Looking back now, I really enjoyed my 3 day stay in Kanazawa. That said, I think I could have done things a little better when it came to scheduling. Now, I’m going to share my 3 day itinerary along with some insights so that you won’t make the same mistakes that I did.
My Kanazawa 3-Day Itinerary: Suggested Places to Go and Tips So You Can Avoid the Mistakes I Made!
Day 1
Arrive in Kanazawa Station via Hokuriku Shinkansen Gran Class from Tokyo (Around 12.30pm)
Day 1 was relatively uneventful as I arrived at Kanazawa Station at around 12:30PM from Tokyo. For the trip from the capital to here, I rode the Hokuriku Shinkansen Gran Class which is basically First Class seating.
As you can see here, the seats are rather premium and every row only has 4. You could technically get the same thing if you chose the Green Car but Gran Class actually is even more spacious. Moreover, Gran Class seats also beat those in the Green Car in terms of service and amenities offered.
Here’s what I ate during the ride from Tokyo to Kanazawa. This was rather light as I already planned to get something to eat later for lunch. You could totally skip this though. I decided to get one because just because, come on? Just look at how cute this bento is. As for the Duc de Montagne sparkling wine I got to pair with this, it’s actually non-alcoholic and I would say really refreshing.
Upon disembarking from the Shinkansen, I then checked out the Tsuzumi-mon or drum gate. Considered as one of the station’s most popular architectural feature, this gate can be found as you go out on the East exit.
Another notable feature here at the East exit is this Fountain Clock which you’ll find facing the Tsuzumi-mon. Not only does this tell the time, it also displays messages welcoming visitors to Kanazawa.
Activity/Destination: Travel From Tokyo to Kanazawa
Admission Fee/Fare: JPY 29220 (Adult)
Notable attractions: N/A
Business Hours: N/A
Afternoon
After taking pictures of the Tsuzumi-mon, I then headed to Hyatt Centric Hotel Kanazawa to check in. I booked the hotel because it was a really short walk from the station. Take note though that if you want to walk here from the station then you’ll need to head to the Kenrokuen Exit (which is opposite the East exit where the Tsuzumi-mon is).
Here’s the lobby of the Hyatt Centric Hotel Kanazawa. The check in process here was actually quite fast and this is despite the influx of guests at that time. I said in my review of the hotel how much I loved its interiors and I think it probably was one of the most memorable lobbies that I’d ever been in.
If I remember correctly, I talked about how my room at the Hyatt Centric was cozy and comfortable. Looking back on it now, I still stick to those words. The room just felt like home for some reason.
Activity/Destination: Check-in Hyatt Centric Hotel Kanazawa
Notable attractions: Five – Grill and Lounge Restaurant, Lobby
Business Hours: Open 24/7
Best Time to Visit: Lots of Activities Year Round
Visit West Gate Mall next to the hotel for lunch at Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu
It was past lunch so I was a little hungry. Thankfully, the West Gate Mall was right next to Hyatt Centric and it had this wonderful restaurant called Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu. I headed here for my meal and was not disappointed (no reservations needed!).
Here’s the restaurant’s menu and let me tell you, I was really tempted to get everything on here. Kidding aside, the choices here are really nice and what’s great is that they’re relatively affordable (compared to an omakase or teppanyaki place that is).
This is what I ended up getting for lunch. At JPY 3619, this Japanese Beef Sirloin Gyukatsuzen was outstanding. The marbling on this steak was delicate and more importantly, it tasted amazing. There’s a proper way to enjoy Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu’s wagyu though so make sure you check out the menu for the instructions.
Activity/Destination: Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu
Price of Food: JPY 3619 (Japanese Beef Sirloin Gyukatsuzen);
Notable attractions/food: Japanese Beef Sirloin Gyukatsuzen, Premium Wagyu Sirloin
Business Hours: 11:00AM – 9:00PM
Best Time to Visit: Lunch and/or Dinner
Omicho Market
After the meal I decided to rest a little before I proceeded to the first destination I wanted to visit here at Kanazawa. It turns out though, this was the first mistake I made during my stay here. So the plan was to check out the shops at Omicho Market but I didn’t realize that a lot of these were closed in the afternoon. So to not end up like me, make sure that you check the business hours of the attractions or places you plan to visit.
Now, make no mistake. There are still shops that are open even in the afternoon. It’s just that some of the shops that are really popular typically only open during the morning.
These are posters for a shop run by Daimatsu Suisan. It’s called Daimatsu Suisan Omicho Shunsaiyaki and it’s pretty much an eat-in space that specializes in seafood grilled in charcoal. You can find this space itself at the corner of the Sengyo and Kaimono Street entrances.
Aside from fish, Omicho market also has some really fresh vegetables. This image is of the Daihachi Seika stall which you’ll find at the corner of Kami Street and Shimo Omicho Street. From what I understand, the vegetables sold here are all local produce so you know that they’re fresh.
