Kanazawa (Ishikawa)
Local Guide
Kanazawa, Travel with Children] From classic spots to driving in the suburbs! A Guide to Outings for Parents and Children

Kanazawa is a city with a rich history, beautiful crafts, and delicious food. Kanazawa is a fascinating city for adults, but there are also those who wonder, "Where should we go with children? Will my child be bored? and "Will my child be bored?
In fact, Kanazawa has many Experience spots that will tickle children's curiosity, restaurants where parents and children can spend a delicious time together without hesitation, and a superb driving course that will refresh even adults if they go a little further.
In this issue, we will introduce a wide range of places that will enhance your Kanazawa trip with your child, from standard Kanazawa City spots to extraordinary scenery that you can encounter by driving around the city.

Play/Learn] A stroll through Kanazawa to sharpen your senses as a parent and child.

Lunch: Gourmet Kanazawa cuisine that will bring smiles to the faces of adults and children alike

A little further afield】Excellent sense of openness! Suburban Driving Spots

See, Experience, and Enjoy Learning about Gold Leaf

Priority is given to reservations for the Parent-Child Experience of applying gold leaf. Check the website for availability.
Priority is given to reservations for the Parent-Child Experience of applying gold leaf. Check the website for availability.

Kanazawa produces most of the gold leaf produced in Japan. The Kanazawa Museum of Gold Leaf is a rare spot where visitors can see, touch, and taste gold leaf up close and personal. First, visit the basement gallery, where you can learn how gold leaf is made through videos and demonstrations, and then take a tour of the "Gold Leaf Room," where 10,000 sheets of gold leaf are applied, a golden replica of the armor of Lord Toshiie Maeda sits, and a glittering projection mapping is also exciting. Parents and children can take pictures together in a virtual experience in which their own faces in gold armor are projected on a monitor.

The famous kinpaku (gold leaf) soft serve ice cream is a must-try!

Kinkafu no Kagayaki soft serve ice cream 962 yen (take out), 980 yen (eat in)
Kinkafu no Kagayaki soft serve ice cream 962 yen (take out), 980 yen (eat in)

At the "Foil Pasting Experience," visitors can enjoy a variety of experiences that even small children can enjoy, including the use of 1/10,000 mm gold leaf, which may seem a bit intimidating, but the actual experience is surprisingly simple. The postcards, which are made by placing gold leaf on a glued pattern, take about 10 minutes to make. The accessory case, in which you choose a design sticker with a Kanazawa-like pattern and apply gold leaf, takes about 40 minutes to complete. After enjoying the Experience and shopping, take a break at the cafe on the first floor. The soft-serve ice cream covered with a sheet of gold leaf looks gorgeous and tastes rich.

Haku-koukan, the main store of Foilichi
  • Address 2-1-1 Morito, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  • Direction 20 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Hours of operation 9:00-18:00, Winter: ~17:00 *Experience: ~17:00 (last admission at 16:00)
  • Regular holiday New Year's Day
  • Admission Fee Free of charge
  • TEL 076-240-8911
  • Parking Free of charge

Take a photo with a ninja standing in the precincts of the shrine

It is said that ninja guarded the lord during his visit to the shrine.
It is said that ninja guarded the lord during his visit to the shrine.

Located in the Higashi Chaya-gai district, this historic shrine was founded over 1,300 years ago. Two ninja dolls are hidden in the shrine grounds, surprising both children and adults with their realistic appearance. The dolls were made by university students in the past, and the story goes that when successive heads of the Kaga clan visited the shrine, ninjas were assigned to guard them.

Feel the spirit of fun at a historic shrine

The worship hall where weddings are held
The worship hall where weddings are held

Inside the hall of worship, the Maeda family crest, the sword-plum bowl, is displayed everywhere. It may also be unusual to see two guardian dogs inside the room. Going backward through the passageway next to the hall of worship, there is also a "Sasayu well," which is said to have healed the illness of Tsunanori Maeda V. It is also known as a power spot.

