Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, is famous for its beautiful gardens, delicious cuisine, a rich tradition of art and crafts, and historic Edo-era districts. From world-class museums to unique gold leaf products to memorable dining experiences, there’s so much to explore. Here are some of our top picks along with insider recommendations from Visit Kanazawa for the best things to do in Kanazawa. This guide will help you plan a visit packed with wellness, nature, culture, and fun.

Mindful Wellness Experiences

There are a variety of traditional tea ceremony experiences available in Kanazawa. [Image courtesy of Visit Kanazaawa]

Shinsen Mindfulness

Relax with this meditative program centered around calligraphy art at Hokku-ji temple, near Kenroku-en garden. This mindfulness session is based on fundamental Buddhist thought and the creation of art using the words of Kitakata Shinsen, the calligrapher who built Hokku-ji temple. Visitors can experience a relaxing Japanese moment with matcha tea and Japanese confectionary.

Tea Ceremony Experience and Etiquette Workshop

Chanoyu, Japanese tea ceremony, begins with a cup of tea. Experience a part of the tea ceremony that draws from the spiritual background of Zen.

Depending on the season you visit, you’ll get a unique tea ceremony experience that changes with the months. You’ll learn the proper way to drink tea, how to stand, how to behave, and how to be considerate of neighbors. This tea ceremony is held in a tranquil tearoom inside a 100- year-old machiya traditional townhouse.

Tailor-made Incense Experience

In this incense experience workshop, dozens of precious Chinese herbal incense materials, and fragrant wood (sandalwood, agarwood) are sniffed, followed by counseling in a relaxing atmosphere by an expert in incense and psychology. You will get to create individualized incense in accordance with your own emotions and physical condition. Afterwards, fragrant wood is burned with incense and charcoal. The incense is tailor-made and created to suit your emotional and physical state. Using rare natural medicinal herbs to make your own protective incense, this unique and fun session is full of laughter and tears and helps you connect to the self.

Kōdō Incense Aroma Experience

Kōdō is one of Japan’s three major performing arts, alongside flower arrangement and tea ceremony. It is “the Way of Fragrance” – an artistic way to decipher the subtle differences in Kōboku (fragrant wood) while enjoying scents that are connected to waka poetry, history, and the seasons. This workshop includes three types of simple incense. Participants will have an elegant experience with high artistry and are given a chance to enjoy the delightful bond between fragrances and literature.

Teahouses and Traditional Japanese Dining

At Kanazawa Ryotei restaurant you can experience the traditional food from the Kanazawa region.

Kaikaro Teahouse

The biggest teahouse in Kanazawa, Kaikaro Teahouse is open to the public during the day. Visitors can enjoy the architecture and interior design as well as savor tea and snacks at the café. Geisha evenings in Kanazawa are also held here.

SHIMA Teahouse, a national cultural asset

Built in 1820, the SHIMA teahouse remains standing to this day and retains its original atmosphere as a place of entertainment and a guest house. For a small fee, guests can enjoy matcha tea by the garden.

Kanazawa geisha experience and tea ceremony at Kikunoya

Held at "Kikunoya", Kanazawa machiya-style inn located in the Shukkeicho Tea House Street, this program was established to immerse visitors in the tea ceremony experience and the elegant performances by Kanazawa geisha.

Haru, an amazing sushi bar in Kanazawa

For a mindblowing sushi omakase meal, you must make a reservation for sushi at Haru. Chef Haru prepares a selection of specialties made from handpicked daily fresh seafood.

Kanazawa Ryotei, a traditional Japanese restaurant

Ryotei dining room in Kanazawa [Image courtesy of Visit Kanazawa]

At Kanazawa Ryotei restaurant you can experience the traditional food from the Kanazawa region. Enjoy Japanese hospitality with authentic dishes, along with classic Japanese architecture, furniture, tableware, and beautiful Japanese gardens. The restaurant serves Kaga cuisine, a type of Japanese cuisine, crafted with fresh local ingredients.

Washoku Tamaki

Enjoy a unique daily menu of fresh seasonal Japanese dishes made from local ingredients. A private tatami room is available and reservations are recommended.

