Kanazawa (Ishikawa)
Local Guide
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>.

Experience painting Kutani-yaki, a representative of Kaga's traditional crafts

The
The "Painting Experience" uses the same tools as craftspeople. It takes about 1 hour.

Founded in 1870, this is the only Kutani pottery in Kanazawa City.
In the "Painting Experience," visitors can learn the process of line painting, which is the final step in the Kutaniyaki production process. 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.

Coffee cups. Yoshidaya
Coffee cups. Yoshidaya" in front, 17,050 yen; "Kinrande" and "Tessen" in the back left, 19,800 yen, etc.

This studio is unusual among Kutaniyaki workshops in that it does all the work in-house, from shaping on the potter's wheel to overglaze painting. Before the Experience, visitors can take a tour of the studio, where they can view traditional Kutaniyaki pieces and learn about the characteristics of each piece.
 The store has a lineup of its own products. Gorgeous items decorated with Kutani Five Colors are perfect as souvenirs of Kanazawa. A set of five traditional Kutani ware patterns, such as a set of choko (cups) and coffee cups, can be purchased for around 20,000 yen each.

Kutani Kosen Kiln
  • Address 5-3-3 Nomachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from Nomachi Station on Hokuriku Railway Ishikawa Line
  • Hours of Operation 9:00 - 17:00, Painting Experience - 15:30 (last admission)
  • Closed January 1
  • Admission Fee Painting Experience: 2,200-7,700 yen (excluding shipping charges)
  • TEL 076-241-0902
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Experience of painting is by reservation only.

Create gorgeous and memorable works of art with gold leaf crafts

Gold leaf application experience
Gold leaf application experience" is held four times a day. It takes about 1 hour.

This is a long-established gold leaf store with multiple stores in Kanazawa. At the main store, visitors can enjoy the "Gold Leaf Placing Experience. First, select an item from chopsticks, compact mirrors, small boxes, and so on. 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 include 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

Miniature Cherry Blossom Boxes, which can be made during the gold leaf application experience, 2,310 yen. The color of the container can be selected from red or black.
Miniature Cherry Blossom Boxes, which can be made during the gold leaf application experience, 2,310 yen. The color of the container can be selected from red or black.

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
  • Address 1-3-27 Higashiyama, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 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.
  • Business Hours 9:00-17:00 *Varies according to the season.
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Experience of applying gold leaf: 1,430 yen and up
  • TEL 076-251-6777 (reception 9:00-17:00)
  • Parking Free of charge (5 cars)
  • Memo Reservations are required for the gold leaf application experience. For details on reservations and the Experience, please check the official website.

Modern Japanese accessories made with Kaga yuzen

Create your own one-of-a-kind work of art by using different color schemes. The coloring of the earrings takes about 60 minutes.
Create your own one-of-a-kind work of art by using different color schemes. The coloring of the earrings takes about 60 minutes.

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, who can choose from three different designs and color in the outline of the glue. The secret to a good finish is to start with a light color and gradually add more colors. The trick is to start with a light color and gradually build up to a lighter color, and to 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 the customer's home.

A rare workshop where you can see craftsmen's skills up close

Hand-painted Kaga Yuzen Earrings
Hand-painted Kaga Yuzen Earrings" using silk organdie fabric. 8,580 yen each

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 works, and "GlassYuzen," which is a fusion of Yuzen and glass.

Kaga Yuzen Maida Senga Kogei
  • Address 3-9-19, Honda-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 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.
  • Hours of Operation 9:00-17:00, Experience of coloring: 10:00-16:00 (last admission)
  • ClosedClosed on Saturdays, Sundays, and non-scheduled holidays
  • Admission fee Experience coloring: Pierced earrings 8,800 yen (shipping fee 1,000 yen not included), small furoshiki cloth 15,000 yen, one-stroke experience & tour 1,500 yen and up
  • TEL 076-221-3365
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo 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.

Design your own traditional Kaga doll

Painting experience using water-based paints is offered seven times a day and takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
Painting experience using water-based paints is offered seven times a day and takes about 30 to 40 minutes.

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

An example of Experience work. Kaga Hachiman Kigarashi (size 3): 1,100 yen
An example of Experience work. Kaga Hachiman Kigarashi (size 3): 1,100 yen

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
  • Address 88 Aokusa-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan MAP
  • Bus Direction From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take a 5 min. ride on the Hokutetsu Bus "Left Turn Route" around Kanazawa Castle Town, and get off at "Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Ichibakan (Ichibakan-mae)" stop.
  • Hours of Operation 9:00-17:30, Painting Experience 10:00-16:00 (last admission)
  • Closed Tuesdays (open if Tuesday is a national holiday)
  • Admission fee Painting Experience 1,100 yen
  • TEL 076-232-1818
  • Parking None
  • Memo For details on the Hachiman Kiagari Painting Experience, check the official website at

    For details on the Painting Experience, check the official website at

Wear authentic Nishijin brocade costumes and feel like a Noh actor

The
The "yuken" pose expresses joy. Experience of dressing up takes 10 to 20 minutes.

