Guide to Katamachi, Kanazawa|Enjoying lunch to deep into the night in this gastronomic town

Located in the center of Kanazawa, the Katamachi area is one of the largest downtown areas in Hokuriku with more than several thousand restaurants. Despite its compact size, the area is full of good restaurants that will make you want to return again and again, including cafes that are close to your daily life, popular restaurants with long lines, and restaurants and Properties where you can experience traditional crafts and art. In this article, we will introduce some of the recommended spots in the Katamachi area, which is becoming more and more bustling, including long-established famous stores and new stores that are popping up one after another.

Enjoy fresh "Live Crab" from noon!

 Kanou Crab Sashimi
Kanou Crab Sashimi" (market value)

This is the second branch of Kanazawa's popular kappo restaurant Ajidokoro Takasaki, located inside Classo Place Korinbo. In addition to the popular menu of "Ajidokoro Takasaki," the restaurant is popular for its authentic crab dishes that can be enjoyed from noon during the season. You can order Kano-gani, a male snow crab from Ishikawa Prefecture, from November 9 to April 8, when the crab fishing season in Ishikawa Prefecture opens and the crabs are available in the market. This is a rare place where you can eat a whole Kanou crab during the daytime.

Known as one of the rare restaurants where you can enjoy live crab, Kano Crab is freshly caught from the restaurant's cage after ordering and served as sashimi or grilled crab. The "Kano-gani sashimi" is one of the best. Only freshly caught crabs can be enjoyed as if they are in full bloom. Reservations are recommended due to the restaurant's popularity.

Lunch place Takasaki
  • AddressG-Floor, Claso Place Korinbo, 2-1-1 Korinbo, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 15 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo, and walk about 2 minutes.
  •  Business hours 11:00-17:00 (L.O.16:30) *Last entry at 15:30
  •  Closed Wednesdays, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
  •  TEL 076-224-7055
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo Reservations recommended

Authentic Indian cuisine that is delicious no matter who you are!

 Chicken Biryani and Small Curry Set
Chicken Biryani and Small Curry Set" (1,450 yen), "Mango Lassi" (450 yen)

This Indian/Nepalese Restaurant is located in a corner of Seseragi-dori Street, which runs along the Kurazuki Waterway. It offers authentic Indian and Nepalese cuisine prepared by a Japanese-Nepalese couple and an Indian chef trained in India. The dishes have an authentic taste that even Indian people recognize, but Japanese people are also comfortable eating them, and many repeat customers keep coming back. The chef carefully prepares fresh ingredients and skillfully manipulates Indian spices to create a wonderful flavor.
The most recommended lunch menu item is the "Chicken Biryani and Small Curry Set," which includes biryani and curry. Biryani, a cooked rice dish richly flavored with spices, goes perfectly with homemade raita (yogurt salad). Of course, sets with a choice of naan or rice are also available. For dinner, there is a wide variety, with more than 30 types of curry to choose from.

Indian Restaurant Ashirward
  • Address 1-4-59, Kanazawa-Chayomachi, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •   Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Korinbo" and walk 3 minutes.
  • Business Hours 11:30 - 14:30 (L.O. 14:00), 18:00 - 22:00 (last entry 21:00)
  •  Closed Mondays (or the following Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday)
  •  TEL 076-262-2170
  •  Parking None

Taste the best of traditional craftsmanship with your eyes and taste buds.

 Part of
Part of "Member's Course" (8,800 yen for members / 12,000 yen for non-members for the first time)

A Restaurant with Experience of Traditional Crafts produced by the 10th generation Wajima-nuri master. The first floor is a counter where you can casually enjoy a la carte meals and drinks, mainly Japanese dishes such as evolved oden, while the second floor offers contemporary Japanese cuisine courses by reservation only.

On the second floor, a visitor's course is available, and the first time you visit, you do not have to be a member to enjoy the casual atmosphere. The luxurious use of Wajima-nuri tea bowls, which sometimes cost hundreds of thousands of yen, is enchanting. The real pleasure is to be able to taste the essence of traditional craftsmanship, which can only be discovered by actually using it. Sharpening your senses and tasting food in a new world with texture and touch will surely be a memorable part of your trip. There is also a craft store on the premises, so please check it out as well.

