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Last update: 20 Oct 2026
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Kanazawa Summary
These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.
‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.
‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.
‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.
Suited for
Japan – Quick facts
| Power Grid: |
100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A
Type A:
 Read about power adapters |
|---|---|
| Currency: |
Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210 |
| Cashless info: |
Rating 4/5
Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas.
Save with a travel credit card |
| eSIM providers: |
Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison |
| Tipping: | Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places. |
|---|---|
| Public drinking: | Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events. |
| Public smoking: | Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections. |
| New Year (January) |
One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead. |
|---|---|
| Golden Week (April-May) |
The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport. |
| Obon (August) |
A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded. |
| Emergency contact: | Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance) |
|---|---|
| Taxi apps: | Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi |
| Other: | Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours. |
Best times to travel
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
for Kanazawa, Japan
Winter is the snow crab season, November to March, and Kanazawa is a famous place to eat it
Kenrokuen garden is illuminated at night during cherry blossoms, autumn leaves and winter snow
Golden Week (late April to early May) and Obon (mid August) bring crowds and higher prices
Don't miss
- 🌸 Stroll through Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s finest landscapes
- 🏯 Explore Kanazawa Castle and its impressive defensive grounds
- 🍵 Wander the preserved tea houses of Higashi Chaya District
- ⚔️ Admire samurai heritage at the Nomura Clan Residence
- 🖼️ Marvel at modern art inside the 21st Century Museum
- ✨ Try gold leaf ice cream in the Higashi Chaya District
You've been here?
Log in to manage your own bucket list! Why travel to Kanazawa?
Kenrokuen is counted among Japan's three great gardens. Its ponds, bridges and pines change with the seasons, so it's worth a visit in any month. Most travellers start the day here and walk on to the castle and the old districts. In winter the pines are propped up with rope cones to protect them from heavy snow. Kanazawa Castle Park is right next to it, with rebuilt turrets and gates. Higashi Chaya and the other teahouse districts keep their wooden lattice facades. Some of the old houses are open as museums or cafes. The city is also known for its crafts, especially gold leaf, which shops use on everything from ceramics to ice cream. Nagamachi preserves earthen walls and canals from the samurai era. The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art has free areas and a famous underwater-looking pool installation. Omicho Market has been the city's food market for centuries and is the place to try local seafood. Two days suit the city well. A single day covers the garden, the castle and one of the old districts. It also fits into a longer loop through central Japan, since Takayama and Shirakawa-go are reachable by highway bus.
🏯Places worth seeing
🎡Places for activities
🏞️Natural landmarks
🛍️Shopping
🍽️Eat & Drink
-
1
Omicho Market
Omicho Market is Kanazawa’s main food market, with seafood counters, sushi restaurants and casual shops serving seasonal kaisen-don seafood bowls. It is in central Kanazawa, about a 15-minute walk from Kanazawa Station and close to the castle park. -
2
MoriMori Sushi Omicho
MoriMori Sushi is a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant known for fish from the Sea of Japan, including sweet shrimp, yellowtail, crab, sea urchin and seasonal local catches. It is in Omicho Ichibakan at Omicho Market. -
3
Kanazawa Tamazushi Sohonten
Kanazawa Tamazushi serves high-quality sushi featuring Hokuriku seafood, such as nodoguro rosy seabass, sweet shrimp, yellowtail and crab. Its main shop is in Ekinishi Shinhonmachi, a short taxi ride west of Kanazawa Station. -
4
Jibuni Ryotei Tsubajin
Tsubajin serves traditional Kaga cuisine, including jibuni: duck, wheat gluten and seasonal vegetables gently simmered in a thickened dashi broth. It is in the historic Nagamachi samurai district, a short walk from Korinbo. -
5
Kinjohro
Kinjohro offers formal Kaga ryori courses featuring seasonal seafood, Kaga vegetables, local crab in season and refined regional dishes. It is at 2-23 Hashiba-cho, between the Asano River and the Higashi Chaya district. -
6
Akadama Honten
Akadama Honten is a long-running Kanazawa oden restaurant, serving dashi-simmered fish cakes, vegetables, tofu and regional ingredients such as kuruma-fu wheat gluten. It is at 2-21-2 Katamachi, in Kanazawa’s evening dining district. -
7
Kuroyuri
Kuroyuri serves Kanazawa oden, local sake and regional dishes in an easy-to-reach casual setting. It is inside Kanazawa Hyakubangai at Kanazawa Station. -
8
Hakuichi Higashiyama Branch
Hakuichi is known for gold-leaf soft serve, topped with a dramatic full sheet of edible Kanazawa gold leaf. It is at 1-15-4 Higashiyama, in the Higashi Chaya District. -
9
Fuwari
Fuwari is a charcoal-grill izakaya featuring Noto and Sea of Japan ingredients, including seasonal fish, grilled dishes and regional sake. It is in the Katamachi area, close to Korinbo and the Saigawa River. -
10
Daimyojaya
Daimyojaya serves crab, seasonal Hokuriku seafood and Kaga cuisine such as jibuni in a traditional kappo setting. It is at 7-5-1 Konohanamachi, around a five-minute walk from Kanazawa Station.
