6 of the best places for sushi in Kanazawa, Japan’s sushi capital

29.10.2024 - 15:21 / lonelyplanet.com

Oct 28, 2024 • 5 min read

Nestled right on the Sea of Japan with an ever-trafficked fishing port, Kanazawa is as good as it gets in Japan for fresh fish.

Sure, spots like Tsukiji Market in Tokyo are world-renowned for their high-end exports – and for high prices – that land on tables globally. But Kanazawa airs on the side of keeping the overwhelming majority of its most-prized catches within the west-central Ishikawa Prefecture it anchors. This means its public markets, grocery stores and restaurants are loaded with rare, beyond-decadent sushi and sashimi that you won’t get anywhere else, all at borderline unreal prices. For reference, a 15-piece upscale omakase (chef’s choice) experience that would run US$150–200+ in major cities outside of Japan, you can snag for one quarter – or even one-tenth – of the price in Kanazawa.

And, along the way, you’ll have divine and prized morsels like you’ve never had before. Kanazawa is regarded as yellowtail heaven (or buri as it is known locally). Its waters also bear seafood that most have never even heard of, including a saltwater eel (anago), “sweet shrimp” (yes, hokkoku, the local shrimp, has a sweet taste), massive crabs and nodoguro, a blackthroat seaperch that will have you booking a trip back to Kanazawa pronto. The best fish is a way of life here, and it’s everywhere at local dining destinations, from public market morsels to a conveyor-belt gem that’s more of an art gallery than a restaurant. Amid your options, here are the best places for dabbling in Japan’s sushi capital.

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This is the city’s bustling city market, lovingly known as “Kanazawa’s Kitchen.” Inside Omicho Market, you’ll find more than 170 stalls and shops selling everything from massive Ruby Roman grapes to larger-than-life snow crabs to, oh yes, fresh fish bites, sushi and sashimi. It’s open from 9am to 5pm daily. 

Choose and nosh on what looks appealing and intriguing to you. A favorite is grilled anago on a stick, with a hearty portion running ¥500 (US$3.25) from a handful of vendors. Another must-try dish is kaisedon, which is basically a sushi bowl made from the market’s fish. The Yutaka Saison shop does it best in the market – look for the neon yellow curtains out front; you can’t miss it.

If navigating it all feels intimidating, there are plenty of guided, translated tours available, too. Visit Kanazawa, the city’s tourism association, offers one that includes a cooking workshop.

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Conveyor belt sushi, anyone? It’s worth a trip on its own, or if you’re looking to kill some extra time awaiting a train at Kanazawa Station, this unsuspecting neighbor delights. It gets all of its fresh fish daily – scallops, the reddest of tuna and tai (sea bream), among them, running for ¥2000 (US$13) for a