7 Spots to Experience Traditional Kanazawa Culture including Wagashi, Gold Leaf, Kaga Yuzen, etc.
Kanazawa, the ancient capital of Japan, has nurtured a variety of cultures throughout its long history. From crafts such as Kutani ware, Kaga Yuzen and gold leaf to traditional gourmet foods such as wagashi (Japanese confectionery) and Noh plays, here are some of the places where you can experience and enjoy the castle town of Kaga Hyakumangoku.
<Recommended Traditional Culture Experience Spots in Kanazawa>.
- 1 Kutani Kosen Kiln "Painting Experience
- 2 Sakuda Gold Leaf Shop: Experience applying gold leaf at the main store.
- 3 Kaga Yuzen Maida Senga Craft "Coloring Experience
- 4 Nakajima Menya "Hachiman Okiagari" Painting Experience
- 5 Kanazawa Nohgaku Museum: Experience dressing up
- 6 Ame no Tawaraya: Candy Stuffing Experience
- 7 Experience making wagashi at Koshiyama Kanseido (Japanese confectionery for all seasons)
<Recommended Traditional Culture Experience Spots in Kanazawa>.
1Kutani Kosen Kiln "Painting Experience
Experience painting Kutani-yaki, a representative of Kaga's traditional crafts
Founded in 1870 (Meiji 3), this is the only pottery in Kanazawa City that produces Kutani ware.
In the "Painting Experience," you can learn how to draw lines in the final process of Kutani-yaki production, called "Kamiegaki" (overglaze painting). The process involves drawing outlines of patterns using Japanese paints on a white vessel called "unjiki," and there are always 10 to 15 types of unjiki to choose from, including yunomi (teacups), mugs, tea bowls, and flat plates. You can use a sample pattern as a model, or design your own. Even beginners can use a pencil to make a rough sketch.
For coloring, please consult a craftsman as it requires skill in applying the paint and producing the desired color. The experience ends when the color is chosen. The finished product will be delivered to your home about two months later.
Take home an original Kutani-yaki as a souvenir.
Unusually for Kutaniyaki, this studio does all the work in-house, from shaping on the potter's wheel to overglaze painting. Before the Experience, visitors can observe the production process and learn about the characteristics of each piece while viewing traditional Kutaniyaki pieces.
The store also has a lineup of its own products. The shop also offers a lineup of its own products, including gorgeous pieces decorated with Kutani Five Colors and Kaga Ume Bowl, the family crest of the Maeda family, the feudal lord of Kaga, making them perfect souvenirs of Kanazawa. A set of five traditional Kutani ware patterns, including a set of ochoko (cups) and coffee cups, can be purchased for around 10,000 yen each.
- Kutani Kosen Kiln
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5-3-3 Nomachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
2 minutes walk from Nomachi Station on Hokuriku Railway Ishikawa Line
9:00 - 17:00, Painting Experience - 15:30 (last admission)
January 1
Painting Experience: 1,320-5,500 yen (excluding shipping fee)
076-241-0902
Free of charge
Experience of painting is by reservation only.
2Gold Leaf Shop Sakuda, Main Store, "Gold Leafing Experience" (in Japanese)
Create gorgeous and memorable works of art with gold leaf crafts
This long-established gold leaf shop has six stores in Kanazawa. At the main store, visitors can enjoy a "gold leaf application experience. First, select an item from among eight types, including chopsticks, compact mirrors, and small boxes. Then, masking tape cut out in the shape of a pattern using a template is pasted on the item, and gold leaf is gently placed over the top. The gold leaf is 1/10,000 of a millimeter thick, so thin that light can penetrate through it. Gently peel off the masking tape to reveal the pattern. The patterns are diverse, including rabbits, cherry blossoms, and Kenrokuen-style lanterns, and can be arranged according to your own ideas, such as combining two or more patterns or arranging them in different ways.