Utasu Shrine
  • Address 1-30-8 Higashiyama, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa MAP
  • Bus Direction From the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Loop Bus), 12 min. on the clockwise route, alight at Hashiba-cho, 5 min. walk from the bus stop.
  • TEL 076-252-8826
  • Parking Free of charge

Free tours of two foot soldiers' residences

Tea room of the Shimizu family. In the early Edo period, people ate two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, and ate more rice than modern people.
Tea room of the Shimizu family. In the early Edo period, people ate two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, and ate more rice than modern people.

If you visit the elegant Naga-machi Buke Yashiki (samurai residence), you should definitely visit the Ashigaru (foot soldier) museum in the corner. This museum is a reconstruction of two former Ashigaru residences, the Shimizu and Takanishi families, which were left on the site of a group of samurai houses of the "flying foot soldiers". Both are one-story wooden structures with traditional roofs, hedges, and plantings that create the atmosphere of the time. Inside the buildings, there are many explanations and exhibits that show the work and daily life of the Kaga clan's foot soldiers, and they are well worth seeing. Admission is free, so feel free to drop by.

Get a glimpse of life in a house with a garden

Sink of the Takanishi family. They bathed here in winter and in the front yard in summer.
Sink of the Takanishi family. They bathed here in winter and in the front yard in summer.

The Kaga clan's foot soldiers lived in a small, detached house with a garden in the style of samurai residences, which were small but focused on hospitality. Ashigaru yashiki were grouped together according to their roles, and were built like modern-day subdivided houses. Once inside, visitors can see the entrance hall, tatami room, tea room, sink (cooking area), and attic storage. In the tea ceremony room, you can see the scene of family gatherings in those days, and in the sink, you can see the scene of cooking. It would be interesting for parents and children to compare the life of Ashigaru with that of today.

Kanazawa City Ashigaru Museum
  • Address 1-9-3 Kanazawa Choumachi, Ishikawa MAP
  • Bus Direction From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take the Hokutetsu Bus "Left Turn Route" around Kanazawa Castle Town, about 10 minutes, get off at "Korinbo" and walk about 5 minutes.
  • Business hours 9:30-17:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Free of charge
  • TEL 076-263-3640
  • Parking None

Enjoy "children's lunch" and "adult lunch" at the farm cafeteria

Left:
Left: "Adult Lunch" 2,000 yen, right: "Children's Lunch" 990 yen for children 7 years old and under

The owner and his family, who hail from the World Heritage-listed Gokayama Gassho-Zukuri Village in Toyama Prefecture, opened this diner in the suburbs of Kanazawa City to share the culinary culture of Gokayama. The restaurant offers dishes that make the most of the flavors of the ingredients, using seasonal vegetables from their farm, eggs from red hens raised on a slope at an elevation of 550 meters, and "hard tofu," a local delicacy made from locally grown soybeans and water from the mountain's underground streams.
The "children's lunch" includes hijiki rice balls, tofu hamburger steak, tofu spring rolls, egg rolls, and more, all prepared with a good nutritional balance in mind. Mini somen noodles are also included.

Relax in an atmospheric space like a mountain hut

Box seating like a small room
Box seating like a small room

For adults, there is also an "Adult Lunch. It includes a simple omelette rice wrapped in a richly flavored egg and topped with tomato sauce, a large fried shrimp, a tofu hamburger steak, and more, all on one plate.
The spacious interior, with log pillars from a log house in Gokayama, a staircase smoked with charcoal, and handmade tables, is decorated with a large wood stove and sunken hearth. Box seats with tatami mats laid out in a chaise longue style are ideal for small children. Picture books are also available for a relaxing time.

Gokayama Farm Restaurant
  • Address 74-1 Kou, Katamachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 12 min. walk from JR Morimoto Station, 15 min. drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Business Hours 11:00-17:00 (take-out L.O. 14:00) Lunch-14:00 (L.O.)
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 076-258-9004
  • Parking Free of charge

Fully enjoy richly flavored Noto pork and seafood cutlets

The
The "Children's Set" with jelly is 850 yen, and the "Aged Noto Pork Loin Cutlet Set Meal (medium)" is 2,100 yen.