The museum specializes in Noh, exhibiting masks and costumes of the traditional Noh play "Kaga Hosho" in Kanazawa, and visitors can try on authentic Noh masks and Nishijin karori Noh costumes at the Experience Corner. 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 Noh costumes: the red "Iroiri" for young women, and the "Beni-nashi" for mothers and elderly women. There are 20 masks to choose from, including "koomote" for young women, "oo" for old men, and "hannya" for old women.
 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

Japan's only museum specializing in Noh plays
Japan's only museum specializing in Noh plays

The centerpiece of the museum is its extensive collection of Kaga Hosei. Kaga Hosho" is the name given to the Hosho school of Noh developed by the Maeda family of the Kaga domain as ceremonial music for the samurai class, and is designated as an intangible cultural asset by Kanazawa City.
 The exhibition space on the first floor is the same size as a 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 with glittering costumes and a video gallery.

Photo courtesy of Kanazawa City (exterior)
Photo courtesy of Kanazawa City (exterior)
Kanazawa Nohgaku Museum
  • Address 1-2-25, Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  • Direction 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.
  • Hours of Operation 10:00-18:00 (last admission at 17:30), Dressing Experience (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays only) - 15:30 (last admission)
  • Regular holiday 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).
  • Admission Fee Adults 310 yen, Free for high school students and younger, 210 yen for those 65 years and older
    Experience fees: Noh masks 100 yen, Noh costumes 200 yen.
  • TEL 076-220-2790
  • Parking Parking is available at the Kanazawa City Hall and 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa Parking is free within 30 minutes.
  • Memo For the Experience of wearing Noh masks, please check the official website for details.

    For the Experience of wearing Noh masks, please check the official website for details.

Experience "candy stuffing" to fill small containers with candy that grows in size.

All-you-can fill a container that holds 300g. 8 times a day, starting every 30 minutes. Takes about 30 minutes.
All-you-can fill a container that holds 300g. 8 times a day, starting every 30 minutes. Takes about 30 minutes.

A candy store specializing in candy since its establishment in 1868. The specialty is "jiro-ame," a kind of ame made of Japanese Uruchi rice and barley, and visitors can try their hand at stuffing the candy. 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.

Established in 1830. The building, which still retains the atmosphere of those days, is a designated preserved building of Kanazawa City.
Established in 1830. The building, which still retains the atmosphere of those days, is a designated preserved building of Kanazawa City.

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
  • Address 2-4 Kobashi-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approx. 17 min. walk from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Direction 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.
  • Hours of Operation 9:00 - 17:30 (Sundays - 17:00), Candy-stuffing Experience: Monday - Friday (except holidays) 10:00 - 10:30 - 11:00 - 11:30 p.m. 14:00 - 14:30 - 15:00 - 15:30 - p.m.
  • Regular holiday December 31-January 3, candy-packing experience: Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
  • Admission Fee Experience of candy stuffing 2,200 yen
  • TEL 076-252-2079
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Reservations required at least one day in advance for the candy-stuffing experience; younger children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Learn how to make authentic Japanese sweets directly from a craftsman. Making authentic Japanese sweets

An example of summer sweets made during the Experience. Hydrangea
An example of summer sweets made during the Experience. Hydrangea" and "Goldfish. The process takes about 40 minutes.

A Japanese confectionery that opened in 1888 and has several stores in Kanazawa.
Three days a week, the shop offers a "Kanazawa Wagashi Handmade Experience," where you can learn directly from a wagashi craftsman. The program is popular among tourists because they can learn authentic wagashi at a long-established shop in Kanazawa, the ancient capital of Japan. 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 using special tools, 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

Kinjomaki
Kinjomaki" is a representative confectionary.

The store offers a variety of wagashi (Japanese confectionery) based on Kanazawa 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 mochi (rice cakes) kneaded with Kaga lotus root, and monaka, a cute-looking bell-shaped monaka.
 The café "CAFE KAN" is also a good place to take a break after the Experience and enjoy creative Japanese sweets.

Seasonal Japanese Sweets Koshiyama Kanseido
  • Address 2-11-28 Owari-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Bus DirectionFrom the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus "Left Turn Route" around Kanazawa Castle Town. 5 min. ride, 1 min. walk from Owari-machi Bus Stop.
  • Hours of Operation 9:00-17:30, Experience handmade wagashi (Japanese confectionery): Mon, Thu, Sat, 13:30-15:00
  • Regular holiday Wednesdays (open if Wednesday is a national holiday)
  • Admission Fee Handmade wagashi Experience: 1,800 yen for junior high school students and older, 1,700 yen for 10-12 year olds
  • TEL 076-221-0336
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo 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.

MAP

<Recommended Traditional Culture Experience Spots in Kanazawa>.
Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Return to article top
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.