A couple of steps from Daihachi Seika and you’ll find yourself at the Oguchi Suisan area. Like Daimatsu Suisan, Oguchi Suisan is an established fishtrader/fishmonger in Omicho Market. Not only does it handle distribution, it also processes the seafood/marine products it trades.
This is Sudako or vinegared octopus and it’s one of the processed marine products you’ll find at Oguchi Suisan. From what I was told, these were taken from the Noto peninsula which is in the same prefecture as Kanazawa (Ishikawa).
Aside from pickled/vinegared octopus, you’ll also find dried cod and salmon here. If you’re cutting down on the salt content, you can find unsalted and frozen salmon belly in the freezer below the dried fish.
Activity/Destination: Omicho Market
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Daihachi Seika, Daimatsu Suisan, Oguchi Suisan
Business Hours: 9:00AM – 5:30PM (individual stores’ opening times will vary)
Best Time to Visit: Morning
Evening 3PM
Higashi Chaya District
Another mistake, same as omicho market, most shops in the Higashi Chaya District closed in the evening. Should plan this place in the morning as most shops open this time.
My next destination after Omicho Market is the Higashi Chaya district which took about 20 minutes to get to on foot. Now I’ve talked about this area in detail and while I enjoyed it here, I also think that it was a mistake for me to come here in the afternoon. As you can see in this picture, the sky was overcast since it was raining. I still enjoyed my walk through here even with the rain and cold but I will definitely schedule my visit in the morning next time around (so should you!).
This is just one of the views I came across during my walk to Higashi Chaya from Omicho Market. While the rain did put a damper on my visit, I was still thankful because I honestly wouldn’t have gotten to see this kind of view had the weather not turned for the worse. Still, I wouldn’t recommend going here in the afternoon.
This was taken at the entrance of the Higashi Chaya district. The red building off in the distance is called the Kanazawa Shitsurae Sabo Yanagian Cafe and I was taking this shot next to a popular souvenir store called Hakuichi.
Even with the rain, I still think I got something out of my visit here at Higashi Chaya District. The buildings here were really nice and despite being old (some have been around since the 1800s), the area seemed so full of life. Just take note though that the area is popular among tourists so expect it to be a lot more crowded if you visit in the morning.
This is the store that I was standing next to when I took the shot of the Highashi Chaya District’s entrance. Called Hakuichi, the store’s specialty is gold leaf ice cream.
Activity/Destination: Higashi Chaya District
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Hakuichi (gold leaf ice cream), Kanazawa Shitsurae Sabo Yanagian Cafe, many more
Business Hours: Streets Open 24 hours, shops have varying opening and closing times
Best Time to Visit: Morning
Night Time
Shabu Sai Kanazawa Fo-Rasu Ten
For dinner that night I decided to go to Shabu Sai Kanazawa Fo-Rasu Ten. This location was pretty close to Hyatt Centric and I just wanted to eat some beef again. Now Kanazawa is known for shabu-shabu so if you can, make sure to try out at least one of the many restaurants that offer this dish here.
So this is the base pricing for the shabu-shabu here. The pork loin course will set you back JPY 2299 while the standard course is JPY2899 (both prices are excluding tax).
Once inside, I went ahead and checked out the toppings they offered here. Suffice to say, these were pretty solid choices. Enoki mushrooms and carrots are always great at complementing meat in shabu-shabu as well as other dishes.
For side dishes, this section has marinated cucumber and dill, carrot rape (a French grated carrot salad), and a colorful mix of radishes. You can also mix things up with a salad as the section also has mustard greens, cherry tomatoes, and even some brocolli and cauliflower.
In my review of Shabu Sai Kanazawa Fo-Rasu Te I initially thought that its drinks section had few options. Don’t be fooled! There’s actually a lot more than just what’s shown in the picture here. Aside from the soft drinks dispenser, there’s also a coffee machine that can dispense espresso, iced coffee latte, as well as hot coffee.
The restaurant is one of a growing number that have started using these cute robot waiters. Once you’ve ordered your meat (scan a QR code on the table), these little guys will bring your orders directly to your table. A pretty cool service if you ask me.
You know what? This was such a memorable meal for me. I might not have had the best afternoon at Omicho Market and Higashi Chaya but at least I got to enjoy these sumptuous cuts of meat for dinner! Also, yeah, I’m not a big fan of veggies.
And with this meal, my memorable first day at Kanazawa ended.