A restaurant specializing in pork cutlets located along Route 8 near the Ishikawa Prefectural Office. The signature dish is the soft and tender Noto pork loin cutlet set meal. The pork loin, which has been aged to enhance its flavor, goes well with the coarse breadcrumbs. The first bite is served with Noto salt, allowing you to enjoy the true flavor of the meat. As an affiliate of the popular conveyor-belt sushi restaurant Kanazawa Maimon Sushi, Gyokatsu, which uses seasonal seafood such as horse mackerel, shrimp, Noto mackerel, and Noto puffer fish, is also excellent. For children, we offer a "children's set" that includes Noto pork mince cutlet, fried shrimp, and fries.

Free refills of two kinds of rice and miso soup

Miso soup made with fragrant domestic laver is also popular.
Miso soup made with fragrant domestic laver is also popular.

The set meals come with free refills of cabbage, rice, and miso soup, so we recommend that parents and children enjoy sharing the set meal together. The rice is a blend of local "Koshihikari" and "Notohikari" rice, cooked fluffy in a rice cooker. In addition to white rice, seasonal rice such as wakame gohan (seaweed rice) is also available, so you will never get tired of tasting it. Two types of miso soup are available: pork miso soup and nori soup, which is also available at "Kanazawa Maimon Sushi". Katsu (pork cutlet) can be cut into small pieces upon request.
The restaurant is spacious enough to accommodate strollers, and box seats are popular with children.

Kanazawa Katsuzo Main Store
  • Address 3-20-12 Nishishinmachi, 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 Futaba-machi, and walk about 6 minutes.
  • Business hours 11:00-15:00 (L.O.14:30), 17:00-21:30 (L.O.21:00)
  • Closed Open all year (with maintenance holidays twice a year)
  • TEL 076-233-0077
  • Parking Free of charge

Enjoy the "children's buffet" at the museum's café

Appetizer buffet with plenty of seasonal ingredients
Appetizer buffet with plenty of seasonal ingredients

This café-restaurant is located inside the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. The large arc-shaped windows offer a view of the artworks displayed in the lawn garden, creating an open space. Recommended for lunch is the "appetizer buffet," which offers a wide variety of 15 different dishes. The buffet is reasonably priced for children from 3 years old to elementary school students (150 yen x age).

Enjoy the fun of arranging food in an artistic way

An example of the
An example of the "Fusion Lunch" for 2,710 yen. Breads and soups are available from the buffet as much as you like.

All lunch menus include an appetizer buffet. The popular "Fusion Lunch" offers a choice of pasta with oil, tomato or cream sauce, or "Meat Meat Rice" with special demi-glace sauce. We recommend that parents and children share the main course and enjoy as many appetizers as they like from the buffet counter. If you want to relax, try the "lunch desserts" such as fruit parfait. In addition to sofa seating in the back, baby chairs are available for parents and children to relax while viewing art.

Fusion21
  • Address 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, 1-2-1 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, Kanazawa" and walk shortly.
  • Business Hours 10:00 - 20:00 (L.O. 19:00) Lunch 11:00 - 14:00 (L.O.)
  • Closed Mondays (closed the next day if Monday is a national holiday) *The entire building will be closed for renovation from May 2027
  • TEL 076-231-0201
  • Parking Charged (30 min. free of charge)

The only sandy beach in Japan where you can drive a car

Tourist buses, motorcycles, and bicycles sometimes drive by.
Tourist buses, motorcycles, and bicycles sometimes drive by.

The beach is one of the few beaches in the world where you can drive your car along the lapping waves. The sand at "Senrihama" becomes hard when it contains water, so even ordinary cars can drive on the beach without sinking their tires. From Kanazawa, take the free automobile-only road "Noriyama Kaido" and exit at the Imahama Interchange, which is the southern starting point. The driveway continues north from there for a total length of 8 km. Driving along the sandy beach will lift the spirits of both adults and children alike. Feel the sea breeze as you drive briskly along the lapping waves.

The sunset on the horizon is exceptional!

Take time to watch it change with the time of year and the hour.
Take time to watch it change with the time of year and the hour.