Kenrokutei

Kenrokutei restaurant is located in front of the oldest existing fountains in Japan. It reopened in October 2022 to convey Kanazawa’s culinary culture. Tea ceremonies and traditional performances can be held at the restaurant’s “Ozashiki”(Japanese-style tatami room).

Kesaran Pasaran Cafe, Espresso and Sweets

Looking to unwind with a cup of coffee and a snack? We love the vibe at Kesaran Pasaran Cafe and highly recommend the green tea cake to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Exploring Nature

Forest Bathing & Learning about the Water in Kanazawa

Honda-no-Mori Park is a patch of nature in the center of the city that is home to a thicket of primeval evergreen trees. This area was once where the residence of Honda, the chief retainer of the Kaga domain, could be found.

Now, the park is home to cultural facilities such as the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art and the National Crafts Museum. This spot is loved by locals and offers the chance to enjoy nature while staying in the city.

Hikes and Forest Bathing at Mount Iouzen

Trekking: Discover the beauty of the sacred mountain Iouzen with a nature guide. Iouzen is a low mountain – its summit does not even reach a thousand meters above sea level, but its landscape is full of variety. Mountain worship in Japan is a long tradition, and this mountain is a beloved and treasured place for the locals.

You can explore a variety of scenery at Oike-daira and Tonbi-iwa, where you’ll discover the diverse plant life of the mountain, and bask in the rich nature of the beechwood forest. Guided tours allow guests to fully enjoy Mt. Iiozen, including the view from the summit and the lush nature of the beech forests.

Forest Bathing: Mount Iouzen is is home to sacred places like the Sanjaga Falls, a former training ground for ascetics. Visitors to the mountain will feel the abundance of nature at Lake Oike, where the water changes color with the seasons. It’s also home to diverse wildlife including salamanders. This relaxing experience gives you the opportunity to refresh your body and soul as you walk along the water.

A garden in the Nagamachi district in Kanazawa, Japan. You can find gardens and nature even when just wandering the city.

Hakusan Cycling Tour

Experience the nature and food culture of Tsurugi town on a cycling tour. Tsurugi is located at the foot of Mt. Hakusan which is one of Japan’s three holy mountains. Ride through villages that line the Tedorigawa river and forest roads on an electric bicycle. On the way, you’ll get to visit Shirayama Hime Shrine. This is the head shrine to the 3,000 Hakusan and mountain trout. This shrine is also known as a matchmaking shrine. For lunch, take a cable car up to the Shishiku Highland for a meal of local mountain vegetables.

Take a Walk in Kenrokuen Garden

Visitors can enjoy a walk around Kenrokuen garden where the landscaping techniques have been passed down from generation to generation. During certain times of year the garden is illuminated at night. Kenrokuen Garden tours are also available to learn about the history and biodiversity of the garden

You can enjoy tea sets and snacks at a cafe in Kenrokuen Garden.

Stop at Gyokusentei restaurant for lunch to enjoy a view of the Gyokusenen Garden, which has an even longer history than Kenrokuen. Meals are prepared with ingredients from the sea and mountains that are unique to Kanazawa.

Kanazawa Castle Park

Kanazawa Castle in Spring [Image courtesy of Kanazawa City]

Kanazawa Castle was the ruling seat of the Maeda Clan, who controlled the area including Kanazawa. Large parts of the castle were burnt down over the course of two major fires, but they have since been restored. The castle is now available to the public as a park. The outer wall is particularly eye-catching for the variety of stone wall types that are employed and the beautiful scenery surrounding it. It is often called “the museum of stone walls.”"

Beauty and Onsen Experiences Near Kanazawa

Yamanaka outdoor bath [Image courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League]

Onsen experiences

There are three onsen areas near Kanazawa, all of which are only a mere thirty-minute car ride away from Kanazawa station. Surrounded by mountains and nature, they are spaces of peace and tranquility where visitors can relax.

Awazu Outdoor Bath [Image courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League]

Onsen hot springs baths have long been a source of relaxation and general wellness for Japanese people, and a luxurious stay at a ryokan is on the bucket list of many visitors to Japan for their world-class hospitality and sumptuous meals. Spend the night at one of the nine ryokan of Yuwaku Onsen and enjoy the traditional delights of this unique style of accommodation. Top ryokan picks in Ishikawa prefecture include:

If you prefer to make a day trip out of your visit to Kanazawa, the Shirasagi no Yu public bath is open to those not staying in a ryokan overnight. Visit ashiyu footbaths for additional indulgence to soothe weary feet after a day of travel.

