{"id":7324,"date":"2015-01-15T16:47:22","date_gmt":"2015-01-15T16:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insidejapanblog.com\/?p=7324"},"modified":"2019-02-08T16:08:36","modified_gmt":"2019-02-08T16:08:36","slug":"top-ten-kanazawa-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/15\/top-ten-kanazawa-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Ten Kanazawa Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>Although I\u2019m now living in Kyoto (a heaven for a Zen geek such as myself!), I previously spent five years living in the wonderful city of Kanazawa on Honshu\u2019s Japan Sea coast. What makes Kanazawa so special? Let\u2019s have a look!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22996 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Kenrokuen Garden, Tokyo \" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/kenrokuen-23_30561371923_o-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Here are my top ten Kanazawa tips on things to see and do in Kanazawa \u2013 the \u2018golden marsh\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Kanazawa Station<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here we are! Kanazawa\u2019s train station is an attraction in itself, featuring a very impressive wooden gate. It was even featured in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/travel\/journeysbyrail\/9834174\/The-worlds-most-spectacular-railway-stations.html?frame=2465111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Telegraph\u2019s list of the world\u2019s most spectacular stations<\/a>. The station became even more important with the opening of the Hokuriku <em>Shinkansen<\/em> line in 2015, which\u00a0 cuts the journey time from Tokyo from 4 hours to 2.5 hours, putting Kanazawa well and truly on the map!<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-22971 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"Kanazawa Station gate\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-564x375.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-1200x797.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-900x598.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-720x478.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-1440x956.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-390x259.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-780x518.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ka_0017_ai-510x339.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Omicho Market<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As it only takes 2.5 hours to arrive from Tokyo, who can say no to an early lunch? I advise heading to Omicho Market, a 15-minute walk from the station towards the centre of Kanazawa. Nicknamed \u2018Kanazawa\u2019s Kitchen\u2019, here you will find all manner of delicious seafood on display as well as restaurants serving up fresh produce. If you didn\u2019t get chance to visit Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo (or couldn\u2019t face the early morning!), Omicho is a great way to experience a similar atmosphere. There is a great conveyor-belt sushi restaurant in the market called \u2018<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tripadvisor.co.uk\/Restaurant_Review-g298115-d1371504-Reviews-Morimorizushi_Kanazawa_ekimaeten-Kanazawa_Ishikawa_Prefecture_Chubu.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mori Mori Sushi\u2019<\/a>. I recommend the <em>buri<\/em> (yellowtail), which is particularly famous in Kanazawa.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-22977 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"Omicho Market, Kanazawa\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-564x375.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-1200x797.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-900x598.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-720x478.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-1440x957.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-390x259.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-780x518.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/DSC01411-510x339.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Eastern Tea District<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With a belly full of <em>buri <\/em>it\u2019s just a short walk to the Higashi Chaya-gai (Eastern Tea District) for a diges-tea-f. This is Kanazawa\u2019s geisha district, dating back to the Edo period. Kanazawa was spared from bombing during the Second World War, so the traditional teahouses with their wooden facades are beautifully preserved. Within the tea district you can find a number of delightful little cafes serving tea and cakes. There are also some very nice souvenir and jewellery shops, many of which specialise in products made with gold leaf (99% of Japan\u2019s gold leaf is produced in Kanazawa).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7343 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Higashiya Chaya-gai\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_1317-510x680.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Oyama Shrine<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Heading back towards the centre of the city you\u2019re likely to pass Oyama Jinja, the city\u2019s most notable Shinto shrine. The main gate is particularly interesting, featuring a striking mix of Japanese and European architectural elements including a Dutch stained glass window. The shrine really comes to life on New Year\u2019s eve when people from all over the city flock to the shrine at midnight to wish for health and happiness in the year to come.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-22983 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Oyama shrine\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/OyamaShrine1-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Hyakumangoku\u00a0Festival<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking of festivities, there are lots traditional celebrations in Kanazawa. If you happen to be visiting during the first weekend in June, you\u2019ll be able to witness the Hyakumangoku Matsuri, Kanazawa\u2019s biggest festival. The festival starts with a beautiful lantern-floating event on the Asanogawa River on the Friday evening, but the main event is on the Saturday. During the day, a parade starts at Kanazawa Station and winds its way through the city to Kanazawa castle. My highlight though comes after the parade and begins at about 6pm. The whole of the downtown area is closed off, and 10,000 people (all organised into various groups representing Kanazawa\u2019s companies and businesses) perform traditional <em>obon<\/em> dances in the street wearing summer kimono. A true sight to behold!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7332 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-765x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The Hyakumangoku Festival - A traditional event... mostly!\" width=\"765\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-765x1024.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-224x300.jpg 224w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-1200x1607.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-900x1205.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-720x964.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-1440x1928.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-390x522.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-780x1044.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman-510x683.