Products made with high-quality gold leaf, and cosmetics are popular among women
Kanazawa is known for its gold leaf. This store was established in 1919 and is known for its fine and beautiful gold leaf. The store offers a variety of gold leaf products, including crafts combined with Wajima lacquerware and Kutani ware.
The "Aburatori-gami (oil-absorbing paper) Kinpaku-uchigami Seiho" (gold leaf-plated paper), which was created by tapping gold leaf to stretch it, is popular among women, and the original gold leaf cosmetic series "Bireihi" is also well-received. In addition to lotions, top coats for nails, and bath salts, there are also facial masks made with 24k gold leaf.
- Gold Leaf Shop Sakuda Head Office
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- 1-3-27 Higashiyama, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (clockwise route) around Kanazawa Castle Town. 10 min. ride and get off at Hashiba-cho (Higashi, Shukei Chaya-gai), 3 min. walk from the bus stop.- 9:00-18:00 *Varies according to season.
- No holidays
- Gold leaf application experience: from 700 yen
- 076-251-6777 (reception 9:00-17:00)
- Free of charge
- Reservations are required for the gold leaf application experience. For details on reservations and the Experience, please check the official website.
3Kaga Yuzen Maida Senga "Color Experience
Modern Japanese accessories made with Kaga yuzen
Kaga yuzen has a 400-year tradition and is characterized by elegant patterns based on nature and classical motifs. At this workshop, which has been in operation for three generations, visitors can observe the production process and experience coloring. Experiences include coloring a small furoshiki (wrapping cloth) and a one-stroke experience for those who just want to experience the feeling of coloring. Earrings and earrings are popular among women, and there are always about five different designs to choose from, including seasonal patterns such as cherry blossoms, fireworks, and maple trees. The secret to a good finish is to start with a light color and gradually build up the layers. The best way to get the best results is to start with light colors and gradually add blurring to make it look more like Kaga yuzen. After coloring, it takes about four weeks for the finished product to be sent to your home.
A rare workshop where you can see craftsmen's skills up close
The husband is a well-known Kaga yuzen artist and also serves as the representative director of the Kaga Yuzen Cultural Association. The entire process, from designing to finishing, is done in the workshop, and his works, which match the sensitivity of the times with traditional beauty, are highly acclaimed. The Experience is held in the workshop where the craftsman is coloring right next to the studio. Visitors can see up close how white fabric is vividly dyed by skilled artisans.
In addition to exhibiting some of their works, the showroom also sells small items that can be easily incorporated into daily life, such as stoles, accessories, and business card holders, as well as "Somegaku," framed yuzen prints.
- Kaga Yuzen Maida Senga Kogei
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- 3-9-19, Honda-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Shuttle Bus), take the "clockwise route" or "easterly route" (approx. 19 min.), alight at "Honda-machi" and walk approx. 4 minutes.
- 9:00-17:00, Experience of coloring: 10:00-16:00 (last admission)
- Sundays, Saturdays once a month, and national holidays
- Experience coloring: Pierced earrings 4,000 yen (tax not included, shipping 800 yen), small furoshiki cloth 15,000 yen, one-stroke experience & visit 1,500 yen
- 076-221-3365
- Free of charge
- Reservations required at least 2 business days in advance for coloring experience and tour; from 2 persons accepted; elementary school students and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
4Nakajima Menya "Hachiman Okiagari" Painting Experience
Design your own traditional Kaga doll
Founded in 1862, Kaga Dolls is a long-established Kaga doll shop. Its signature product, "Kaga Hachiman Okiagari," is a doll with a pine, bamboo, and plum pattern on a vermilion background, and its adorable appearance is very popular. The palm-sized No. 3 doll is an easy version that uses a doll with a pre-applied vermilion background. The palm-sized No. 3 doll is a simple version that uses a pre-painted cinnabar background, while the larger No. 4 doll is plain and can be colored in any color from pink, yellow, stripes, etc. Both dolls are available for hands-on experience. In both cases, the face and pattern are up to the taste of the person experiencing the event. You can make it look like your own face or a popular character, and enjoy it to your heart's content.