Activity/Destination: Shabu Sai Kanazawa Fo-Rasu Te
Admission Fee/Price of Food: JPY 2899 (Standard Course)
Notable Food: Shabu-shabu Standard Course
Business Hours: 11:00AM-10:00PM (9:30PM last order)
Best Time to Visit: Dinner
Day 2
Shirakawa-go
Now we’re on my 2nd day here in Kanazawa and it’s going to be pretty busy. So before I even came to the city, I’d already booked a one-day trip on Klook to visit the historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Hida Takayama. If you’re not too keen on using the app, you could also opt for alternatives such as Viator or go to Visit Kanazawa website for your one-day trip bookings.
Early in the morning. Had breakfast at the Hyatt centric Kanazawa hotel.
Okay, before I headed off to Shirakawa-go and Hida Takayama, I had to get breakfast first. Thankfully, Hyatt Centric’s Five-Grill and Lounge Restaurant had a great buffet that featured international and local breakfast fare. The pastries here were tasty and more importantly freshly baked.
Aside from international pastries, the restaurant had Japanese breakfast mainstays like tamagoyaki and simmered Gorojima Kintoki sweet potatoes.
For fruits, there’s a section that had kiwis, sliced pineapples, oranges, bananas, and even grapes. There was even yogurt if you wanted to make your fruity breakfast even healthier.
Of course no breakfast is complete without proteins and some of the meat dishes offered at that time included a sliced Bologna sausage, smoked duck, as well as smoked salmon. After breakfast, I then proceeded to the hotel’s bus station to meet with my tour group. The tour bus was scheduled to depart for Shirakawa-go at 8:00AM so I made sure that I was at the hotel’s bus station before that time.
Activity/Destination: Breakfast at Five – Grill and Lounge Restaurant
Admission Fee: Complimentary Breakfast/Free for Guests
Notable Food: Deli Meats, International Pastries, Japanese Breakfast Items
Business Hours: 6:30AM
Best Time to Visit: Breakfast
If you can, make sure that you have a window seat. Now you might be asking, why so? Well, the view from the window seat just can’t be beat. The fact that it was snowing made the views here even more scenic.
These pictures that I took really won’t do justice to what you’ll see in real life. Anyway, the bus ride itself was uneventful outside of the views that I got to witness. I will say though that the ride was pretty comfortable.
I was really lucky that I managed to visit Shirakawa-go just in time for the winter snow season. My golly, just look at this view. It’s as if the whole debacle yesterday at Omicho Market and Higashi Chaya District was just a distant memory now.
Activity/Destination: Bus Ride to Shirakawa-Go
Admission Fee: Included in Klook Booking (prices may vary)
Notable attractions: Scenic Window Views of Kanazawa Countryside
Business Hours: First bus leaves around 7:30-8:00AM
Reach Shirakawa-Go Station for some break, 40 mins to reach Shirakawa-Go historical village. It has lots of snow.
After a scenic bus ride, we finally reached Shirakawa-go Station and we were told to take a short break. I used this time to do further research on Shirakawa-go and Hida Takayama. Oh and before I forget, make sure that you bring clothes that can keep you warm if you have plans to visit Kanazawa and Shirakawa-go during the winter season. The cold here at this time of the year is no joke.
Our group has now reached Shirakawa-Go and it looks absolutely stunning here in winter. If you’re someone who enjoys posting on social media then you’ll find that there are plenty of IG-worthy views here.
Here’s a sign featuring a map of all the notable places here at this section of Shirakawa-go. This section isn’t really that large and the first place that our tour covered was just walking distance from this location.
A word of advice, make sure that your smartphones and cameras are adequately charged so that you won’t miss out on views like this. This specific spot is a couple of steps toward the south of the bus stop (you can see other tour groups there) and features the water lily pond near the Wada House.
Speaking of the Wada House, this is one of the first Gassho-zukuri buildings you’ll see here. Shirakawa-go and the other rural areas surrounding it are known for this style of houses that date back to the late Edo period. These are really nice and I’d encourage you to check these out (that is if your tour allows it).
This is further south of the bus stop and from this vantage point you can see a souvenir store called Kobikiya on the right and the roof of the Hakusuien restaurant (the entrance of which directly faces the bus stop) off in the distance. At this point I was just walking around and admiring the streets here.
A couple of steps from the spot I took a picture from earlier and I saw this side street leading to another part of the village. From what I can remember, you can follow this path to get to the Bunroku Inn (if you plan to stay overnight here).
See that tree on the left? That’s roughly where I took the previous picture. From this point on, our group followed this street until we reached another left turn.
If you look closely at this picture, you’ll see a guy standing off in the distance. That spot that he’s standing on is the exact left turn I was talking about in the previous picture. If you then went down this road to where I’m currently standing to take this picture, you’re going to arrive at the Nagase House.
