Considering a visit to Kanazawa, Japan? Then I could not be more excited for you! Kanazawa was my favorite city during my Japan travels, and I would love to revisit one day. This is a historic hidden gem full of wonderful things to do.
Back in the Edo Period, Kanazawa was the “capital” of the so-called “Kaga Domain”. The Kaga Domain is what we know today as the Ishikawa and the Toyama Prefectures. This is where the Maeda Clan, a family of wealthy samurai nobility, ruled the Kaga Domain from. The Maeda family is responsible for most of the best things to see in Kanazawa, including the Kanazawa Castle and the Kenroku-en Garden.
Kanazawa is fairly in the middle between Tokyo and Kyoto and easy to reach with the Shinkansen. While I recommend staying at least 2 full days, preferably 3, Kanazawa can also be a great day trip.
Without further ado, here are all the best things to do in Kanazawa! Get ready to discover everything from Samurai and Geisha districts to Japan’s most beautiful gardens.
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18 Things you Can’t Miss out in Kanazawa
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1. Kenrokuen Gardens | Japan’s Most Beautiful Garden
- 💴 Price: 320 Yen
- 📍 Location: 1 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0936, Japan
One of the absolute best things to do in Kanazawa is visiting the one and only, Kenrokuen Garden.
Kenroku-en is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and one of the most beautiful in the country. This garden, whose name means “Garden of the Six Sublimities”, has the six attributes that make a garden perfect. The six sublimities are spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, water courses, and views.
The Maeda Family, who resided in the Kanazawa Castle, created the Kenroku-en to be an outer garden of their castle.
Some highlights of this garden are the Kotoji stone lantern, Yugao-tei Tea House, Kasumigaike Pond, and Karasaki Pine. An additional highlight is it’s seasonality – which allows the gardens to remain magical and beautiful year round. Cherry blossom season here could not have been any more magical!🌸
Read my Ultimate Guide to the Kenrokuen Garden to make the most of your visit!
This is a perfect place to peacefully stroll around and enjoy the beauty of Japanese gardens and nature. The average visit is 1 to 2 hours, and I recommend staying closer to the 2 hour marker or longer to really savor the beauty around you.
Important Tip. There are parts of the Kenroku-en that are barrier free and don’t need entry tickets. Make sure to keep your entry tickets during your entire visit in case you wander into the barrier free zone. If you do so, which I recommend, you will need to show your ticket to re-enter.
2. Kanazawa Castle Park
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 310 Yen to enter Turrests & Storehouse
- 📍 Location: 1-1 Marunouchi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0937, Japan
Dating back to the 16th century, the Edo Period, the Kanazawa Castle is where the Maeda clan resided and ruled the Kaga Domain from for over 200 years.
The castle went through several restorations, but still has three original structures that stand. These three structures are the Ishikawamon Gate, Sanjikken Yagura, and the Tsurumaru Storehouse.
Surrounding the Kanazawa Castle is the Kanazawa Castle Park, a large area filled with cherry blossoms and magnificent sights, including gardens.
You cannot enter the castle itself, but you can walk all of its surroundings parameters and even check out the watch tower.
The Kanazawa Castle Park has some areas and attractions that close in the evening, but the park itself remains open. With that said, one of the coolest things to do in Kanazawa is visiting this park at night time to see it lit up!✨
3. Higashi Chaya District
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 📍 Location: 1 Chome Higashiyama, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0831, Japan
Welcome to Kanazawa’s largest and, well-preserved, Geisha district!
Established in 1820, the Higashi Chaya District is a historic teahouse and entertainment district where wealthy merchants went for entertainment, music, and dance.
Holding its historic look, the Higashi Chaya District makes you feel like you transported back to the Edo Period. Throughout the sea of traditional wooden buildings, you will find everything from artisan craft shops, eateries, and teahouses.
Teahouses, “Chayas”, are places were the Geishas, “Geiko”, perform. Today you can visit a former geiko teahouse, Ochaya Shima, now turned museum, to learn about this district’s geiko culture.
If you want to experience a tea ceremony, Kaikaro is a spectacular chaya with over 200 years of history! Here you can enjoy a traditional geisha performance, indulge yourself at their cafe, or even practice calligraphy. Check out Kaikaro’s experiences here!
Out of all the great things to do in Kanazawa, visiting this district is one of the best and iconic!
4. Nagamachi Samurai District
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 📍 Location: 1 Chome-3-12-2 Nagamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0865, Japan
One of the most iconic parts of Kanazawa, and one you cannot miss out on, is the incredible Nagamachi Samurai District.
Nagamachi is an old Samurai District that transports you to Japan’s samurai times. Here you will find the traditional architecture, samurai residences, eateries, and artisan shops.
5. Rent a Kimono
If you have been wanting to dress up in a Kimono and walk around a Japanese city, Kanazawa is the perfect place to do so!👘
There are many Kimono rental stores spread out through Kanazawa, one of the most popular ones being Vasara Kimono Rental Kenrokuen.