Gold Leaf Beauty

Entrance to the Kinka beauty store in Kanazawa

Kanazawa is known for its gold leaf and local beauty brands incorporate this elegant touch into their products. Stop by the beautiful Kinka store for luxurious gold leaf products including their famous face mask.

Spa Treatments at Spa Salon Yujiang at Kanazawa Hakuchoro Hotel Sanraku

Relax with spa services including facials, body treatments, and reflexology at Spa Salon Yujiang. For a luxurious facial add on the gold leaf facial sheet mask to the Special Luxury Treatment Package which includes body massage and a premium facial.

For more Japan spa and onsen experiences, check out our guides to the best Tokyo spas and the best Kyoto spas.

Admire Regional and International Art

“Maru” mirror balls exhibit outside the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan

Ohi Ware

Ohi Chozaemon is the current head of a more than 350-year-old legacy kiln. Ohi Chozaemon XI (Toshio) is the 11th generation descendant of the Ohi family of potters famous for a type of Raku ware. At the Ohi Chozaemon Museum of Art, which is the first private museum to receive a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide, Mr. Ohi Chozaemon XI will talk about the history of Ohi ware and the world of Kanazawa's tea ceremony, followed by a tour of the museum and a tea ceremony using tea bowls from successive generations of the famous treasure.

Lacquer Work by Artist Akihiko Sugita

Akihiko Sugita is a young lacquer craft artist whose work is characterized by a matte, dull sheen and a texture that leaves polish marks, expanding the possibilities for the image and use of lacquerware. Inheriting the Wajima-nuri technique, this lacquerware is characterized by its elegant form and careful process, which can be easily incorporated into modern life. Diatomaceous earth from the Noto Peninsula is mixed into the base lacquer, and the process of lacquering, drying, and polishing is repeated 12 to 13 times to increase the strength of the lacquer. Famous customers include Alain Ducasse's restaurant "Jules Verne" in the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Aman NYC, and Aman Kyoto.

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Swimming Pool by Leandro Erlich, an interactive exhibit at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa

This museum is designed with the idea of being a green park space in the middle of the city. The glass cylindrical architecture of the building is iconic. Artwork that visitors can see, touch, and interact with is spread out across the museum’s grounds. One of our favorite interactive exhibits is the Swimming Pool by Leandro Erlich, an art display where you can appear to walk around at the bottom of the pool.

National Crafts Museum

This is the only national museum in Japan specializing in crafts and design. The museum has a total collection of about 4,000 items in the fields of ceramics, glass, lacquer work, woodwork, bamboo work, dyeing and weaving, dolls, metalwork, industrial design and graphic design. The museum is housed in two former military buildings dating back to the early 1900s. These buildings were dismantled and reconstructed in Kanazawa. The area near the craft museum is packed with historical buildings and cultural attractions, such as Kenrokuen Garden.

More Unique & Fun Kanazawa Experiences

Visit the dinosaur hotel (Henn na Kanazawa Korimbo)

A dinosaur concierge greets guests at Henn na Kanazawa Korimba

At this unique hotel the concierge staff are dinosaurs! Guest are checked into their rooms at Henn na Kanazawa Korimba by friendly dinosaurs who happen to speak a variety of languages. You don’t have to stay at the hotel to stop by and see the dinosaurs for yourself.

Try gold leaf desserts

There are lots of fun dessert shops in Kanazawa, but we love stopping by the ice cream shop across from Kenrokuen Garden for a simple vanilla gold leaf ice cream cone. Delicious!

Visit an Arcade

Looking for something fun to do with family or a unique date night? Try your luck with the UFO catcher machines and a variety of other games at one of Kanazawa’s arcades like Round1 Stadium or Game Paradise.

For more Kanazawa travel ideas, check out Visit Kanazawa.

The Best Things to Do in Kanazawa, Japan for a Trip Packed with Wellness, Nature, and Culture