Dolls to celebrate women's milestones such as birth and seasonal festivals
Nakajima Menya used to make props for theatrical performances, mainly dancing masks. The store's interior is lined with papier-mâché and other items that make use of the mask-making techniques.
One of them is "Kaga Hachiman Kiagari," which is said to have been made in the image of Emperor Ojin, the god of Hachiman Shrine, in his red maternity clothes when he was born. Since the doll can get up even if it falls down, it is also used to express sympathy for illness or misfortune. It is also popular as a wedding utensil or wedding gift, as it is said to increase a woman's or child's clothing if kept in a tansu (chest of drawers).
- Nakajima Menya
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- 2-3-12 Owari-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus "Leftward Route" around Kanazawa Castle Town. 5 min. on the bus and get off at Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Market (Ichibakan-mae). 4 min. walk from the Ichibakan-mae stop.
- 9:00-17:30, Painting Experience 10:00-16:00 (last admission)
- Tuesdays (open if Tuesday is a national holiday)
- Painting Experience: from 880 yen
- 076-232-1818
- None
- For details on the Hachiman Kiagari Painting Experience, check the official website at
For details on the Painting Experience, check the official website at
5Kanazawa Nohgaku Museum "Dressing Experience
Wear authentic Nishijin brocade costumes and feel like a Noh actor
The museum specializes in Noh, displaying masks and costumes of the traditional Noh play "Kaga Hosho" in Kanazawa. At the Experience corner, visitors can try on authentic Noh masks and Nishijin karori Noh costumes. The Noh costume is said to be the most luxurious, weighing approximately 5 kg, and is used for female roles. There are two types of costumes: the red "Iroiri" for young women, and the blue "Iroonashi" for male performers, such as elderly people and widows. There are 20 types of masks to choose from, including "koomote," which is worn by unmarried women, oo, and hannya.
Visitors can also learn the different facial expressions depending on the angle of the mask, such as happy when looking up and sad when looking down, as well as the basic forms of the dance to express crying and joy.
Collection of traditional art "Kaga Hosei" open to the public
The centerpiece of the museum is its extensive collection of Kaga Hosei. Kaga Hosho" is a Noh play of the Hosho school developed by the Maeda family of the Kaga domain as a ceremonial Noh play for samurai families, and is designated as an intangible cultural asset by Kanazawa City.
Of the three floors, the exhibition space on the first floor is the same size as the Noh stage. In addition to allowing visitors to experience the position and roles of the performers, a model of the Noh theater and tools for making Noh masks are also on display. The second floor is the main exhibition room and video gallery lined with glittering costumes, while on the third floor, about once a week, visitors can experience the Japanese musical instruments of Noh, including drums and the Noh flute, a type of transverse flute.
- Kanazawa Nohgaku Museum
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- 1-2-25, Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
- From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (clockwise route) around Kanazawa Castle Town. 18 min. ride and get off at Hirosaka/21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (Ishiura Jinja-mae), 2 min. walk from the bus stop.
- 10:00-18:00 (last admission at 17:30), Kimono Experience-15:30 (last admission), Japanese musical instrument Experience-17:00
- Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday, the museum will be open on Monday and closed on the following weekday), year-end and New Year holidays *Special holidays apply (please inquire).
- Adults: 310 yen, Free for high school students and younger, 210 yen for those 65 and older
Experience fee: Free - 076-220-2790
- Parking is available at the Kanazawa City Hall and 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa Parking is free within 30 minutes.
- For details on the Japanese musical instrument experience, please refer to the official website.
6Ame no Tawaraya "Candy Stuffing Experience
Experience "candy stuffing" to fill small containers with candy that grows in size.
