geigi in practice, offering a glimpse into the unique charm of this historical town.

If you tell a Japanese person you’re visiting Kanazawa, one of the first things they’ll say is, “It’s a place with delicious fish.”
Facing the Sea of Japan, Kanazawa is blessed with rich fishing grounds. While much of its catch is sent to Tokyo and Osaka, visiting the city gives you the special chance to enjoy local fish and rare ingredients that rarely make it out of the region—fresh from the market to your plate.

In winter, you’ll find fatty yellowtail, sweet crab, and plump black throat seaperch. Spring brings delicate halfbeaks and firefly squid, summer offers horse mackerel and rock oysters, and autumn delights with mackerel and squid, and more. No matter the season, the flavors of Kanazawa’s seafood are always a highlight.

Kanazawa’s traditional crafts cannot be spoken of without mentioning the patronage of the Maeda clan, the feudal lords of the Kaga domain. Successive lords invited master artisans from Kyoto and Edo, blending their skills with local materials and techniques to create unique designs that embodied the luxury and refinement of samurai culture.

From the elegant patterns of Kaga Yuzen kimono to the vivid beauty of Kutani ware, the brilliance of gold leaf, and the refinement of Urushi lacquerware, Kanazawa’s crafts continue to enrich daily life even today.
Beyond shopping, you can step into artisan workshops to witness these traditions firsthand, and even try creating something yourselves.