During your time in Kanazawa, you will often see people wearing Kimonos in the Nagamachi and Higashi Chaya districts, as well as the Kenrokuen Gardens. The people wearing Kimonos range from locals to tourists.
6. Myouryuji Temple
- 💴 Price: 1,200 yen
- 📍 Location: 1 Chome-2-12 Nomachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 921-8031, Japan
During the 17th-century, the Tokugawa Shogunate placed a ban on defensive military structures. To protect their castle from attacks, the Maeda Clan built several secret armed outposts disguised as temples.
The Myouryuji Temple looks just like a typical Buddhist temple, but is actually filled with trap doors, secret passageways, and so forth. While there is no connection to Ninjas, this temple often receives the nickname “Ninjadera” or “ninja temple” due to it’s sneaky disguise.
7. 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 📍 Location: 1 Chome-2-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8509, Japan
If you are an art lover, you cannot miss out on Kanazawa’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art!😍
This open museum, operating since 2004, has four missions: Democracy, Diversity, Development and Interaction.
To explain some of their missions, in terms of the Diversity aspect, the museum’s goal is to bring people from around the world together in a harmonious manner. All while respecting each person’s individuality and cultural background.
The development mission focuses on keeping the museum “consistently alive to the possibilities of the future”, and open to try new things.
In this museum you will find all types of works of art, including a permanent exhibit called “The Swimming Pool”.
8. Seisonkaku Villa
- 💴 Price: 700 yen for adults
- 📍 Location: 1-2 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0936, Japan
Built in 1863 by the 13th lord of the Kaga Domain, Maeda Nari Yasu, the Seisonkaku is a large Samurai villa. Maeda Nari Yasu built this villa as retirement home for his mother, specifically for her to be able to admire the Kenroku-en Garden.
This large villa features gardens, tearooms, reading rooms, as well as collections of various dolls, doll furniture, and kimonos. In addition, the villa tends to host exhibitions!
If you are fascinated by history and architecture, you do not want to miss out on this beautiful villa!
9. Ninja Weapon Museum
- 💴 Price: 800 yen adults
- 📍 Location: 2 Chome-26-1 Nomachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 921-8031, Japan
This is a smaller museum, with an average visit of 30 minutes to an hour; but nonetheless, a must visit. The Ninja Weapon Museum hosts a range of attire, armour, and weapons that belonged to Samurai or Ninjas.
Here you will also have the opportunity to have a Ninja experience and throw Ninja stars or Ninja Sticks. The price to throw 5 Ninja Stars is 300 yen, and 500 yen to throw 8 Ninja Sticks.
I did the Ninja Star experience with my boyfriend, and it’s clear that one of us would’ve been a great Ninja, and the other… not so much.😂
10. Omicho Market
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 📍 Location: 50 Kamiomicho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0905, Japan
What better place to dive deeper into the local life and try traditional food, than a 300 year old market?😍
The Omicho Market, operating since 1721, has over 180 stalls and is Kanazawa’s largest food market. Here you will find everything from small restaurants to the freshest seafood, Japanese sweets, home goods, and so much more.
There is truly so much to see and admire in this market, and I cannot recommend it enough! Make sure to visit in the morning to see everything open and enjoy the bustling market atmosphere.
Important Tip. There are certain stalls that prohibit photography and videos. If you see these signs, be a good tourist and respect the local’s boundaries!
11. Oyama Shrine
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 📍 Location: 11-1 Oyamamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0918, Japan
Established in 1599, the Oyama Shrine is a beautiful Shinto shrine dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the first Kaga Domain lord.
12. Kanazawa Station
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 📍 Location: Japan, 〒920-0858 Ishikawa, Kanazawa, Kinoshinbomachi, 1番1号
The Kanazawa Station has a beautiful, giant Torii-resembling structure that is worth admiring. A Torii is the gate you find at Japanese shrines.
Surprisingly, the Kanazawa Station has a great array of restaurants and cafes. I would recommend coming to the station early, before your travels, and try out some food there!
13. Nomura Samurai Residence
- 💴 Price: 550 yen
- 📍 Location: 1-3-32 Naga-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Want to see what the residence of a wealthy samurai family, looked like? Then you must visit the residence of the Nomura family, a family served the Maeda Clan from the 16th-19th century.
14. Kurando Terashima House
- 💴 Price: 310 yen
- 📍 Location: Japan, 〒920-0912 Ishikawa, Kanazawa, Otemachi, 10−3 史跡寺島蔵人邸
If you want to visit a hidden gem of an authentic Samurai residence, the Kurando Terashima House is it!
Built in the late 18th-century, this house belonged to a middle class samurai of the Maeda Clan, Kurando Terashima. Here you will get to admire the architecture, the garden, and even Kurando’s own paintings.
15. Yagamachi Yuzenkan Silk Center
- 💴 Price: 350 yen
- 📍 Location: 2-6-16 Nagamachi, Kanazawa City, 920-0865
Kanazawa, ever since the Edo Period, has been an epicenter for traditional crafts and stellar craftsmanship. While they are most famous for the Golden Leaf, the Kaga Yuzen silk is another of their phenomenal works.