CRAFEAT produced by Taya Lacquerware Store
  • Address 5-2 Kikura-cho, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo and walk about 4 minutes.
  •  Business hours Restaurant: 17:00-23:00, Craft store: 13:00-23:00
    Lunch: 11:30-13:00 (L.O. 13:00)
  •  Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
  •  TEL 090-4740-4177
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo No charge

An authentic Italian bar that can be enjoyed until late at night

 Four kinds of Carpaccio - each with its own sauce
Four kinds of Carpaccio - each with its own sauce" (1,500 yen), "Pasta with Ishikawa Kabako Crab" (2,000 yen)

This Italian restaurant is located in a corner of Xintiandi. It has two floors, which is rare in Xintiandi. The first floor has a stylish atmosphere with a counter, while the second floor has a quieter atmosphere with 14 table seats. The goal was to create a space where guests can enjoy food and drinks together. With the concept of "delicious, fun, and affordable," the restaurant offers seasonal Italian dishes that change daily.
The "Pasta with Ishikawa Crab", available only from November to December, is an excellent dish in which the crab is intertwined with the pasta, making it a perfect accompaniment to alcoholic beverages. The "Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes" and "Pasta with Salmon Roe and Sea Salmon Cream Sauce" are also popular and standard items. Of special note is the "Carpaccio" using seasonal seafood. Enjoy the one-of-a-kind taste of our original sauce.

Il Mare
  • Address 2-5-11 Shintenchi, Katamachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk 3 minutes.
  •  Business Hours 17:00 - 24:00 (Food L.O.23:30)
  •  Closed Thursdays
  •  TEL 090-5171-3390
  •  Parking None

Happiness of enjoying authentic Czech cuisine with Czech beer

 Sample courses:
Sample courses: "Assorted Appetizers", "Hobegy Grache" made with Noto beef

The owner of this restaurant, who once served as a chef in the official residence, is one of the best Czech cuisine specialists in the country. The owner, who once served as a chef in the official residence, is one of the best chefs in Japan specializing in Czech cuisine. You can enjoy one dish at a time a la carte, but we recommend the omakase course, "light Czech cuisine". The "Assorted Appetizers," which includes marinated mackerel, vinegared sausage, confit gizzard, smoked pork tongue, etc., and "Hoveziegláš," paprika braised beef, the most famous and beloved Czech dish, are all authentic flavors that will make you drink more.
There are three different ways to drink beer, including "Mirko," a beer with only bubbles, which gives the beer a delicate sweetness.

DUB
  • Address 2-4-6 Katamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo bus stop and walk about 5 minutes.
  •  Business hours 18:00~24:00(L.O.23:00)
  •  Closed Sunday
  •  TEL 080-6366-3322
  •  Parking None

Casual enjoyment of different types of gibier with sake

 Kangaroo Steak
Kangaroo Steak" (100g, 2,000 yen), "Grilled Crocodile Tail" (100g, 2,300 yen), "Kanazawa Beer" (800 yen each)

This meat bar is located on the second floor of Toriyanse. The menu is based on gibier cuisine. What is surprising is the lineup. Ostrich, crocodile, kangaroo, rabbit, and more are available, depending on the time of day.
The seasoning of all the game dishes is simple, and you can really feel the meat. Crocodile meat is white, odorless, and tastes like chicken. Kangaroo is lean but refreshing. In addition to meat, pasta, beef garlic rice, and appetizers are also available for a solid meal. The homemade sweets that go well with drinks are also popular, making it a good place to visit for the second or third time. Many people come here for a drink alone, as if it were a café, and the casual atmosphere is very appealing.

SHEEPs HEAD
  • Address 2F, 2-23-6 Katamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 12 min. drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk 3 minutes.
  •  Business Hours 18:00-25:00 (Food L.O.23:30)
  •  Closed Sunday, Holidays
  •  TEL 080-8695-6799
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo Charge 400 yen

A bar where you want to toast to a once-in-a-lifetime encounter

 A wide variety of alcoholic beverages, including craft gin and shochu, selected by the owner, are available.
A wide variety of alcoholic beverages, including craft gin and shochu, selected by the owner, are available.

