Kanazawa walking tour & city guide

Kenroku-en and Kanazawa Castle

Kenroku-en is considered one of Japan's three most beautiful landscape gardens. Developed over almost two centuries, it features ponds, stone lanterns, teahouses and carefully shaped pine trees. In winter, gardeners tie the branches with ropes called yukizuri to protect them from heavy snow, creating one of the city's most iconic sights.

Across a bridge, Kanazawa Castle Park preserves gates, turrets and long storehouses rebuilt using traditional techniques. Nearby, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, a circular glass building, is famous for its playful installations.

Teahouse and samurai districts

Higashi Chaya is the largest of Kanazawa's historic teahouse districts, where geisha entertained guests in elegant wooden buildings with latticed facades. Some teahouses are open to visitors, and others now serve tea, sweets or gold-leaf products. Smaller districts such as Kazuemachi along the river are quieter and very atmospheric at dusk.

In the Nagamachi samurai district, earthen walls and narrow lanes lead to restored samurai residences, including the Nomura family house with its small but exquisite garden.

Visiting tips

Kanazawa is about two and a half hours from Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The city produces almost all of Japan's gold leaf, and you will see it on everything from ice cream to chopsticks. Winter brings snow and the season for excellent crab from the Sea of Japan.