Activity/Destination: Shirakawa-Go
Admission Fee: Included in Klook Booking
Notable attractions: Nagase House, Wada House, Shirakawa-Go Hachiman Shrine
Business Hours: 8:40AM-5:00PM (March-November); 9:00AM-4:00PM (December-February)
Best Time to Visit: Summer or Winter
Visit Nagase house
This is the first notable attraction here in Shirakawa-go that our group visited and I will say it was worth the walk to get here. The Nagase House is one of the most popular Gasshou-zukiri buildings in the whole village and it also happens to be the tallest at 5-storeys.
Entry to the Nagase House is JPY 400 (for adults) and you’ll get to see an interesting selection of lacquerware and other pottery on its first floor. Gasshou-zukiri buildings are typically farm houses but this one is drastically different because the family that owned it, the Nagases, were a family of physicians that served the Maeda clan. As such a lot of the lacquer ware and pottery you’ll see here are what you’d typically find in upper class homes in the same time period.
On the upper floors of the Nagase house, you’ll find a wide selection of farm implements. Thanks to their status as physicians of the Maeda clan, the Nagase family also managed to accumulate enough wealth to allow them to employ workers to farm their land. The upper floors were honestly the highlight of this building for me.
Destination: Nagase House
Admission Fee: JPY400
Notable attractions: 1st Floor Exhibit, Upper Floors: Historical Farm and Sericulture Equipment
Business Hours: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Best Time to Visit: Anytime
Visit Shirakawa-go’s Hachiman Shrine in Snow
After Nagase House, our tour group then headed to Shirakawa-go’s Hachiman Shrine. Much like the rest of the village, the shrine has some really nice views that you’re going to not want to miss. This is the shrine’s first torii gate and as you can see, it looks absolutely beautiful especially with the sun illuminating the shimenawa hanging from its columns.
Here we have the second Torii Gate and just behind it is the shrine for the Shinto deity Hachiman. There are two other buildings flanking the shrine which unfortunately weren’t fully captured in this picture. Hachiman is considered the god of archery and patron deity of warriors in Shinto and his shrine here has been around since the 17th century.
This is the inside of the Hachiman shrine. Much like the other shrines and temples that I’ve been to here in Japan, this one has a saisenbako where you can drop off your offerings or donations.
The visit to the Shirakawa-go Hachiman shrine was relatively brief but it was still memorable. The sun was already out by the time we finished checking out the shrine so our next order of business was to head back to the village to get some souvenirs and then eat lunch.
Destination: Shirakawa-Go Hachiman Shrine
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Hachiman Shrine, Centuries Old Sugi, Torii Gates
Business Hours: 8:00AM-5:00PM
Best Time to Visit: Anytime
Had lunch with the members from the tour group.
This is one of the shops we passed as we headed back from the shrine. Called Shin Ge Do, this is a souvenir store that was unfortunately closed when we were there. Seeing this was the case, the group then decided to proceed to eating lunch.
This was what I had for lunch. While you might think the wagyu was the star of the show here, it was actually the iwana that surprised me. I’m not sure but I think the fish is a delicacy in the region and let me tell you, it was a palate cleanser after having eaten mostly beef since yesterday afternoon.
Hida Takayama
With lunch done, it was now time to get to Hida Takayama. This was the second part of the tour that I booked through Klook and it couldn’t be more different when compared to Shirakawa-go.
In total, it took our bus about an hour to reach Hida Takayama from Shirakawa-go. While the latter was a scenic and peaceful rural village, the former is much more urbanized. That said, it still retains a lot of the historical structures that made Shirakawa-go such a compelling visit (for me at least).
The roads here at Hida Takayama reminded me of the Higashi Chaya District that I visited on my first day in Kanazawa. Unlike yesterday’s visit though, today had much better weather and it made me appreciate the sights here even more.
Destination: Hida Takayama
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Sake Brewery Shops, Traditional Houses, Suji Street,
Business Hours: Streets Open 24/7, individual shops and stores have varying opening and closing times
Best Time to Visit: Anytime
Try sake vending machine.
One of the things I’d recommend when visiting here, is going to one of the shops with sake vending machines. During this visit, I went inside this shop called the Funasaka sake brewery.
So the way this works is you draw a cup from this gachapon vending machine for JPY200. The cups have varying designs and since this is gacha, you won’t be able to choose what you’re getting. You can then use the cup you get for tasting from the various sake vending machines in the shop.
The Funasaka sake brewery’s cool masket holding a large sake bottle. Don’t let this guy’s messed up hands fool you though, he’s a master brewer who helped Funasaka brew the sake that won a Gold Prize award in 2017 from the Zenkoku Shinshu Kanpyokai. Kidding aside though, I think the mascot is just meant to symbolize Funasaka’s brewers in general and is not meant to represent a specific person.
Anyway, once you have your cups you can proceed to the sake vending machines to get a taste of the sake they have on offer. It usually costs one token which costs JPY 100 each to fill one cup. If you don’t have tokens yet then head back to where the mascot is and use the token exchange machine there.
