＜Recommended Art Spots in Kanazawa

1
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Kanazawa's representative contemporary art center

Opened in 2004, the Museum of Contemporary Art Kanazawa is one of Kanazawa's most popular art spots, attracting more than 2 million visitors annually in recent years. The glass-walled circular building is easy to enter from all sides, and the sun shines through the top lights, giving the museum an air of spaciousness. There is also a free exchange zone, and various artworks are exhibited on the outdoor lawn area. The "Green Bridge" is a work in which both sides of the wall are covered with a variety of plants, as if straddling a glass corridor. Each side of the north-south wall has a different impression, and the plants in each of the four seasons delight the eye.

Some works enjoy the exhibition space itself

L'Origine du monde," located in the paid exhibition zone, is a dimly lit exhibition room that is itself a work of art. The work's expression changes depending on the optical illusion: it appears to dip into the depths, rise up, or seem to come closer to the viewer. There are many other works to be viewed at your leisure, such as Leandro Erlich's "Swimming Pool," which looks like a pool filled with deep water.

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

• 1-2-1, Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
• From JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Circulation Bus), 20 min. on the right/left route, a short walk from the Hirosaka/21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art bus stop.
• Exhibition Zone: 10:00-18:00, Friday and Saturday: 20:00
  Exchange Zone: 9:00-22:00
• Mondays (closed on the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday); all museums are closed from May 2027 to March 2028 for major repairs.
• Exhibition Zone fee required (varies depending on the exhibition), Exchange Zone free of charge
• 076-220-2800
• Charged (30 min. free of charge)

2
D.T. Suzuki Museum

Touch the philosophy of D.T. Suzuki, who introduced ZEN to the world

D. T. Suzuki was a Buddhist philosopher from Kanazawa who introduced Eastern thought and Japanese culture to the West. The D. T. Suzuki Museum was established near his birthplace to provide a place to learn about and contemplate his ideas and footsteps. The building, designed by a world-renowned architect, has a unique Kanazawa landscape with stone walls and water features, in which D.T.'s world unfolds. Visitors can quietly contemplate his world by walking around the beautiful space consisting of three buildings (the entrance building, the exhibition building, and the contemplation space building) and three gardens (the entrance garden, the open-air garden, and the garden of water mirrors).

Time for quiet contemplation

As you walk through the long interior corridor from the entrance, you will gradually feel at peace. There are no explanations beside the exhibited works, so let your mind go with your heart. The contemplation space is a place where you can face yourself by looking at the picturesque water mirror garden cut out from the door. In October and March, the Kanazawa Night Museum is open until 8:00 p.m., and concerts and other events are held during the "Kanazawa Night Museum". Visitors can enjoy viewing the fantastic garden illuminated by lights.

D.T. Suzuki Museum

• 3-4-20, Honda-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
• From JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus "Left Turn Route" around Kanazawa Castle Town. 4 minutes walk from Honda-machi Bus Stop.
• 9:30-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
• Mondays (closed the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays
• 310 yen, 210 yen for seniors 65 and over, free for high school students and younger
• 076-221-8011
• Not available (for disabled persons)

3
Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum

Be enchanted by the beauty of precious Kutani ware "Kokutani".

The museum features a collection of artworks related to Ishikawa, ranging from traditional works of art associated with the Kaga domain, where arts and crafts have flourished since ancient times, to contemporary paintings, sculptures, and crafts. The first floor, with its 10-meter-high atrium, is the floor for special exhibitions, while the collection room on the second floor features a variety of art works, including theNational Treasure "Iroeki Koro," Koya Kutani from 1650 to 1700, and revived Kutani from 1800, all richly colored and painted porcelain. Visitors can appreciate a variety of works of art, including richly colored colored porcelain, such as Ko-Kutani from 1650 to 1700 and re-established Kutani from 1800. Other must-see exhibits include "Maeda Family Swords, Armor, and Jinbaori" and "Tea Ceremony Art," which change themes every monthortwo.

The highlight of the tour is the National Treasure "Iroe Pheasant Incense Burner

A must-see is the National Treasure, the Iroe Pheasant Incense Burner by Nonomura Ninsei. The almost life-size pheasant incense burner is a work of extreme skill, and its feathers are beautifully expressed in green, dark blue, red, and other colors of paint and gold. Other national treasures that demonstrate the high level of arts and crafts of the Kaga clan can also be fully enjoyed.
After leisurely viewing the artworks, visitors can visit the museum store, which offers pheasant T-shirts, small plates modeled after Ko-Kutani, clear files, and other items. Le Musee de Ashe KANAZAWA, a café where you can taste sweets produced by a famous pastry chef from Ishikawa Prefecture, is also located in the museum.

Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum

• 2-1 Dewa-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
• Approx. 15 min. by bus from the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, approx. 5 min. walk from Hirosaka/21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (Ishiura-jinja-mae) stop.
• 9:30-18:00 (last admission at 17:30), Le Musée de l'Ashe 10:00-18:00 (L.O.17:00)
• Open daily (closed during exhibition change periods and year-end and New Year holidays) *Le Musee de Ashe may also be open on days when the museum is closed.
• Collection exhibition: 370 yen, college students: 290 yen, high school students and younger: free *Permanent exhibitions: Vary according to each exhibition.
• 076-231-7580
• Free of charge

4
Shinonoki-Geihinkan

Enjoy the architectural fusion of old and new, prestigious and modern

Shiinoki Geihinkan is a renovated version of the former Ishikawa Prefectural Office Building. The front of the building has a prestigious appearance that retains the design of the 1924 building, and stands solidly together with a 300-year-old shinoki tree. On the other hand, from the opposite side, the modern all-glass exterior gives a completely different impression. The view at night, when the lights inside the building spill out, is also wonderful. The vast "Stone Square," which blends in with the modern atmosphere of the building, is used for music festivals and other events, as well as a place for relaxation.

Admire the retro interior decoration of the museum

Inside the three-story building, there is a general information center for the Kenrokuen Garden area, a gallery, a rest room, a restaurant and café, and a select store, creating a new level of interaction and liveliness. The select store features a large selection of quality craft products made by Kanazawa artists.
Looking up the large marble staircase from the entrance hall, the most eye-catching feature is the lacquered map of Ishikawa Prefecture displayed in front of the building. The stained glass decoration at the top of the staircase, which has been in place since the building was first constructed, gives the building a Taisho modern feel all around.

Shijinoki Guest House

• 2-1-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
• From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take the "Left Route" of the Hokutetsu Bus "Shirokamachi Kanazawa Shuyu Bus". 10 min. ride, 5 min. walk from Korinbo Bus Stop.
• Free admission (hours vary by store)
• Open daily (hours vary by store)
• 076-261-1111
• Admission charged (30 min. free, procedures at General Information)

5
Kanazawa College of Art Yanagi Sori Memorial Design Institute

Feel the "beauty of use" by seeing and touching directly

Sori Yanagi was one of the leading industrial designers in postwar Japan. Because he taught at Kanazawa College of Art for about 50 years, approximately 7,000 pieces of his works and other design-related materials have been deposited by the Yanagi Industrial Design Research Association. Upon entering the permanent exhibition room, visitors will feel as if they are in a stylish living or dining room, with furniture, tableware, kitchen tools, and other items on display. Visitors can touch and sit on the exhibits. There are no explanatory notes about the works, and the hope is that visitors will face the objects without any unnecessary knowledge or preconceptions and honestly feel the beauty with their own eyes and hands.

Cross-genre designs from cooking utensils to pedestrian bridges

The products on display are all items that are still available for sale to the general public. You may find items that you "have at home" or "used to use at home. The simple designs and ease of use that have not faded away are still evident today. Be sure to check out the chronology of Yanagi Sori's works introduced on the panel. Visitors can learn about Sori Yanagi's wide range of designs, including the torch stand for the Sapporo Olympics, a water fountain in a subway station, a car (auto tricycle), and a pedestrian bridge, as well as his ideas and attitude.

Kanazawa College of Art, Yanagi Sori Memorial Design Institute

• 2-12-1, Owari-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture 1F MAP
• From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Circulation Bus "clockwise route"). 12 min. ride, approx. 3 min. walk from Hashiba-cho stop.
• 9:30-17:00
• Mondays (open if Monday is a national holiday)
• Free of charge
• 076-201-8003
• Free of charge

6
KiKU

Jewelry and daily utensils made by goldsmiths

Atelier and store by Kanazawa-born metalwork artist. In the renovated space of a former stationery store built in the Taisho era (1912-1926), the owner's works, including jewelry, tea ceremony utensils, tableware, and cutlery, are beautifully displayed. He specializes in all kinds of metals such as gold, platinum, brass, copper, iron, aluminum, and titanium, and selects materials and techniques according to what he wants to create. The jewelry, which is their starting point, has a casual design that can be worn by both men and women. They can also be repaired, so they can be used with love for a long time.

Original cutlery with a classical appearance

His neat cutlery also has many fans. The cutlery (three items on the right in the photo above), which is made of brass and silver-plated to give it an antique look, attracts people with its unique, dignified appearance. There is also a series of stainless steel cutlery (two items on the left) designed by a product designer using old molds, pressed by a cutlery manufacturer in Tsubame, Niigata, and supervised and finished by the owner. The cutlery has a classical atmosphere, but unlike silver, it is easy to clean. They are gems that look beautiful on the dining table.

KiKU

• 3-37 Shin-Tatemachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
• From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Circulation Bus), approx. 10 mins. on the left-hand route, alight at Korinbo, and walk approx. 10 mins.
• Open 11:00-20:00
• Wednesdays *Tuesdays must be reserved by phone in advance.
• 076-223-2319
• None

Exclusive to "OMO5 Kanazawa Katamachi by Hoshino Resorts," a guided tour of 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa to discover the deep charm of the museum

OMO5 Kanazawa Katamachi by Hoshino Resorts, a 10-minute walk from 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, offers original guided tours exclusively for guests.

The tour provides beginners with easy-to-understand information on the background of the founding of the museum, the stories behind the artworks, and the museum's hidden gems. By learning more about the museum, you will feel more familiar with art.

Guests are the only ones who have the privilege of touring the museum in peace and quiet before the crowds arrive. The morning atmosphere with the light shining in enhances the beauty of the artworks, making it the perfect location for taking pictures.