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hyakumangokuspiderman.jpg 1936w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 765px) 100vw, 765px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>6. Kenrokuen<\/strong><strong>\u00a0Garden<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kanazawa\u2019s most famous attraction is Kenrokuen \u2013 the \u2018Garden of Six Attributes\u2019, so named as it incorporates the six traditional elements of a perfect garden, all of which are categorised in complimentary pairs: spaciousness &amp; seclusion, artifice &amp; antiquity, water-courses &amp; panoramas. Each season brings its own charm to the garden, from the plum blossoms in early spring to the <em>yuki-tsuri<\/em> snow ropes which are painstakingly attached to all of the trees in winter to stop the branches from snapping under the weight of Kanazawa\u2019s plentiful snow.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7346 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Kenrokuen Gardens in bloom\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/img_2441-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>7. 21<sup>st<\/sup> Century Museum of Contemporary Art<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Located next to Kenrokuen is one of Kanazawa\u2019s newest attractions; the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kanazawa21.jp\/data_list.php?g=7&amp;lng=e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">21<sup>st<\/sup> Century Museum of Contemporary Art<\/a>, or <em>Marubi <\/em>(Round Gallery), as it\u2019s affectionately known to locals. The museum features a number of permanent exhibits which are free to visit, as well as rotating special exhibitions by both Japanese and international artists. Another great reason to pop in is for lunch at the museum\u2019s Fusion 21 restaurant. They do a great buffet lunch of Japanese cuisine such as pickled vegetables sitting alongside European classics. I recommend the pork terrine!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7347\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7347\" style=\"width: 768px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7347 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Exhibit at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/21st-century-art-museum-kanazawa-510x680.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7347\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Exhibit at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>8. D.T. Suzuki Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An even more recent arrival on Kanazawa\u2019s museum scene is this <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kanazawa-museum.jp\/daisetz\/english\/about.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">museum dedicated to the Zen scholar D.T. Suzuki<\/a>, who was largely responsible for introducing Zen Buddhism to the West during the 1950s. Professor Suzuki was born in Kanazawa, and the displays in this little museum explain about his life and also the Zen Buddhist philosophy that he popularised. The main draw of the museum though is its tranquil atmosphere &#8211; a little oasis of calm in the city. The museum\u2019s design mixes traditional Japanese style and contemporary minimalism to great effect. The outside area features a shallow pool, which looks particularly beautiful in autumn when the red leaves are reflected in it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/dtsuzukimuseum.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7335 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/dtsuzukimuseum.jpg?w=468\" alt=\"D. T. Suzuki Museum - Beautiful in autumn!\" width=\"468\" height=\"627\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>9. Daijo-ji<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve caught the Zen bug at the D. T. Suzuki museum, you may want to head over to Daijo-ji temple on the outskirts of the city. Unlike most temples in Japan, entrance to the temple grounds is free. It\u2019s also possible to attend the public <em>zazen<\/em> meditation meetings on Sunday afternoons. Daijo-ji is a fully functioning training temple, and at any point there may be up to 15 monks in residence. I spent a number of weeks staying there to undertake Zen training during my time in Kanazawa, but it\u2019s not for the faint hearted! The daily schedule begins with two hours of seated meditation and chanting at 4am, followed by hours of laborious work in the gardens and grounds. During the bi-monthly <em>sesshin<\/em> intense training periods, which last for 5 days, the monks spend 8 hours a day in seated meditation!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7336 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-1024x765.jpg\" alt=\"Daijo-ji temple's Butsuden (Buddha Hall)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-1024x765.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-1200x896.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-900x672.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-720x538.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-1440x1076.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-390x291.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-780x583.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/daijoji-510x381.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>10. Katamachi Scramble<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After all that seated meditation you may wish to forget that you have legs, and there\u2019s no better place to get legless in Kanazawa than in Katamachi, Kanazawa\u2019s downtown wining and dining district. The focal point is Katamachi \u2018Scramble\u2019, the main intersection crossing. Sprawled\u00a0out from here are hundreds of restaurants and bars. If you\u2019re travelling on a Self-Guided Adventure, our Kanazawa destination guide has some great suggestions of our favourite restaurants in the area. Alternatively, if you\u2019re joining us on one of our Small Group Tours, your tour leader will no doubt take you to one of their favourite spots!<\/p>\n<p>As mentioned, with Kanazawa being the country&#8217;s most prolific producer of gold-leaf, it would be rude not to try gold-leaf ice cream before you leave.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-22987 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Gold-leaf ice cream\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/IMG_1650-510x680.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There are so many other great places to explore, but Kanazawa will always hold a special place in my heart!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kanazawa features as a destination on a number of our Small Group Tours such as Japan Unmasked, Spring Elegance and Japan Enchantment. It\u2019s also an easy destination to fit into a tailored Self-Guided Adventure.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F7324\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Although I\u2019m now living in Kyoto (a heaven for a Zen geek such as myself!), I previously spent five years living in the wonderful city of Kanazawa on Honshu\u2019s Japan Sea coast. What makes Kanazawa so special? Let\u2019s have a look! Here are my top ten Kanazawa [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2362],"tags":[1666,1774,1775,1785],"class_list":["post-7324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-places-and-where-to-stay-in-japan","tag-ishikawa","tag-kanazawa","tag-kanazawa-tips","tag-kenrokuen"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7324"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23008,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7324\/revisions\/23008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}