The vending machines typically hold two types of sake with 3 taps for each. Once you’ve inserted your token you then just need to press on the button on the tap for the sake that you’d like to taste. Of course, not all sake are made or brewed in the same way so make sure to scan the QR codes on the description to know more about the sake you’re tasting.
Here’s a demonstration of how to use the sake vending machine. This was honestly a fun activity after the lunch that we had in Shirakawa-go. Also, Funasaka sake brewery isn’t the only one that has a shop in the area. Definitely check out other shops if this one isn’t to your liking.
Destination: Funasaka Sake Brewery
Admission Fee: Free, JPY 200 for cup (through gachapon vending machine), JPY100/cup of sake
Notable attractions: Sake Vending Machines, Souvenir Store
Business Hours: 9:00AM-4:00PM (sake tasting)
Best Time to Visit: Morning and/or Afternoon
Walk around Sanmachi Suji street in Takayama.
After the sake taste-testing, our group decided to walk around a bit in Sanmachi Suji. This was honestly a great area to explore especially if you’re looking to buy souvenirs. There are shops like this that sell lacquerware that you might want to give to your loved ones back home.
If for some reason you’re hungry then there are also food stalls here that might be worth checking out. This particular stall here is called Hida Kotte Ushi and it’s actually quite popular among locals and visitors (I mean, just look at that line) thanks to its Hida Beef Sushi.
Of course, the meat-eater in me got curious and decided to check out what the line was about. When it was finally my turn to order I quickly snapped a picture of the shop’s offerings. The cheapest Hida Beef Sushi you can get will set you back JPY700. If you want the most bang for your buck though you might want to get either the set C or X which will set you back JPY1000 for each.
For coffee enthusiasts, there are also coffee shops here that you might want to look into. This establishment is called Ranka Coffee Shop and apparently, it’s quite popular for its “Chapuchino” (cappuccino made with matcha).
This is the tourist map of Takayama and boy is it a huge city. If I ever decide to come back here again, I’m definitely going to check out all the places that I missed today.
Destination: Suji Street
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Hida Kotte Ushi, Ranka Coffee Shop
Business Hours: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Best Time to Visit: Afternoon
Takayama Municipal Government Memorial Hall
Visit Takayama Municipal Government Memorial Hall before boarding the bus back to Kanazawa.
So the buses here are all ready but before we headed back to Kanazawa, our tour group decided to check out the Takayama Municipal Government Memorial Hall as it was just down the street in the corner of the adjacent block to the bus parking.
Now you might think this is where the current local government holds office but it’s actually a museum. This is actually free to access to the public and it gives visitors a glimpse of the city’s rich history and cultural heritage.
From what I understand, the building the museum is in actually was the seat of the local government up until 1969. Then in 1974, the building was then converted to a museum that aimed to showcase the history of Takayama through the papers and other documents recorded by its local government. Here are some of these documentations on display.
What’s great about the documentation here is that these actually extend as far back as the Meiji era. Expect to find documents that have been around since the late 1800s.
These are some posters advertising other areas of Japan. From left to right you have Ichinomiya, Kukuno, Asahi, and Takane. Each poster features the geography, history, local produce, and even attractions of the respective regions. I made sure to take a pic of each just so I could use the information as reference for my next planned trips.
Destination: Takayama Municipal Government Memorial Hall
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Exhibits of local government documents
Business Hours: 8:30AM-5:00PM
Best Time to Visit: Afternoon
Night Time
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa
After Shirakawa-go and Takayama day trip, we headed back to Kanazawa and I rested a bit at the hotel. Then for dinner, I decided that I had to take a break from beef. I have been eating beef since I came here and while I do enjoy it, I think I need to change things up a bit. Thankfully, there’s an Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa in the West Gate Mall next to Hyatt Centric.
You’d think fish would be a lot cheaper than wagyu but unagi is no ordinary fish my friends. Here’s a glimpse of the restaurant’s takeout menu with the price for a Kabayaki Ippon Jyu Bento going for as much as JPY 5250.
If you thought the takeout menu was expensive then let me present you with the Ippon Hitsumabushi set. This is a dine-in set meal that’s going to cost you JPY5780 for an order. For that price, you get a whole grilled eel, side dishes and condiments, and a soup that has eel liver.
For the budget conscious, there’s the cheaper Kikkukawa Hitsumabushi set that’s going to cost you JPY4200. Unlike the premium Ippon Hitsumabushi set though, this only has cuts of the grilled eel and the soup does not contain eel liver. It’s still going to taste great but it definitely pales in comparison to the Ippon Hitsumabushi set.
In order to celebrate the second day’s successes (the day trip to Shirakawa-go and Takayama was great!) and to satiate my hankering for sashimi, I also ordered the sashimi set. This cost me JPY2750 and it featured shrimp, scallops, and tuna with some wasabi on the side. It was delicious albeit it did leave me wanting more.
