A collection of delicious souvenirs from Kanazawa. From famous sweets to traditional food
Kanazawa, where the culture of chanoyu (tea ceremony) is deeply rooted, is known for its many Japanese confectionery stores that are indispensable for tea ceremonies. From wagashi made using traditional methods to sweets and pickles made from Kaga vegetables and fermented foods that are the pride of Hokuriku, here are some of the delicious souvenirs unique to Kanazawa.
1Sweet Bean Curd "Ama-natto" and "Togashi (sugar candy)" from Kawamura
Modern amanatto (sweet bean paste) popular in "Nishi-chaya-gai" (Nishi-chaya district)
This amanatto store opened in 2001 in Nishi Chaya-gai, where many quaint machiya buildings remain. The geiko used to give them to their regular customers as "chayagai omotase" and they attracted a lot of attention, and now they have about 15 kinds of amanatto (sweetened soybeans). The ingredients are carefully selected from all over Japan, including black soybeans from Noto, Ishikawa, and white beans from Hokkaido. The beans are cooked in a large kettle in the workshop on the premises, using different methods for each bean. The fluffy and fragrant amanatto has a gentle sweetness and natural flavor.
Sugar Fruit Juice" made with Iyokan (Iyokan citrus), blood orange peel, and other peelings is refreshing and tasty whether eaten on its own or with yogurt, tea, or ice cream.
Amanatto: Shirohana-bijin 80g, Ohama-no-Kuromame 80g, Sugar Fruit Child: Iyokan 30g, 303 yen each
Shelf life: 21 days from the date of manufacture if unopened, the next day after opening.
- Amanatto Kawamura
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2-24-7 Nomachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
11 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Hirokoji and walk 2 minutes.
9:30-18:00, Sundays and holidays - 17:00
1st Tuesday of the month, December 31 - January 3
Open on the 1st Tuesday of January, May, and December
076-282-7000
Available
2Yoshihashi Confectionery Mamehan "Walnut Rice Cake", "Tsutto Tsutto".
Walnut sweets made by one of Kanazawa's best Japanese confectionery stores
Located in a residential area near the "Higashi Chaya-gai" (Higashi Tea House District), this famous store has earned an exceptional reputation as Kanazawa's tea ceremony confectionery. Since its main products are fresh confections served at tea ceremonies and ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurants), they are only made to order. The third generation brothers launched the "Mamehan" brand in response to requests from customers who wanted to try the wagashi of the "Yoshi Hashi Confectionery". They offer about five kinds of wagashi, such as dorayaki and easy-to-eat sized yokans, that can last for a long time without reservations.
Among them, "Kurumi Mochi" has a chewy texture and the simple flavor of walnuts. The "Deko Deko," named for its lumpy appearance and texture, is a fragrant confection of roasted walnuts mixed with brown sugar from Amami Oshima Island and covered with matcha green tea, soybean flour, and cocoa.
Walnut rice cake 7 slices 1,010 yen, Convexity Convex 702 yen
Shelf life: 10 days from the date of manufacture for the walnut rice cake, 25 days from the date of manufacture for the convex and convex.
- Yoshihashi Confectionery Mamehan
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- 2-2-2 Higashiyama, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (clockwise route) around Kanazawa Castle Town, and get off at Hashiba-cho (Higashi/Sukkeicho Tea House Street).
- 9:30-17:30
- Closed on weekends and holidays
- 076-252-2634
- Free of charge (2 cars)
3Confectionery Workshop Grape Tree "Nyanko Baum in Kanazawa
Salted caramel-flavored baum with a cute die-cut cat
Since its release on Cat's Day (February 22) in 2018, this candy has gained popularity with its adorable cat silhouette. It has a story setting; the cat is named "Tora," born in Noto and raised in Kanazawa, and is nine years old. In reference to its age, nine flat layers of fluffy baum dough are layered on top of each other. A fun playful touch is that when the square baum is slowly unmolded, the shape of "Tora" appears. The bittersweet salted caramel flavor, made with Noto's "Wajima no Umishio" salt, which is rich in flavor, is superb.
Another popular item is "Nyanko no sable in Kanazawa," a sable in the shape of a "tiger. Both are also available at Kanazawa Hyakubangai in Kanazawa Station.
Nyanko baum in Kanazawa: 486 yen per piece
Shelf life: 63 days from the date of manufacture
- Grape Tree Confectionery
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- 50-1 Ha, Iwade-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 15 min. walk from IR Ishikawa Railway Morimoto Stn.
- 9:30-19:00
- No holidays
- 076-258-0236
- Free of charge
4Koyodo Kato Kanazawa Meguri
Colorful dried confections depicting the four seasons in Kanazawa
Kotobuki senbei, a round dried confectionary, is an essential part of Kaga celebrations. Uchiwa Sembei" is an arrangement of Kotobuki Sembei in the shape of an uchiwa fan. Freshly pounded rice cake is rolled out thinly and baked in a mold, then coated with white honey. The surface is then coated with white honey, and the seasonal scenery of Kanazawa is depicted with floating honey made from whipped egg whites and sugar. The crispy texture is like the skin of a monaka and melts in the mouth. You can enjoy the lingering taste of elegant sweetness.
The square-shaped "Kaga Shikishi," with designs of flowers, birds, wind, and the moon, is also a signature item. The name is a play on the words "four seasons" and "shikishi," which means "colored paper. Delicate pictures representing the seasons are drawn by hand, one by one. In addition to the main store, it is also sold at "Kanazawa Hyakubangai" in Kanazawa Station.