This candy store has been in business for about 190 years. The specialty is "jiro-ame," which is made from Japanese Uruchi rice and barley, and visitors can experience "candy filling. First, a Staff/staff member gives a lecture on how to hold and handle the special chopsticks. Then, the staff members take a piece of candy from the tub and twirl it around the chopsticks, or stretch it thin so that it can be easily packed, and transfer it to a container about 10 cm in diameter. At first glance, it looks easy, but there are some incidents such as the candy stretching more than expected and almost spilling out of the container. If the candy is packed well, it is applauded, and it is especially exciting when a group of people participate in the event.
Snacks and cooking. Nutritious and versatile food.
Jiroame" is an old Kanazawa word meaning "soft candy. It is said that the first generation made this nutritious mizuame for mothers raising their children. Even today, it is considered by locals to be good for nourishment when suffering from colds or summer fatigue, and is also popular as a snack to enjoy the natural sweetness of grains. It is also used as a secret ingredient in simmered dishes, etc., to give the dish a rich flavor and a glossy finish.
In addition to the standard flavors, the store also offers ume (plum) and ginger flavors, as well as candies and rice crackers with a "jiroame" arrangement.
- Ame no Tawaraya
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- 2-4 Kobashi-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 17 min. walk from JR Kanazawa Station
- From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Circular Bus "clockwise route"). 5 min. ride, about 2 min. walk from Kobashimachi stop.
- 9:00-18:00 (Sundays-17:00), Candy Stuffing Experience: Monday-Friday (except holidays) 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00
- December 31-January 3, candy-packing experience: Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
- Experience of candy stuffing: 1,500 yen
- 076-252-2079
- Free of charge
- Reservations required at least one day in advance for the candy-stuffing experience; younger children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
7Experience making wagashi (Japanese confectionery) at Koshiyama Kanseido (Kanazawa Wagashi)
Learn how to make authentic Japanese sweets directly from a craftsman. Making authentic Japanese sweets
A Japanese confectionery that opened in 1888 and has eight stores in Kanazawa City.
Three days a week, the shop offers the "Kanazawa Wagashi Handmade Experience," where you can learn directly from a wagashi craftsman. The program is popular among tourists because they can learn how to make authentic wagashi at a long-established shop in the ancient capital of Kanazawa. You can learn how to wrap sweet bean paste in kneaded dough, how to make a tie-dye pattern, and how to make flower petals with a special tool, making you feel like a professional. Wagashi motifs include cherry blossoms in spring, hydrangeas in summer, and maple trees in fall. The beauty of the colors is also well-received.
After the Experience, enjoy shopping and Japanese sweets
The store offers a variety of Japanese sweets based on Kanazawa's culture and customs. The specialty is the Kinjo-maki, which is made in the image of the castle tower and helmet of Kanazawa Castle. The soft dough is used to wrap the sweet bean paste, which comes in a variety of flavors, including brown sugar red bean paste and Iyokan red bean paste. The shop also recommends creative confections using local and Western ingredients, such as Habutae rice cakes kneaded with "Kaga lotus root" and monaka with "Goroshima kintoki" red bean paste sandwiched in between, as well as other items arranged with Kaga vegetables.
The café "CAFE KAN" offers creative Japanese sweets, and is recommended for a break after the Experience.
- Seasonal Japanese Sweets Koshiyama Kanseido
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- 13-17 Musashi-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus "Left Turn Route" around Kanazawa Castle Town. 5 min. ride and get off at Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Market (Ichibakan-mae). 3 min. walk from the bus stop.
- 9:00-18:00, Handmade Wagashi Experience: Monday, Thursday, Saturday from 13:30, 15:00
- Wednesdays (open if Wednesday is a national holiday)
- Handmade Japanese confectionery Experience: 1,200 yen for junior high school students and older, 1,100 yen for ages 10-12, 1,200 yen for ages 9 and younger (must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
- 076-221-0336
- Free of charge
- Reservations required at least 2 days in advance for the Handmade Japanese Confectionery Experience; if there are 5 or more people, the experience is available on other days of the week.
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
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