Five great sushi restaurants in Kanazawa that you must not miss!
Kanazawa is a gathering place for fresh seafood freshly caught from the Sea of Japan. In recent years, it has also attracted attention as one of the most competitive sushi districts in Japan. Among the many famous sushi restaurants, here are five recommended restaurants that you can choose from according to your taste and the TPO of your trip, including popular restaurants with reasonable prices, restaurants listed in the "Michelin Guide," and restaurants with the prestige and elegance typical of the ancient capital of Kanazawa.
1Korin Sushi
The owner's spirit of service is evident in the plentiful bowls of seafood.
Tuna and sea bream, salmon and gando (a little before the size of yellowtail), swordfish, horse mackerel, crab, squid, sea urchin, salmon roe, and sweet shrimp. Since its establishment in 1951, the sushi restaurant has been in business for four generations, and has deep ties with the fishmongers at the nearby Omemachi Market, which allows the restaurant to purchase the best fish at low prices. The restaurant has been in business for four generations since its establishment in 1926. The secret behind their low prices is that they do not waste any fish by visiting the market two or three times a day to check their inventory.
A diverse menu of nigiri, chirashi and maki rolls.
Located just a minute or two walk from Omimachi Market, it is a convenient place to stop by before or after shopping. If you are hungry, you can order "Ichihan" (the first half of a nigiri sushi for one), or if you have enjoyed tasting the market, you can choose the "Master's Whimsical Platter, 5 pieces" (10 pieces also available), and the menu offers a variety of choices depending on your preference and hunger. You can also add nigiri in one-piece increments, and we recommend ordering while asking the friendly owner about the best items to eat.
- Korin Sushi
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79 Hakuromachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take the Hokutetsu Bus "Left Turn Route" around Kanazawa Castle Town. 5 minutes walk from Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Ichiba Bus Stop.
11:30-13:30 (L.0.), 17:30-22:00 (L.O. 21:45) *Open only for lunch on Sunday
Wednesdays, national holidays (may be open, check website for hours)
076-231-5964
Free of charge
2Daikuni Sushi
Noto conger eel and oysters are blissfully delicious. Famous restaurant in front of Omimachi Market
The owner has been making sushi for more than 40 years, making the most of fresh fish purchased from the commercial fish store at the Omemachi Market. The owner is a polite and honest craftsman, and his sushi offers the best of Hokuriku's flavors. We recommend the conger eel from Wajima, Noto. The thick conger eel is seared over a long period of time and finished with a moderately sweet sauce that melds with the rice in the mouth. In winter, Noto oysters are only lightly cooked to give them a raw texture, making this nigirizushi a unique dish.
The course with fresh seafood is popular, and the price is the same for both lunch and dinner.
The "Ume Course" (3,240 yen), which includes six of the owner's recommendations (two pieces of each type served separately) and a hand-rolled sushi roll, is priced the same as it has been for over 40 years. The price is reasonable, but you will be happy to know that the nigirizushi includes nigiri tuna and flatfish, and the temaki includes red snow crab meat and crab meat, all carefully selected items that you must try when visiting Kanazawa.
Although the restaurant is located about a 30-second walk from the Jitsukenmachi exit, one of the entrances to the Omimachi Market, it has a relaxed atmosphere without the hustle and bustle of the market.
- Daikuni Sushi
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- 31 Yabunouchi-dori, Nishimachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Circular Bus "Left Turn Route") for 5 minutes, get off at "Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Ichiba" and walk for 3 minutes.
- 11:00-13:30 (L.O. 13:00), 17:00-19:00 (L.O. 18:30)
- Closed on weekends and holidays
- 076-222-6211
- None
3Sushi Rekireki Omimachi
Nigirizushi with fresh ingredients and delicate touches
Located near the Jitsukenmachi exit in Kanazawa's tourist attraction "Omimachi Market," you will be greeted by a bright and lively voice when you open the sliding door. The "Takumi" course, consisting of 10 to 12 pieces of nigirizushi and hand-rolled sushi, features seafood landed at Kanazawa Port and other ports with decorative knives, and kingfish is served with liver and leeks, among other unique touches. Sushi is served with freshly caught seafood from the market, such as bai clam, cherry salmon, and gas shrimp. The hand-rolled sushi is nodoguro (Pacific bluefin tuna). The lightly seared aroma and the refined fat that melts in your mouth will make your trip to Kanazawa an unforgettable experience.
