VISIT KANAZAWA, JAPAN - Official Travel Guide

This is a fee-based service in which you can leave your baggage at Kanazawa Station and it will be delivered to the hotel ryokan where you will be staying on the same day.

Want to go sightseeing as soon as you arrive at Kanazawa Station! Recommended for those who have a lot of luggage for the trip.

The service counter is located at the Kanazawa Station Tourist Information Center.

Delivery area: Kanazawa City, Noto area, hot springs in Kaga area, and hotels and inns in Awara City, Fukui Prefecture.

Established during the Edo Period, Omicho Market has formed an essential part of Kanazawa’s food culture for more than 300 years.

 The sprawling market features more than 170 stores, including a large number of fishmongers that sell freshly caught seafood from the Sea of Japan. There are also fruit and vegetables stores that sell unique local produce, marine product stores, clothing stores, grocery stores and restaurants.

Particularly well-revered are the crab, yellowtail and shrimp from the Sea of Japan that are sold around November. Because of this, the market is normally crowded with tourists and locals alike during this time of year.

Another key attraction of the market is Omicho Ichibakan. The refurbished building features a number of popular restaurants and stores that are worth stopping by during your trip to the market.

One of the teahouse districts representing Kanazawa culture.

It is the perfect spot for taking photogenic photos with a Japanese flair. Many tourists renting kimonos are seen taking pictures with the traditional townscape in the background.

In addition, prestigious kappo restaurants, fashionable machiya cafes, and select stores selling traditional crafts line the streets, offering Kanazawa's unique gourmet and shopping experience.

It is also famous as the setting of "Toki no haka" by writer Hiroyuki Itsuki.

The old townscape, which attracts many foreign tourists and is full of emotion, has been selected as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

Considered one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens, Kenrokuen Garden is a must-visit location in Kanazawa. The name Kenrokuen means “having six factors”, representing the attributes which bring out the garden’s stunning beauty: spaciousness, tranquility, artifice, antiquity, water sources and magnificent views.The garden has an area of 11.4 hectares and is located on the heights of the central part of Kanazawa next to Kanazawa Castle. The Maeda family, who ruled the Kaga Domain (the present Ishikawa and Toyama areas) in feudal times, maintained the garden from generation to generation. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful feudal lords' gardens in Japan.

One of Kenrokuen Garden’s most stunning attractions is its large artificial pond called Kasumigaike. Located near the center of the pond is Horai Island. The pond is often seen to symbolize the sea and Horai Island a sacred island out at sea, on which an ageless hermit with miraculous power was believed to live. As a result, the pond and the island were constructed to symbolize long life and eternal prosperity for the lord.

There are many other gorgeous features to enjoy in the garden, including the flowers and trees that grow there, such as plum and cherry blossoms in spring, azaleas and irises early in summer, and colorful red and yellow leaves in autumn. 

In Winter, visitors can enjoy the snow-covered landscapes with yukitsuri (which means “snow hanging”). yukitsuri is a traditional technique for protecting the branches of the pine trees in the garden from heavy snow; trees are given support by bamboo poles and rope arranged a captivating conical layout.

Opened in 2004, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa stands out compared to more traditional art museums. The museum features a captivating disc-like design, as if it were a UFO touching down in the middle of Kanazawa. All the walls are made of glass and the building features five gates, all pointing towards different parts of the city.

The museum exhibits experimental contemporary art that visitors can touch or sit on and is perfect for children and adults alike. Some of museum’s highlights include commissioned works, which are integrated into the building’s unique design.

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art excels at offering visitors unique experiences that can’t be found anywhere else. Highlights include Leandro Erlich's The Swimming Pool, which enables visitors to feel as if they’re standing at the bottom of a swimming pool, and a wall decorated with flowers gathered from the suburbs of Kanazawa.

Additionally, the museum's shop offers a wide variety of products, such as museum memorabilia, accessories, and selected goods.

Stores close in the evening, but the area around the nagamachi District from dusk to night is also very photogenic.

9:20 Depart from Kanazawa Station East Exit (Kenrokuen Exit)

　　        　　 ↓Stopover at Kaga Onsen Station and Echizen Railway Awara Hot Spring Town Station on the way.

11:30～12:50 Tojinbo

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13:30～14:30 Maruoka Castle (one of the 12 existing castles)

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15:00-16:20 Eiheiji Temple

　　　　　　　↓ Stop at Awara Onsen Station and Awara Yunomachi Station of Echizen Railway on the way.

　　Arrive at Kanazawa Station around 18:35