As a natural driveway, there are no one-way regulations or center lines. Be sure to drive carefully, watching for oncoming traffic. Sometimes it is fun to stop the car and play on the beach or take pictures with parents and children. Driving under the blue sky is attractive, but we also recommend driving in the evening when you can see the sunset. A large sand artwork appears near the Senrihama Rest House from May to November. It is a popular photo spot.

Chirihama Nagisa Driveway
  • Address Senrihama-cho, Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture - Imahama, Hakui Hodatsushimizu-cho, Hakui-gun, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 30 minutes by car from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Admission Fee Free of charge
  • TEL 0767-22-5333（Hakui Tourist Association)
  • Parking Free of charge

Leave the hustle and bustle of a tourist town for a peaceful port town

Small seating area for small children
Small seating area for small children

This spot is located in Kanaiwa, a port town on the outskirts of Kanazawa City. It was built under the concept of "a place for everyone" where people gather, eat, learn, and play on a small grassy hill. On sunny days, it is pleasant to lie down on the slope of the hill. The wood-decked terrace offers a peaceful view of the fishing town, where you can relax with your children. If you get hungry, go to the miso soup restaurant "SORAMISO" inside the building. The restaurant is always crowded with parents and children, with round tables with picture books and small seating areas.

Enjoy flavorful cuisine full of local ingredients

Sora Miso Set Meal
Sora Miso Set Meal" from 990 yen with a choice of miso soup, omusubi, and obanzai, such as port town meta soup and salted kouji salmon omusubi.

At Sora Miso, you can enjoy miso soup and omusubi (rice balls) made with local ingredients, including Kanazawa's famous miso and seafood. The "Sora Miso Set Meal" includes a choice of miso soup, two omusubi, and obanzai. A "Children's Set Meal" is also available, which includes a bowl of port town soup, two small omusubi, apple juice, and hojicha jelly. At the "Hane no Ne" store, also on the first floor, visitors can purchase freeze-dried Minatomachi no Metta-jiru, a popular Sora Miso menu item, stick tea, miso, wooden lacquerware, and other items.

Kokkore kanaiwa
  • Address 1-2-15 Kaneishi Nishi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 15 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Hours of operation Monday-Friday and holidays: 11:00-15:00 (L.O.14:30), Saturday and Sunday: 9:00-15:00 (L.O.14:30)
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 076-256-5207
  • Parking Free of charge

Let's play freely in a park with a great view!

Children's Plaza
Children's Plaza" where you can play on the fun playground equipment to your heart's content

This vast park was built on a former golf course in the hills of eastern Kanazawa. On a clear day, you can see the Kanazawa city area and the Sea of Japan in the distance. Children's Plaza has a variety of playground equipment, including "Chibikko Gelende" (children's sledding slope), "Roller Slider" and "Yurayura Bridge. There is also a Barefoot Plaza where you can run around barefoot and a Hammock Plaza where you can take a comfortable nap. Bringing a packed lunch and enjoying a picnic on the lawn is also recommended. (The park is currently closed until March 2026 for restoration work due to damage from the Noto Peninsula earthquake.)

Walking and barbecue in the greenery

Cherry blossoms in April and roses in May are at their best
Cherry blossoms in April and roses in May are at their best

The park also has a park golf course for children to enjoy and a "day camp plaza" for barbecues. If you want to take a break indoors, visit the "Tombo Terrace," an Oku-Utsutatsuyama Nobi Nobi Koryukan made of Noto Hiba (cypress) and other materials produced in Ishikawa Prefecture. There is a children's space with picture books, a store, changing rooms, and a nursing corner. Soft ice cream is also available at the store.

Okutatsuyama Kenmin Koen (Okutatsuyama Kenmin Park)
  • Address E85 Wakamatsu-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 20 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Business Hours 8:00-17:00
  • Closed December 29 - January 3
  • Admission Fee Free (barbecue and park golf are charged)
  • TEL 076-264-0395
  • Parking Free of charge

MAP

Play/Learn] A stroll through Kanazawa to sharpen your senses as a parent and child.
Lunch: Gourmet Kanazawa cuisine that will bring smiles to the faces of adults and children alike
A little further afield】Excellent sense of openness! Suburban Driving Spots
Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.