🎈Events
-
Hyakumangoku Festival (June)
-
Kanazawa Marathon (October)
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Kenrokuen Light-Up (Winter and Spring)
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Ishikawa Music Festival (August)
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Kanazawa JAZZ Street (September)
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Kaga Yuzen Kimono Parade (April)
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Noto Kiriko Festivals (Summer)
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Kanazawa Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (April)
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Echizen Crab Season (November - March)
-
Tanabata Festival (July)
Knowledge before you go
- Kenrokuen charges JP¥320 (£1.52) for adults and takes cash only.
- Gold leaf is a Kanazawa craft that Higashi Chaya shops use on ice cream, sweets and cosmetics.
- Snow crab is a winter speciality here, so menus show it from roughly November to March.
- Free early entry to Kenrokuen starts at 04:00 in summer and 06:00 in winter, at two gates.
How to travel to Kanazawa
The Hokuriku Shinkansen is the easiest way to reach Kanazawa. From Tokyo Station it takes about 2 hours 30 minutes. From Kyoto and Osaka you ride the Thunderbird limited express to Tsuruga and change to the Shinkansen, which takes about 2 hours from Kyoto and about 2.5 from Osaka. Nagoya is over 3 hours with changes. Komatsu Airport (KMQ) has domestic flights including a flight of about 1 hour from Tokyo Haneda. An airport express bus takes about 40 minutes to Kanazawa Station. Most travellers from abroad will find the Shinkansen from Tokyo simpler than the flight. Highway buses reach Kyoto in about 4.5 hours and Osaka in about 6. Other buses link Kanazawa with Takayama and Shirakawa-go through the mountains. By car, Tokyo is 6 hours or more away along the expressways.
Access summary
- From Komatsu Airport (KMQ): Limousine bus to Kanazawa Station, about 40 minutes.
- From Tokyo: Hokuriku Shinkansen generally 2.5–3 hours to Kanazawa.
- From Osaka/Kyoto: Limited express Thunderbird trains usually 2.5–3 hours.
Check your route from anywhere
Where to stay in Kanazawa
The city has a good range of business hotels, boutique stays and traditional inns. Kanazawa Station is the handiest base for the Shinkansen and buses. Korinbo and Katamachi in the central shopping and dining area put you within walking distance of Kenrokuen and Omicho Market and are lively in the evening. Higashi Chaya and the old districts have guesthouses and renovated machiya townhouses, which are quieter and suit a slower stay. Hot spring inns outside the city add an onsen option for a night but need a bus ride or taxi. Rooms fill and prices rise around Golden Week, in autumn and during the winter seafood season, so book early at those times.
Hotel recommendations
*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.
KOKO HOTEL Premier Kanazawa Korinbo
Onyado NonoKanazawa Natural Hot Spring
SOKI KANAZAWA
HOTEL MYSTAYS PREMIER Kanazawa
Dormy Inn Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring
Hotel Forza Kanazawa
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kanazawa-eki Nishiguchi
Mitsui Garden Hotel Kanazawa
HOTEL TORIFITO KANAZAWA
the square hotel KANAZAWA
How to get around Kanazawa
Walking and buses cover most of what you'll want to see here, with taxis and a car as extras.
