Japan
Day 4: Kanazawa
Explore Kanazawa: a hidden gem in Japan that blends rich cultural heritage with modern attractions.
Explore the Higashi Chaya District
Start your day in the picturesque Higashi Chaya District, Kanazawa’s famous geisha district. With its beautifully preserved wooden teahouses, narrow cobblestone streets, and traditional atmosphere, this area feels like a step back in time. It's a fantastic place for souvenir shopping, offering a variety of local crafts, teas, and sweets. The cozy vibe here makes it perfect for a relaxed morning walk, where you can also visit some of the teahouses that have been converted into cafes and shops.
A 13-minute walk takes you to the first food stop of the day!
Lunch at Omicho Market
Have lunch at Omicho Market, a place where both tourists and locals do their shopping. As Kanazawa is known for its seafood, make sure to try some snow crab, king crab, unagi, shrimps, scallops, or anything else you’d like. If you’re not into fish, you can of course get some meat here, too. We tried some wagyu skewers and they were very delicious! Make sure to ask for some wasabi to accompany them ;-) We love the fact that all the local produce is so accessible here, you could easily spend a couple of hours at Omicho Market and not get bored.
A short 10-minute walk brings you to the next location of this itinerary.
Stroll through Kanazawa Castle Park and Kenroku-en
After lunch it’s time to make your way to Kanazawa Castle Park and the adjacent Kenroku-en Garden. The sprawling grounds and stunning architecture of Kanazawa Castle is very impressive to see. Just a short walk away is Kenroku-en, one of Japan's most celebrated gardens. This expansive garden is breathtakingly beautiful, featuring meticulously designed landscapes, serene ponds, and seasonal flowers. You could easily spend the rest of your day here, soaking in the natural beauty. Kenroku-en is one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen in our lives.
Just 20 minutes separates you from having dinner at a lovely restaurant!
Dinner at Salt
We hope you’re still hungry after visiting Omicho Market for lunch. ;-) Salt is a seafood and oyster bar with a beautiful interior, the perfect place to end your Kanazawa adventure. The menu is in all-Japanese (yay!), but don’t worry: the staff are very friendly and eager to help. When we visited, we wanted to have a proper date night which meant we ordered some prosecco, white wine, multiple appetizers, main courses, … you get it: a bit of everything! We can honestly say that everything (including the wine) was so good that it’s hard to give recommendations. If we had to pick one must order dish, it’d be the Noto’s Drop: oysters made in three different ways - delicious!
