A first-time guide to Kanazawa, Japan

25.10.2024 - 19:47 / lonelyplanet.com

Oct 24, 2024 • 6 min read

Want to tack on a second city stop to your next trip to Tokyo? Kyoto and Osaka never disappoint, it’s true – yet let us humbly recommend Kanazawa, a comparatively under-the-radar yet big-time Japanese city that you can zip to via bullet train from the capital in 2.5 hours.

On the Sea of Japan on Honshū’s west coast, it’s less towering and visibly less thronged than Tokyo. It’s also where Japanese vacationers venture for the best sushi in the country (it’s truly yellowtail heaven), craft sake and performances by geigi (they’re not called geisha here).

The heart of the Ishikawa prefecture and home to over 1 million residents, Kanazawa is also a gateway to the nearby hot-springs utopia of Kaga and the historic lacquerware region of Komatsu.

There’s an abundance of charm in Kanazawa and its surrounding confines. Here’s how to get the most out of it.

Kanazawa experiences all four seasons, with high temperatures ranging from 40°F (4.5°C) to near-90°F (32°C) over the course of the year. March through May is best for experiencing its gardens in their lushest, with cherry blossom season typically peaking in the mid-March to early-April timeframe. Fall in Kanazawa (September through November) is also prime, as crowds thin after the summer months, and vivid foliage emerges citywide. If cultural celebrations are your thing, the Hyakumangoku Festival is Kanazawa’s biggest annual spectacle. Taking place the first weekend of June, it includes a massive parade with lions dancing and acrobatic performances by local firefighters.

A long three-day weekend allows enough time for a proper city wander and leaves time for fresh sashimi bites aplenty at Ōmi-chō Market, tours through Kenroku-en Garden and adjacent Kanazawa Castle, and a geigi performance (or three). Extend your trip to five or more days for properly unwinding and recharging at a traditional Japanese ryokan or (and?) a hot spring in nearby Kaga.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen – better known as the bullet train – was extended from Tokyo to Kanazawa in 2015, putting the region within easy reach of Honshū’s densely populated east coast. The train terminates at the ultra-modern Kanazawa Station. About 35 minutes southwest of the city, Komatsu Airport is the principal airport serving the region.

Kanazawa is generally flat and very walkable. Taxis are common in the city and can be hailed on the street. The Kanazawa Loop Bus makes approximately a dozen stops at tourist sites throughout town, with departures every 15 minutes daily from approximately 8:30am to 6:30pm. Stops include the Oyama-jinja Shrine, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and Kanazawa Station, among others.

It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful green space than Kenroku-en Garden.