And with this meal, my second day here in Kanazawa ended. All that’s left was to get back to the hotel and rest because the third day would prove to be the busiest.
Destination: Unagi Yondaime Kikkukawa
Price of Food: JPY4200 (Kikkukawa Histumabushi set); JPY5780 (Ippon Hitsumabushi set)
Notable attractions/food: Kikkukawa Hitsumabushi set, Ippon Hitsumabushi set
Business Hours: 11:00AM-3:00PM (Lunch Service); 5:00PM-10:00PM (Dinner Service)
Best Time to Visit: Lunch or Dinner
Day 3 – Busy Day
Morning
Kanazawa Castle
After an early breakfast again at the hotel, I then found myself at Kanazawa Castle Park. Now there are a number of ways to get here from Hyatt Centric Hotel Kanazawa. The cheapest is by just walking as it only takes 30 minutes more or less. If you want to get here quickly though then you can just take a taxi and you’d find yourself here in maybe 5 minutes barring heavy traffic (which is very minimal in the early morning).
While not as scenic compared to the spring and summer seasons, Kanazaw Castle’s Ishikawamon Gate in fall still looks stunning. Built in the 1500s and reconstructed in 1788, the gate has become an iconic symbol of Kanazawa.
One of the turrets that make up the defensive mechanism of the gate. Ishikawamon and the other gates in Kanazawa Castle Park are masugatamon. These types of gates are characterized by having an outer and inner gate that sandwich an enclosure. The outer and inner gates are typically oriented to force invading forces to make their formations pass through the enclosure at a 90 degree angle and making it easier for defending forces on top of the turrets to rain projectiles on them. Anyway, entry through this gate is actually free but there are other areas where you’ll need to cash out a little for access.
This is part of another prominent defensive feature here in Kanazawa Castle Park. Called the Hishi Yagura or Diamond Turret, this building is connected to the Gojikken Nagaya and served as a watchtower and eventually a weapons storehouse. You’d think this was an ordinary looking building from this angle but it’s actually quite fascinating once you see its interiors.
Here’s a glimpse of the Hashizumemon Gate as well as the Hashizumemon no Tsuzuki Yagura and its connection to the Gojikkenngagaya. While it’s free to enter the Hashizumemon Gate, entrance to the Gojikken Nagaya (and access to the two turrets/yaguras) will require the purchase of a ticket pass.
Kanazawa Castle Park
Here’s a wide shot of the Hashizumemon Gate with the turret and the Gojikken Nagaya from the Kanazawa Castle Park grounds. This area that I’m taking the shot in is also free to access though there aren’t that many attractions here. If you really want nice views, you’re going to need to go through the Hashizumemon Gate.
This is a path leading to the Sanjikken Nagaya (the building on top of the hill in this image). You can get here once you’ve gotten past the Hashizumemon Gate. The bridge that you’ll have to go through is called Gokuraku. While I didn’t personally go, I did hear that the views from up there are also quite nice.
Here’s a view of the Gyokusen-inmaru Garden. In order to access the garden, you’ll need to dish out around JPY800. This admission fee already includes a wagashi sweet and powdered green tea as complimentary snacks. I personally didn’t go there as I had already planned to visit Kenrokuen Garden later.
This is the view of the Shin-maru Hiroba area and the Ote-mon Entrance of the park from the Kohaku-mon Gate. While they might seem uninteresting, these areas change for the better once the spring and summer seasons roll in. Aside from the views, these areas are great for walking around and jogging.
I didn’t include this area in my review of Kanazawa Castle Park but it’s definitely worth checking out especially if you come here during the spring/summer. This is just a couple of steps from the Kanazawa Castle Park Ote-mon Gate Entrance. Officially it’s called the Ote-mon Gate Ruins. In the spring and summer expect a scenic view of the cherry blossom trees in bloom in the area (there are even some on the side and just behind me in the picture). From here you can also see the Kanazawa Castle Park Management Center building.
Destination: Kanazawa Castle Park
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Hishi Yagura, Gojikken Nagaya, Ishikawa-mon Gate, Hashizumemon Gate, Kohaku-mon Gate, Gyokuse-inmaru Garden
Business Hours: 7:00AM-6:00PM (March-October); 8:00AM-5:00PM (November-February)
Best Time to Visit: Spring-Summer
Inside Gojikken Nagaya
If you can, then I’d definitely recommend paying for the admission fee to enter the Gojikken Nagaya (you can do so from the small building in the foreground). The admission fee is only JPY320 and it’ll grant you access to the building in the background as well as to the Hishi Yagura and the Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura.
This is a display from the second floor of the Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura. From up here, you can actually see the Ninomaru Information Center where you paid for the admission fee to this area. Expect to find displays like in the foreground that detail the traditional techniques used in the reconstruction efforts for the buildings here and in the Castle Park.