The Yagamachi Yuzenkan Silk Center is a museum where you can admire Kanazawa’s special dying technique, Kaga Yuzen. Kimonos with this technique were for the upper classes.
Something really cool about this center is that you have the chance of seeing the artisans working, or even take a course!
16. Hosenji Temple & Edge of Korai-Machi Ryokuchi Park
- 💴 Price: FREE
- 📍 Location: 57 Koraimachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0836, Japan
Located right next to the Higashi Chaya District, is a steep path that leads you to the Ryokuchi Park. Here you will find the beautiful Hosenji Temple, and a viewpoint from which you can look over Kanazawa.
17. Indulge in Japanese Soufflé Pancakes
- 💴 Price: $$
- 📍 Location: 1 Chome-27-7 Higashiyama, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0831, Japan
Did you even visit Japan if you didn’t try the iconic Japanese Soufflé Pancakes?😍 As a foodie, this was easily one of my favorite things to do in Kanazawa.😂
Located in the Nagamachi Samurai District, Cafe Tamon is a small gluten friendly restaurant that creates the most delicious, rice-flour soufflé pancakes.
As a fun historic fact, during the Edo period, the Kaga Domain was the wealthiest domain – but not for money. Back then, wealth was based on the amount of rice and other crops, a domain could produce.
Cafe Tamon’s mission is to be “kind to people, and kind to the earth”. The rice flour they use in their pancakes comes from the Ishikawa Prefecture, particularly from oversized rice that would’ve been discarded. Cafe Tamon is committed to provide fresh food, made with locally produced and locally consumed ingredients.
Due to the rice flour, most of the pancakes here are naturally gluten free and celiac safe. As always, mention your allergy in case the toppings of a certain pancake are not gluten free.
18. Great location for Day Trips!
Whether you want to take a day trip to Kanazawa, or take a day trip from Kanazawa, there are plenty of options!
I strongly recommend spending at least 2 to 3 full days in Kanazawa, and take a day trip to the incredible Shirakawago. Shirakawago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and farming village located in the Japanese Alps.
One of Shirakawago’s main features is it’s villages’ thatched-roofs, which were designed to help with the harsh winters and heavy snowfall. Built by farming families back in the Edo period, not only are these homes historical, but very functional.
If you want to visit Shirakawa-go, this highly-rated tour will help you have a hassle-free trip!!😍👇
What to Know about Kanazawa
Where to Stay in Kanazawa
The best area to stay in Kanazawa is near the Omicho Market, which seems to be perfectly in between the Kanazawa Station and the city’s main attractions.
When to Visit Kanazawa
Kanazawa is a city that is wonderful year round. The spring time is nothing short of magical due to the endless cherry blossoms.
The winter and autumn are supposedly other magical seasons to visit.
How many days in Kanazawa?
Kanazawa is a smaller city, but one full of wonderful things to see and experience. In my personal experience, 3 full days in Kanazawa is the perfect amount to see it all and truly enjoy the city. While Kanazawa can be a day trip, I strongly recommend spending at least 2 full days there.
Kanazawa FAQs
Is it worth visiting Kanazawa Japan?
Yes. Kanazawa is a city that is most definitely worth visiting.
Kanazawa is particularly worth visiting if you want to visit a Japanese hidden gem and dive deeper into Japan’s historic side. Discover here all the 14 reasons why you should visit Kanazawa!
What is famous in Kanazawa?
Kanazawa is famous to several famous sites and attractions. The most famous are the Kenroku-en Garden, the Kanazawa Castle, and the Higashi Chaya District.
How to Get to Kanazawa from Kyoto?
The best way to get to Kanazawa from Kyoto is via the Shinkansen bullet train, which can make the commute as fast as 1 hour and 40 minutes. To get the Shinkansen ticket, head to the Kanazawa Station and look for a JR Ticket Office or the JR machines.
You will have to switch Shinkansen trains once on your way to Kanazawa, but no worries. The trains are right next to each other!
Important Note. ALWAYS keep all your Shinkansen tickets when traveling, because you’ll need them to both enter and exit the train station.
How to Get to Kanazawa from Tokyo
The best way to get to Kanazawa from Tokyo is via the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train. This commute will be about 2.5 to 3 hours. The tips mentioned above, regarding Kyoto and Kanazawa, apply here too!
Read more on Japan
- How to Spend the Best 2 Days in Kanazawa
- One Day in Kanazawa
- Is Kanazawa Worth Visiting? 14 Reasons Why it Is!
- Ultimate Guide to the Kenrokuen Garden
- The 6 Best Gluten Free Restaurants in Kanazawa, Japan
- 23 ESSENTIAL Tips + Things to Know Before Visiting Japan
- Do’s and Don’ts in Japan: Etiquette Guide for New Visitors
- Do I really need a JR Pass in? Here’s Everything You Need to Know!
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