Traditional & Unique Japan in Kanazawa - See, Eat, Stay travel guide

Geisha culture, Japanese gardens & traditional Samurai district - Kanazawa has so much to offer in Ishikawa Japan!

Directly accessible from Tokyo or Kyoto, Kanazawa is a hotspot destination for some unique experiences in Japan. There are so many underrated hidden gems here, I'll be showing a few in this Kanazawa travel guide :)

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Places mentioned:

📍 Nomura-ke Samurai Estate (Nagamachi, Kanazawa) - Located in the Samurai district Nagamachi, this beautiful house is the former residence of an upper-middle rank samurai family. The elegant wooden interior, tea room, and Japanese garden make it worthwhile to see.

📍 Kenroku-en (Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa) - This Japanese garden is one of Japan’s 3 most beautiful gardens, and it’s easy to see why! There are a few sections to explore, and you can even re-enter the garden on the same day with your ticket.

📍 Hirosaka Inari Shrine (Hondamachi, Kanazawa) - This small Shinto Shrine has a beautiful row of Torii gates. It was so quiet and picturesque here, and is located right next to Kenrokuen’s entrance.

📍 Kazuemachi & Higashi Chaya These Geisha districts have preserved townhouses, which add to the atmosphere as you wander the streets. There are a lot of tea shops as well where you can have matcha and sweets.

📍 Geisha House Shima (Higashiyama, Kanazawa) - Also known as Ochaya Shima, this is a Geisha house turned into a museum. It was so nice to learn about Kanazawa Geisha culture and get a glimpse into this different world. The museum is located in Higashi Chaya.

📍 Gyokusen-en Nishida Family Garden (Koshomachi, Kanazawa) - A small but historic Japanese garden, an absolute hidden gem! It was so calm and peaceful to stroll through here. The teahouse Saisetsu-tei is supposedly the oldest in Kanazawa. Check out their website gyokusen-en.net to book your tea ceremony experience. (This garden shouldn’t be confused with Gyokusen’inmaru in Kanazawa Castle Park).

📍 Omicho market (Kamiomicho, Kanazawa) - A great place to pick up some local fruits and try local specialties. Kanazawa Curry Laboratory and Nokabanzai Ichibaya Omicho Sohonten were great local spots, though you might expect some waiting as seats are limited. On the upside, the turnover is pretty fast, so it might not take long :)

📍 Henn na Hotel - An interesting place to stay if you want to be greeted by two raptors at reception every day! Besides that, the room was slightly bigger than those at other business hotels. It was also clean and the location was close to all the main sights!

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Key moments:

00:00 Hello Kanazawa!
00:14 Nagamachi Samurai District
00:27 Samurai residence
01:51 Beautiful Japanese garden
02:50 Hidden gem shrine
03:15 Kazuemachi Chaya
03:29 Higashi Chaya
03:45 Geisha House Shima
04:14 Traditional tea ceremony in Japanese garden
05:00 Local Food at Omicho Market
05:39 Robot hotel

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Disclaimer:

All opinions expressed are my own and contain no paid promotions or reviews. The places and prices mentioned in the video were from November 2023.

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