One of the most prominent features of these buildings is their use of lead tiles. This display details how the tiles are applied, the possible reason for why they were chosen, and just how awesome they look up close.
This is another display on the same floor as the lead tiles that details the types of stone and wood used on the buildings here. According to the display, the stones used here are Kashiwazaki, Fukuura, Tuff, and Tomuro. As for the wood, the kind used depended on the period. These typically ranged from zelkova serrata, pine, sugi (cypress), and hinoki.
This is what I was talking about earlier regarding Hishi Yagura’s interiors. Not only does the turret look like a diamond on the outside, the base pillars inside of the building itself are also shaped like diamonds (like in this picture). Aside from being shaped like diamonds, these pillars were also designed to withstand earthquakes. Oh and did you know that these were all assembled without the use of a single piece of nail? Yes, you read that right. These buildings are such marvels of engineering that I’d really recommend you check them out if you still have the time.
Activity/Destination: Gojikken Nagaya Tour
Admission Fee: JPY320
Notable attractions: Various Exhibits
Business Hours: 9:00AM-4:30PM
Best Time to Visit: Morning
Lunch at Shiroyamatei
After that extensive tour of Kanazawa Castle Park, I decided to head to Kenrokuen Garden next. Since it was lunch time when I finished the tour, I first headed to Shiroyamatei. To get to the restaurant, I went to the Katsurazaka intersection (pictured above) and followed the path to the right. This is the Edomachi dori Avenue and by following the path you’ll find Shiroyamatei towards the end of the second block.
Here’s a sample of Shiroyamatei’s menu. Don’t worry as they actually have menus in English for visitors who might not know how to read Japanese. This specific page of the Japanese menu shows the restaurant’s Amaebi donburi a la carte and Amaebi donburi set meals. These looked really intriguing but I decided to go for something else.
This is one of the meals that we ended up ordering. My companion opted for the Udon Lunch set which is priced at a really affordable JPY1550. According to my companion, the udon had a bit of chew on them and the soup was quite flavorful. For the price, this was actually quite a nice meal.
For my order, I went with the Pork Cutlet and Curry Rice set meal. At just JPY1200, this was even more affordable than the Udon Lunch set. With that said, don’t mistake it for being the less flavorful order because it wasn’t. The curry rice was the star of the show in this meal with the pork cutlet adding a crunchy texture to an already flavorful meal.
Destination: Shiroyamatei at Edomachi Dori Avenue
Price of Food: JPY1550 (Udon Lunch Set); JPY1200 (Pork Cutlet and Curry Rice Set)
Notable attractions/food: Amaebi Donburi, Pork Cutlet and Curry Rice set meal
Business Hours: 11:00AM-3:00PM (Lunch Service); 5:00PM-10:00PM (Dinner Service)
Best Time to Visit: Lunch
Afternoon
After resting a bit, I then went ahead and paid for a pass at the Katsurazaka intersection booth we saw earlier. Admission fees are relatively cheap at just JPY320.
Kenrokuen Garden is known for its cherry blossoms so I was kinda sad that I came here at a time when they weren’t in bloom. Still there’s plenty to enjoy here even with the cherry blossoms out of commission for the season. If you’re really set on seeing the cherry blossoms then I’d recommend coming here in the spring or summer.
This is the Sakuragaoka area of Kenrokuen Garden. This is still relatively close to the entrance and if you look closely at the back, you’ll find one of the garden’s public restrooms.
This is the Komonbashi Bridge and crossing it you can follow a path that will lead you to the Kasumiga-ike Pond. This was honestly one of the most scenic spots in this area and I remember writing that it reminded me of a similar bridge in one of the Lord of the Rings movies.
Before the Komonbashi bridge, this was the first notable attraction that I came across. Called the Funsui, this fountain is actually the first of its kind in Japan. Most sources say that this was completed about the same time as Kenrokuen Garden in the mid to late 1800s.
Feeding the fountain is the Kasumiga-ike Pond which I talked about earlier. I think this was one of the largest ponds I’d ever seen here in Japan (right there with the Main Pond in Sankeien Garden). Following this route will also lead to the Garden’s Panoramic Viewpoint where you can get to enjoy a scenic view of the Uchinada sand dunes, the Sea of Japan, and the Noto Peninsula among others.
Destination: Kenrokuen Garden
Admission Fee: JPY320
Notable attractions: Kasumiga-ike Pond, Edomachi-dori Avenue,
Business Hours: 7:00AM-6:00PM (March-October); 8:00AM-5:00PM (November-February)
Best Time to Visit: Spring and Summer
Walk to Oyama Shrine
After a memorable walk in Kenrokuen, I decided to head on over to Oyama Shrine since I still had some time left to spare. Take note that the shrine is much closer to Kanazawa Castle Park than it is to Kenrokuen Garden. You can get to this East-Shinmon Gate from the Nezumita-mon Gate close to Gyokusen-inmaru Garden. If you decide to exit through Kenrokuen Garden’s Kodatsuno Gate then you can just hail a cab from there. You might even reach here faster as you wouldn’t need to backtrack your way to Kanazawa Castle Park.