This cozy bar with only six seats is tucked away in a side street, with a sign posted quietly on the wall. Passing through the curtain, you will surely feel as if you have been pulled into a different world. The interior, based on mortar and reminiscent of a tea-ceremony room, has a sophisticated and mature atmosphere.
The female Staff/staff members standing at the moody counter are all unique and will delight Guest/customers. Enjoy the conversation and the atmosphere of the restaurant and get intoxicated in the evening in Kanazawa.

NOMA
  • Address 6-4 Kikura-cho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo bus stop and walk about 5 minutes.
  •  Business hours Unsettled (check our Instagram Stories)
  •  Closed Closed irregularly (about twice a month. Must check on Instagram Stories)
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo Charge 1,000 yen

The concept is "home. A restaurant that makes you want to come home.

 A la carte dishes start at 550 yen. Beef tongue stewed in red wine
A la carte dishes start at 550 yen. Beef tongue stewed in red wine" (1,000 yen), "Mako nimittan" (550 yen)

This is the perfect place to knock on the door of Kanazawa Chuo Ajishoku-gai (Kanazawa Central Taste Food Street). The proprietress greets everyone who enters the restaurant by saying, "Welcome home. Her voice relaxes your shoulders and makes you want to say, "I'm home. The charm of this restaurant is that you can enjoy the cozy atmosphere as if you have returned to your parents' home.
The menu changes daily. You can enjoy the taste of home cooking that I have cultivated as a housewife for many years, little by little, for a reasonable price. The dishes using seasonal vegetables are also popular, with the hope that customers will "take in nutrition here, just like at home. The "Beef tongue stewed in red wine," which is prepared when there is time, is a superb dish, with the meat melting into a tender, tender mass. Advance reservations are recommended due to the restaurant's popularity.

Kanazawa Obanzai RIKA Rice
  • Address 2-13-8 Katamachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  •  Direction Approximately 8 minutes from JR Kanazawa Station by car
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk 3 minutes.
  •  Business hours 19:00-23:00
  •  Closed Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and national holidays *Confirmation required via Instagram Stories
  •  TEL 080-4258-1221
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo 500 yen for appetizers

Discover sophisticated items nurtured by Kanazawa's history

 Hana Ohariko
Hana Ohariko" (3,410 yen), "Hana Hariyama" (1,980 yen), "Mame Hariyama" (1,375 yen), "Ohariko (pattern)" (2,970 yen), etc.

A gallery and store featuring traditional Kanazawa crafts. A wide variety of crafts that fit in with modern lifestyles and are pleasant to receive are lined up here. From Kaga temari and local toys to flower pincushions and cute sewing sets, these items are sure to brighten up your daily life. Accessories such as mizuhiki, Kaga embroidery, and gold leaf earrings and pierced earrings are perfect for everyday wear and a great way to remember your trip.

Crafts are encounters. The first floor is a store, and the second floor regularly holds special exhibitions of artists associated with Ishikawa.

Kanazawa Crafts Hirosaka
  • Address 1-2-25, Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Hirosaka/21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art" and walk about 2 minutes.
  •  Business hours 10:00-18:00
  •  Closed Mondays (closed the next day if Monday is a national vacation), Year-end and New Year holidays (December 30 - January 2)
  •  TEL 076-265-3320
  •  Parking None

Weave a rich time by incorporating the extraordinary into your daily life.

 The pure white walls blend in with any artwork.
The pure white walls blend in with any artwork.

The gallery is located along the main street near the Saigawa River. A 90-year-old townhouse has been renovated into a place where visitors can experience art. The pure white walls are decorated with works by artists from all over Japan. The gallery is known for displaying only the works that move the owner's heart, without regard to artist or field.

The owner says, "I want people to come here casually and feel something extraordinary in their daily lives. One way to enjoy the artwork is to take your time while thinking about the intent and background of the work, and to find your own answer to the question. By taking your time to look at the art, you will feel a sense of satisfaction as if your heart has been recharged. The gallery is open twice a month for 9 days during the exhibition period only. Check the website for details.

