Kanazawa

Overview

Kanazawa City prides itself in the colours of Kenrokuen Garden throughout the four seasons, in the clear water of the Saigawa and Asanogawa rivers, in its abundant greenery, and in its refined traditional culture – and a the same time incorporates modern traditional elements as it continues to develop.

Located within the heart of Ishikawa Prefecture, 450 kilometres from Tokyo on the coastal plain beside the Sea of Japan, offering a mixture of colours and flavours all year round, which is beautifully showcased in the capital city of Kanazawa. Once a proud castle town the city is steeped in history and tradition which still exudes a refined edo-era atmosphere.

Kanazawa is the historic centre of gold leaf production and home to some of Japan’s most highly skilled traditional artisans, its impeccably maintained samurai period architecture and gardens are now renowned as some of the finest in the land.

To the south is the Kaga region, also characterised by rich farmland, and the rugged mountain ranges home to Mt Hakusan – a culturally sacred site and one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains.

Kaga was in fact considered so abundant in ancient times that it came to be known as ‘Kaga Hyakumangoku’. Today, the name Kaga Hyakumangoku has become synonymous with Ishikawa’s traditional culture, and thanks to the opening of the new Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train line, is easier to discover than ever before, making Kanazawa a must!

Kanazawa has plenty of sites to see including; Kanazawa Castle Park, Kenrokuen Garden, multiple museums, souvenir shops, the Nomura Samurai House, Oyama Jinja Shrine and plenty more.