Like Kenrokuen Garden, Oyama Shrine features plenty of trees and shade making it quite refreshing to be here. Unlike Kenrokuen Garden though, it’s much smaller so it’s a lot faster to walk from one area to another.
Another cool feature of Oyama Shrine is its eclectic mix of traditional buildings and memorials with more modern sculptures such as this Boshi-jyunpu Statue. This particular statue is a depiction of a mother carrying her child with both in acrobatic poses and it’s said to symbolize gratitude and appreciation. And if you read up on the history of the Maeda clan (there are plenty of posts and signs here for that) then you might also see a connection between that and the statue.
If you come here on the fall and winter holidays then expect there to be a lot of people. This is especially true when you come here after the New Year’s celebrations. I was a little lucky that there weren’t that many people when I visited in the afternoon so you might want to consider that as well.
With the shrine visit done, I exited from the Higashimon Gate and took one last picture of it and this torii. If you noticed, this Higashimon Gate looks drastically different from the East Shinmon Gate I wrote about earlier. This gate mixes Chinese, European, and Japanese influences and was actually designed by a Dutch architect. It also used to guard Kanazawa Castle’s entrance though I’m not sure when it got relocated here at Oyama Shrine.
Destination: Oyama Shrine
Admission Fee: Free
Notable attractions: Oyama Shrine, Boshi-jyunpu Statue, East Shin-mon Gate, Higashimon Gate
Business Hours: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Best Time to Visit: Morning or Afternoon
Walk to Nomura Family Samurai House
If you still have time you can cap off your afternoon with a walk to the Nomura Family Samurai House. The Nomura family were samurais retained by the Maeda clan. They served faithfully for 11 generations and their responsibility was to provide horseback security for the lords. The house here is now owned by the city and has been turned into something of a museum. Entry here costs JPY300 for adults.
The house might look small at first but it’s actually quite spacious. There are plenty of rooms as well as an expansive garden (at least relative to most modern houses that I’ve seen here in Japan).
Expect to see a lot of samurai memorabilia once you do get inside here. One of my favorites was this armor by Nomura Denbei who was one of the most loyal retainers of Maeda Toshiie (the first lord of the Kaga domain and the man the Oyama Shrine is dedicated to).
Aside from giving you a glimpse of the garden below, the second floor is also where you’ll find the residence’s tea room. At the time of my visit, there was no tea ceremony so we had free reign to take pics inside.
If you enjoy gardens and ponds like me then you’ll like it here. You can view this scene from the engawa on the first floor. You might not want to stay long here though as people are usually milling about and you might end up blocking their way.
Destination: Nomura Family Samurai House
Admission Fee: Yes, JPY550 for Adults; JPY400 Children (15-17 years old); JPY250 Children (7-14 years old)
Notable attractions: Tea Ceremony Room, Pond and Garden, Museum (Edo period Exhibit)
Business Hours: 8:30AM to 5:30PM (April-September); 8:30AM to 4:30PM (October to March)
Best Time to Visit: Anytime
Night Time
Dinner Gyoza at Kanazawa Gyoza Sakaba – Dumpling Restaurant next to hotel.
For my third night in Kanazawa, I decided to try out Kanazawa Gyoza Sakaba. This is a restaurant that specializes in gyoza. Honestly, I could have gone to other restaurants but this was relatively close to the hotel plus who could say no to that fancy facade?
As this was a gyoza restaurant, I obviously went with an order of gyoza dumplings. Depending on the flavor you choose, these can range from JPY300 (Jiaozi Dumplings) to as much as JPY470 (Cheese Dumplings).
Since this was around the Lunar New Year, I also got an order of Pork Stuffed Lotus that was actually quite nice. It had savory pork filling which really complemented the lotus root’s crunchy texture well. Other orders for that night included edamame, sliced cucumbers, and miso soup.
Destination: Kanazawa Gyoza Sakaba
Price of Food: Starts at JPY300
Notable attractions/food: Various flavors of gyoza/dumpling, Pork-Stuffed Lotus
Business Hours: 5:00PM-2:00AM
Best Time to Visit: Dinner
And with that meal (you can also read my article about the foods I tried in Kanazawa), my 3-day itinerary for my Kanazawa stay ends.
After this, I am heading to Nagano, check out my Nagano Itinerary.
It was truly an awesome city with some unforgettable locations and experiences. If you decide to follow my itinerary then please share how it went for you!