A relaxing restaurant that makes you forget you are in the market
The restaurant has 8 seats at the counter and 12 seats at tables. Despite its location in the market, you can enjoy sushi in a calm and relaxing atmosphere. In addition to "Takumi," there are three courses: "Kame" (11 pieces of nigirizushi including nodoguro), "Miyabi" (5 pieces of sashimi and 3 snacks, 10 pieces of nigirizushi, and even a hand roll (Kabako crab chirashi, snow crab, nodoguro, hairy crab, etc., ingredients vary depending on the season). A sister restaurant of the famous Sushi Mitsukawa in Higashi Chaya-gai, one of Kanazawa's most popular sightseeing spots, the Omemachi branch has a reputation for offering first-rate taste in a casual atmosphere.
- Sushi Rekireki Omimachi
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- 27-1 Jumen-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take the Hokutetsu Bus (Kanazawa Castle Town Tour Bus), approx. 5 min. from Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Ichiba.
- 11:30-14:00, 17:30-21:00
- Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
- 076-254-5067
- None
4Sushi Issei
A new style of sushi restaurant where you can enjoy authentic sushi with wine
Sushi, wine, and small dishes" are the three elements of this remarkable restaurant where you can taste Hokuriku seafood. The five or so small dishes served in between the main sushi dishes are prepared using French techniques, such as adding fresh cream, and are beautiful to the eye and appetizing to the chopsticks. The rice is a blend of Koshihikari rice from Noto and Nihonbaru rice from Kaga, with the addition of red vinegar for a rich aromatic flavor. The restaurant has earned a reputation among the locals for its unique flavor, which is created by the restaurant's innovative cooking methods and special ingredients.
Popular small dishes with a variety of seafood
Other small dishes, such as washed sea bass and sashimi of Nanao cockles, can all be eaten in one or two bites. They change depending on the season and availability, so you can enjoy a variety of tastes each time you visit. The wines are mainly whites carefully selected from France and other countries. The red vinegar rice and wine are in perfect balance, allowing you to discover a new way of tasting sushi.
The restaurant, with an L-shaped counter seating eight people, is located between JR Kanazawa Station and Omimachi Market, making it a convenient place to stop by on the way to sightseeing.
- Sushi Issei
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- 12-28 Yasue-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
8 min. walk from East Exit of JR Kanazawa Sta.- 17:00-23:00 (L.0.21:00)
- Sundays (open on Sundays and closed on Mondays if Monday is a national holiday)
- 076-225-7680
- None
5Sushi Kibatani
Local customers are also impressed by the superb sushi, which is made with fresh ingredients purchased early in the morning.
Located east of JR Kanazawa Station in a castle town-like corner, the restaurant is a hideaway. You can enjoy nigirizushi made with fresh ingredients purchased early in the morning from the port of Himi. The owner says, "A sushi restaurant is a place to enjoy delicious ingredients, so it is important not to overdo it. The delicate knife work that is applied to the ingredients in an instant enhances their appeal. The rice is made with rice from Noto and red vinegar cooked in a kettle, giving it a smooth and mild flavor. Each of the 14 to 15 types of nigirizushi, including shellfish, white fish, shrimp, and squid caught in Noto, shines.
The restaurant's interior is decorated with a single piece of cypress wood, which gives the restaurant a sense of dignity.
The owner originally worked for a fishmonger in Tsukiji, Tokyo, and honed his skills at a very famous sushi restaurant before returning to his hometown in Toyama Prefecture to run a catered sushi restaurant. While there are many local customers who patronize the restaurant, there are also many repeat customers from the Kanto and Kansai regions. For first-time customers, he asks about their preferences and the amount of food they can eat, and offers the best fish of the day accordingly. The restaurant also offers Kaga's famous sake, such as "Tengumai," "Kikuhime," and "Tedorigawa," so that customers can enjoy an excellent time while eating highly perfected sushi.
- Sushi Kibatani
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- 1-8-26 Hikosan-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
- From JR Kanazawa Station East Exit, take the Hokutetsu Bus (clockwise route) around Kanazawa Castle Town. 10 min. ride, 4 min. walk from Hashiba-cho stop.
- 17:00-21:00
- Sunday
- 076-256-1218
- None
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
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