Kanazawa Meguri 972 yen
Shelf life: 50 days from the date of manufacture
5Mameya Kanazawa Bankyu's main store "Shimi
The elegant design of the bean box is also attractive. Chocolate soaked light Okaki
They produce bean confections made from organic soybeans and black beans grown in Ishikawa Prefecture, as well as glossy confections with gold leaf. Recommended as a quick souvenir is "Shimi," a new type of bean confectionery made with bite-sized black soybean crackers soaked in chocolate. The crunchy and light texture is accented by the elegant sweetness and flavor of the black beans. Two flavors are available: savory yellow soybean flour and roasted tea.
The cute bean-shaped paper box is also a must-have. The design of the box is hand-painted by Kutani Yaki artisans and includes "Kaga Hachiman Kiagari Ningyo," "Kenrokuen Garden," a rabbit, a dog, and other designs. At the main store, Korinbo Yamato store, and Meitetsu Mza store, you can choose your favorite bean box. In addition, they are also available at "Kanazawa Hyakubangai" in Kanazawa Station.
Shimimi: 10 pieces of yellow soybean flour chocolate, 10 pieces of roasted tea chocolate, 864 yen and up each (depending on the design of the bean box)
Shelf life: Approximately 30 days from the date of manufacture
- Mameya Kanazawa Bankyu, Main Store
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- 50-1 Ha, Iwade-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 15 min. walk from IR Ishikawa Railway Morimoto Stn.
- 9:30-19:00
- No holidays
- 076-258-3366
- Free of charge
6Shijumanya Honpo "Kinjo Kabura Sushi
Kanazawa's traditional fermented food full of flavor
Founded in 1875 (Meiji 8), this store is famous for kabura-zushi, a wintertime delicacy in Ishikawa Prefecture. The turnips used are "Hyakumangoku Aokubu Kabura" grown in the mountain villages near Kanazawa and Noto, which are exclusively used for Kabura-zushi. The turnip is pickled in salt, sandwiched between two pieces of cold yellowtail that have been aged for about six months, and then marinated for about 10 days in a traditional special malt (kouji) to extract maximum flavor. Its rich aroma and full flavor are unforgettable once you taste it.
In recent years, when it has become possible to control fermentation, kabura-zushi can be made even in summer using "Hyakumangoku Aokubu Kabura" harvested from our own farms and contract farms from spring to summer. Kinjo Kaburazushi Summer Koji," which uses aged cold yellowtail and malt for summer, offers a mildly sweet and refreshing taste.
Kinjyo kabura sushi (about 2 pieces, 250g in total) in a bag is 1,674 yen. Summer malt is 1,728 yen.
Shelf life: about 10 days
- Shimanya Honpo
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- 1-17-28 Yayoi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 15 min. on the Hokutetsu Bus bound for Hikarigaoka Residence via Izumino 3-chome from the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, approx. 3 min. walk from the Numatamachi stop.
- 9:00-18:00
- 1st Sunday of the month
- 076-241-4173
- Free of charge
7Preserved food specialty store stoock "Kanazawa pickles
A variety of attractive preserved foods using local ingredients
This is a select store of preserved foods handmade in the three Hokuriku prefectures, including seasonings, fish products, dried fruits, and Japanese and Western baked goods. The original "Kanazawa Pickles" make effective use of out-of-spec vegetables that are not distributed. Even if they are out of standard, their taste and quality are the same. Even if they are slightly misshapen or small, it doesn't matter because they are cut by hand," says the owner, who is also a chef and carefully handmakes them every day. There are about 30 varieties of pickles alone, ranging from those using Kaga vegetables such as "Noto Musume (red radish)," "Kintoki Kusa," "Kaga lotus root," and "Hyakumangoku shiitake mushroom," to those that allow customers to enjoy the combination of ingredients such as "celery and grapefruit," "onion and balsamic vinegar," and "sweet potato and honey lemon. The simple label design is also stylish and makes a perfect Kanazawa souvenir.
Kanazawa Pickles 648 yen and up
Shelf life: 6 months from production
- Preserved Food Specialty Store stoock
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- 2-8-26 Owari-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus bound for Kanazawa Castle Town (leftward route). 5 minutes from Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Ichiba stop. 4 minutes walk from Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Ichiba stop.
- 10:00 - 18:00 (approx.)
- Closed on weekends and holidays
- 076-255-1283
- None
8Aburayo Shoten "Nuka Iwashi
Konka-zuke (pickled sardines and mackerel), a product of Kanazawa's climate
Pickled fish is a local delicacy called "konka-zuke" in Ishikawa Prefecture. Aburayo Shoten, a long-established store that has been in business for about 300 years, began making konka-zuke about 150 years ago, and now the seventh generation continues to preserve the traditional taste.
Sardines are pickled in salted rice bran for about 10 days, and then placed in a large wooden vat with rice bran to ferment for 10 months to a year. The bran is not rinsed, but rather lightly scraped off and sliced thinly raw. Or, if you lightly sear the fish with the bran still on, it will add a savory and delicious flavor, making it a perfect accompaniment to rice.
Other popular items include cold mackerel, yellowtail, nodoguro (bluefin tuna), and puffer fish meat and ovaries in salted rice-bran paste or sake lees. Some of these products can also be purchased at the "World Food Diamond" grocery store in the "Omimachi Market.
(2 packages of anchovy sardines for 300 yen, pickled mackerel for 400 yen, anchovy puffer fish roe for 800 yen, etc.)
Shelf life: 90 days
- Aburayo Shoten
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- 2-1-33 Kaneishikita, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa MAP
- 15 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
- 9:00-17:00
- Sunday, Holidays
- 076-267-0031
- Free of charge (2 cars)
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Fumino Matsuzaki Kaga's Charm Hunter