Buses:
The Kanazawa Loop Bus goes around the central sights from the station, with stops near Omicho Market, Kenrokuen and Higashi Chaya. Regular city buses follow similar routes. Day passes exist but fares and coverage change, so check at the station tourist office.
Walking and bikes:
Kenrokuen, the castle park, Omicho and the museum are close enough to walk between. Nagamachi is a short walk from the castle area. Shared bicycles are available around the centre and suit the mostly flat streets in good weather.
Taxis and cars:
Taxis are easy to find at the station and handy when it rains. You don't need a car in the city, though one helps for the countryside and the coast.
Food in Kanazawa
Kanazawa is known for fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan and for Kaga cuisine, the traditional style of the area. Many dishes use fish stock, so vegetarians will have to ask about ingredients.
Seafood:
Fresh catch is served at sushi counters and in rice bowls called kaisendon. Omicho Market is the easy place to try it. Winter brings snow crab and fatty fish like nodoguro, a deep-sea fish often grilled with salt.
Jibuni:
Jibuni is a simmered stew of duck or chicken with vegetables and wheat gluten and is a classic of Kaga cuisine. The local oden also uses regional ingredients.
Sweets:
Wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, are sold at old confectioners, while soft serve topped with gold leaf is a more modern local treat.
Markets, department store food halls and convenience stores cover quick meals.
Budget snapshot
Costs compared to home
We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.
To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.
Daily expenses in Kanazawa are around 50% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.
Exchange rate trend
The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.
Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.
Travel costs
To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.
Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.
Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.
To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.
Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.
Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.
Daily cost summary
Travel style categories explained:
Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.
Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.
Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.
Travel style categories explained:
Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.
Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.
Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.
| Backpacker | Mid-range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation | |||
| 🏨 Accommodation per night, per person | |||
| 🍝 Food per day | |||
| 🚕 Transportation per day |
Food & Drink
| 🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person | |
|---|---|
| 🍛 Lunch Set, per person | |
| 🍟 Fast food combo | |
| 🍝 Preparing your own food, per day | |
| ☕ Cappuccino | |
| 🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l |
Transportation
| 🚌 Public transport ticket | |
|---|---|
| 🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi | |
| ⛽ Petrol, 1 l |
Other
| 🎞️ Cinema ticket | |
|---|---|
| 👩⚕️ Doctor's consult | |
| 🤧 Cold medication | |
| 💇 Basic haircut |
Safety information overview
General safety
Kanazawa is very safe, with low crime and quiet streets even late at night around the station and Korinbo. Winter brings heavy snow and icy pavements while rain is frequent in every season. Earthquakes are possible in this part of Japan.
Health & Medical
Kanazawa has large hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, including university hospitals. English-speaking care is limited so travel insurance is worth having. Summers are hot and humid, which makes heat the main health risk. Slips on winter ice are also common.
Accessibility
The central areas are mostly flat. Kenrokuen has slopes, gravel paths and stone steps while the lanes of Higashi Chaya and Nagamachi can be uneven. Winter snow and ice make walking harder, so allow extra time and consider taxis.
Tap water
Tap water in Kanazawa is safe to drink, as in the rest of Japan. Vending machines and convenience stores sell bottled water and tea on almost every block. Refilling a bottle at your hotel is the easiest option on hot summer days.
Packing recommendations for Kanazawa
Log in to add this place to a travel list and get a summary of all recommended items for your whole trip.
📷
Camera
👟
Comfortable walking shoes
🚰
Reusable water bottle
🍫
Energy snacks
for day trips
🧥
Waterproof jacket
🕶️
Sunglasses
for summer
☂️
Folding umbrella
🎒
Small rucksack
👛
Cash in small denominations
👜
Anti-theft bag
🔋
Power bank
👒
Sun hat
for summer
🧥
Fleece mid-layer
📱
Travel eSIM
🔌
Universal travel adaptor
💳
Credit card with no foreign transaction fees
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