Gallery Tonerico
  • Address 3-30 Ikeda-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  •  Direction 11 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk 3 minutes.
  •  Business hours 11:00-18:00 (Last day of the exhibition: ~17:00) Sundays from 12:30
  •  Closed Wednesdays during the exhibition (closed irregularly during preparation for the exhibition)
  •  TEL 076-231-2678
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo No admission fee

Japanese sweets and tea with a view of the tsuboniwa garden

 Seasonal Japanese sweets
Seasonal Japanese sweets" (market price), "Fruit tea" (1,100 yen)

This coffee shop is tucked away in a building in Katamachi. The coffee shop corner offers a view of the tsuboniwa garden, and you will be surprised at the Japanese-style space that you would not expect to find inside a building.
At the coffee shop, fresh confections from the Japanese confectionery shop "Yoshi Hashi," which offers fresh confections by reservation only, are popular. Seasonal Japanese sweets served in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere are a real treat. Fruit tea from "Haas & Haas," a prestigious tea company from Vienna, is enchanting with its aromatic flavor. Enjoy the berry flavor from the tea leaves filled with dried fruits such as raspberries and papaya to your heart's content.

Enjoy not only the café but also the handicrafts.

 The gallery space is lined with high-quality handicrafts from Japan and abroad.
The gallery space is lined with high-quality handicrafts from Japan and abroad.

The gallery occupies one-third of the spacious store. The owner, who values his relationships with customers, has selected a wide range of artifacts from Japan and abroad. The lineup is wide, both domestic and international, and the owner says that she only handles crafts that she really likes.
He says, "I learn a lot from the makers," and his love for the makers and their crafts is evident. In the gallery, visitors can feel the comfort of the crafts and get hints on how to use them. The crafts on display change from time to time, so enjoy every encounter.

Local Guide
Supporters

Reservations are required by 9:30 a.m. on the day of the event, and the lunch menu, which serves only about 10 meals, is also a point of pride. The menu changes daily and is all homemade. The simple and warm home-style cooking, which is additive-free, will warm your heart. It is a relaxing space for adults that is perfect for solo diners.

Craft Gallery Coffee Wave
  • Address 3F, Labrick 90, 1-3-13 Katamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo and walk about 4 minutes.
  •  Business Hours 11:30-17:00
  •  Regular holiday Wednesday (irregular holidays)
  •  TEL 076-232-1173
  •  Parking None *Toll parking is available nearby (service ticket available for purchases over 1,000 yen)

Health-friendly, additive-free handmade sweets

 A set (drink M)
A set (drink M)" 1,200 yen with your choice of drink and crepe, toppings 50 yen each

The café offers health-friendly, additive-free, handmade sweets centering on crepes. Once you try the crepes, you will become addicted to their chewy texture that is as chewy as they are thin. Try them with meringue pudding or bear cookie toppings.
The popular "A set" includes a crepe and a drink. The "Matcha Brownie" crepe, made with an abundance of Yame matcha green tea, is a must for matcha lovers. It is not too sweet, so you will not get tired of eating it until the end.

A sweet treat time in a store with eye-catching dried flowers

 Enjoy a relaxing tea time in a healing space overflowing with warmth
Enjoy a relaxing tea time in a healing space overflowing with warmth

The drinks using Kaga black tea and Kaga stick tea are also noteworthy. The Kaga Bocha Fruit Tea, made with Kaga Bocha tea from Nodaya Tea House, is a drink that is unmistakably Ishikawa. The lemon tea base is refreshing and has a slight aroma of stick tea. The warm atmosphere of the restaurant, with its wooden tables and dried flowers, will make you feel like staying for a long time. The restaurant is designed in a cozy, natural space with the hope that customers will take a break from their busy daily lives and spend some time relaxing and enjoying nature.

Local Guide
Supporters

There are also tables equipped with electrical outlets where you can charge your cell phone or work on your computer. There are also stylish mirrors and chairs that make you want to take pictures!

Chanoki Kanazawa
  • Address Miyashita Bldg. 1F, 101-1 Tatemachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 11 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •   Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk about 5 minutes.
  •  Business Hours Monday-Saturday 12:00-18:00, Sunday and national holidays 11:00-18:00 *Subject to change
  •  Closed Wednesday
  •  TEL 076-255-6564
  •  Parking No parking *Pay parking is available in the vicinity.

