City Guide
Directions: Kanazawa
25 February, 2025
We explored the famous Kenroku-en garden, went to some museums and galleries, sat in the onsen, walked the snow filled streets, ate and drank some of the best food ever, and stumbled across this cool antique store where we walked away with half their stock.
We wanted to share some of our favourite spots around Kanazawa!
01
Tara in Kanazawa.Stay
Soki
Soki is a ryokan and a delightful stay! It has super comfortable beds and is tastefully designed. They have an onsen you can soak in morning and night. While we didn't eat dinner at the restaurant, we did book in to have their Japanese breakfast, and it was good.
02
Kenroku-en Garden.03
D.T Suzuki Museum.“the intuitive recognition of the instant, thus reality... is the highest act of wisdom”
Do
Kenroku-en
This is a very famous place and if you have been to Kanazawa, then you’ve obviously visited it. Sadly, it was winter so there was no cherry blossoms or maple trees in bloom, but the garden was lovely none-the-less.
D.T Suzuki Museum
We really enjoyed our time here. While it’s small, it’s very calming, as it should be since it’s dedicated to the life, writings, and ideas of Kanazawa-born Buddhist philosopher D. T. Suzuki. It’s a nice quiet place to sit and feel a little zen.
04
James Turrell.Kanazawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
This museum was a little busy, but it had some good things. The building was designed by SANAA architects (the same people who did the renovations at Art Gallery of New South Wales), and there’s the James Turrell Blue Planet Sky room. We also enjoyed the famous Swimming Pool by Leandro ERLICH.
05
Swimming Pool by Leandro ERLICH.Sip
Townsfolk
This little coffee shop is heavily inspired by Copenhagen. The coffee is roasted in house (and is amazing) and there's some yummy little Scandinavian snacks on the menu. Oh, and the staff are so kind.
Sant
A quaint cafe that serves chai and coffee, curry & wine. It's a nice little spot for a break.
06
Great coffee.07
Townsfolk.Eat
Inasa
This tiny little wine bar has delicious snacks and nice natural wines. They don’t have an English menu nor does anyone speak English. You can attempt to translate off the chalkboard and see how you go. It’s a one man show, so be ready to get a bit tipsy while you wait for your yummy food.
Iomare
This was one of the best meals we have ever eaten. It’s a Japanese take on an Italian restaurant. Everything was farm to table, beautifully cooked and creative. The wine was also super memorable. We have been hunting down some of the ones we drank.
Coye
Home made cookies - oishi!
08
Kanazawa.09
Iomare.Shop
Factory Zoomer/Life
We can’t begin to explain how amazing this store is. It’s a bit of a trek and feels like it’s in a strange spot (very Japanese) but it is worth it. There’s a little bakery/café inside, as well as a shoppable gallery and some incredible glassware.
Stock Originals
A cool mix of vintage streetwear and designer clothes.
Exile Records
A wide collection of new and vintage vinyl.
Stock
This store offers a lot of Scandinavian brands, mixed with Japanese and vintage clothing and accessories. Suffice to say we tried on half the store.
10
Factory Zoomer/Life.11
Exploring all the shops.We had a great mini 'break' in Kanazawa and definitely recommend visiting and adding it to you Japan trip itinerary.