Enjoy Kanazawa, where tradition and modernity intersect at a leisurely pace

 Cake Set: Goroshima Kintoki Sweet Potato Roll Cake/Kaga Bocha Tea
Cake Set: Goroshima Kintoki Sweet Potato Roll Cake/Kaga Bocha Tea" (1,200 yen)

The cafe is located right across from the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. It is also a perfect place to take a break from your trip. Up the stairs, you will find a calm space with a sense of openness. The large windows overlook the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa's "Color Activity House," making it a great place to relax while enjoying the view. The restaurant is also attractive in that you can enjoy the four seasons: cherry blossoms in spring, fresh greenery in summer, autumn leaves in fall, and snowy landscape in winter.

The popular cake set includes a choice of cake and drink. We recommend the "Seasonal Roll Cake" with its moist and fluffy texture, or the "Kanazawa Yuzu Fromage" with its cheese marriage. Aromatic Kaga-bocha tea is the perfect accompaniment to the cakes. The first floor is a sweets store where you can also purchase souvenirs.

Kotomi
  • Address 1-2-27, Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Hirosaka/21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art" and walk about 2 minutes.
  •  Business Hours Store: Weekdays 12:00-17:30, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 11:00-17:30
    Cafe: Weekdays 12:00-17:30 (L.O. 17:00), Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays 11:00-17:30 (L.O. 17:00)
  •  TEL 076-222-5103
  •  Parking None

A coffee stand you will want to drop in on a whim. A coffee stand that accompanies you in your daily life

 Muffin
Muffin" (420 yen), "Drip Coffee" (medium size, 500 yen), "Baileys Latte" (700 yen), "Chocolate Cake" (380 yen)

A coffee stand with a small signboard along the main street near Saigawa River. The drip coffee made with roasted beans from Saito Coffee, a famous Sapporo coffee shop, is a cup with a rich and mellow aftertaste. The handmade baked goods are all mildly sweet and gentle in flavor, making them a perfect match for the coffee. Muffins and scones made with seasonal fruits are popular.
Alcoholic beverages are also available, and it is nice to be able to drink from midday. Heineken and Heartland beers are available, as well as cocktails such as "Bailey's Latte" and "Orange Chocolata. It is a place where you can casually drop in and take a break with a cup of coffee, or take out and enjoy a walk along the Saigawa River.

one one otta
  • Address 3-29-3 Ikeda-cho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 11 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk 3 minutes.
  •  Business hours Monday-Friday 8:00-18:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-18:00
  •  Closed Wednesday
  •  Parking None

A Japanese/Western bar and sweet shop where people who can drink and those who can't can toast together.

 Thick Chocolate Terrine (1,100 yen), Zinfandel (1,100 yen per glass), Gokujo Honwarabimochi (1,100 yen), Youho Hyakumangoku No Shiro Junmai Ginjo (1,320 yen per bottle)
Thick Chocolate Terrine (1,100 yen), Zinfandel (1,100 yen per glass), Gokujo Honwarabimochi (1,100 yen), Youho Hyakumangoku No Shiro Junmai Ginjo (1,320 yen per bottle)

A bar where you can enjoy sweets and drinks is tucked away behind the main street of Kikura-machi. During the day, drink sets with sweet treats are available, and at night, you can enjoy drinks and sweet treats with a one-order system. It is a casual place to stop by, and since you take off your shoes and step up to the tatami room, you can relax as if you were at home.

The sake selection is centered on locally brewed sake from Ishikawa Prefecture, with no standard selection. Sake goes well with "Gokujo Honwarabi Mochi," a perfect body of warabimochi (strawbaked rice cake) imported from a famous Japanese confectionery store that has not changed its blending method for 30 years, and "Seared Dumpling Set. Don't miss the "Zinfandel" wine selected by the sommelier to go with the "Thick Chocolate Terrine. Soft drinks typical of Kanazawa, such as Maruhachi Tea's Kaga-bocha tea and 36 Coffee, which is popular at local coffee stands, are also available for those who cannot drink alcohol.

Ozashiki BAR & sweet shop Kagome
  • Address 5-13 Kikura-cho, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction Approximately 13 minutes from JR Kanazawa Station by car
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo and walk about 4 minutes.
  •  Business hours 11:30-16:30 (L.O.16:00), 20:00-2:00 (Sunday only 19:00-0:00)
  •  Closed Lunch: Tuesday-Thursday (irregular holidays) *Holidays may change during winter season; Dinner: Tuesday, irregular holidays
  •  TEL 070-3275-2542
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo Night only charge 1,100 yen

    Night only charge 1,000 yen
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.