Eating and Shopping Around Kenrokuen: Hokuriku Seafood, Kaga Cuisine and Gold Leaf

Visitors to Kenrokuen usually spend half a day in the garden and have time left for a meal and a walk around Kanazawa, a city that takes food seriously because it faces the Sea of Japan and has a rich range of ingredients. This guide focuses on dishes and districts that last rather than on specific restaurants, because the popular places in Kanazawa change opening hours and closing days often.

Famous local foods

Seafood is the heart of Kanazawa. The Hokuriku side of the Sea of Japan gives a wide range of fresh fish. From late in the year into the new year it is the season for large crab and yellowtail, both very popular with Japanese diners. Nodoguro, or blackthroat seaperch, is another favourite, often grilled or served over rice. Of the Kaga-style dishes that grew out of samurai culture and the Maeda clan, jibuni is a local speciality of duck or chicken simmered with a light flour coating. Another dish well known in the city is Kanazawa curry, a thick curry served with shredded cabbage and a fried cutlet.

Where to eat

• Omicho Market: the central fresh market, with fresh seafood and rice-bowl restaurants, suited to breakfast or lunch
• The Korinbo and Katamachi districts: the shopping and evening dining centre, within walking distance of Kenrokuen
• The Chaya districts such as Higashi Chaya: teahouses, sweets and cafes in traditional wooden buildings
• Kanazawa Station: shops and restaurants gathered for convenience before a train

Omicho Market is a place to go specifically to eat. Go from morning to the afternoon, as many stalls close early and some close on certain days. Korinbo and Katamachi come alive in the evening, so choose them for an izakaya dinner or a set meal.

Dish types worth trying

• Seafood rice bowls (kaisendon) from restaurants around the market
• Seasonal sushi and sashimi, since fish from the Sea of Japan change by month
• Kanazawa-style oden in winter
• Jibuni and Kaga-style dishes at traditional Japanese restaurants

Cafes and sweets

Kanazawa produces almost all of Japan's gold leaf, so gold-sprinkled soft serve is sold around Higashi Chaya and the markets. It looks wonderful in photos but tastes like ordinary soft serve. There are also Japanese sweets (wagashi) tied to tea culture. Cafes in the old wooden Chaya buildings are good for a rest after walking, and Kaga bocha, a fragrant roasted tea, is a local drink worth trying.

Shopping and souvenirs

Distinctive Kanazawa gifts include gold-leaf products such as cosmetics or bookmarks, Kutani ware, Kaga yuzen textiles and seasonal Japanese sweets. Korinbo and Katamachi have department stores and shops for clothing and daily goods, while the food floors and stores inside Kanazawa Station gather many gift shops in one place, so you can buy just before boarding a train. Drugstores are common in the shopping districts.

Veja os planos de eSIM para o Japão

Checking market hours, following a map between districts or translating a seafood menu is much easier with mobile data, so set up a Japan eSIM before you leave.

Econômico

Food costs in Kanazawa run higher than in an average regional city because fresh seafood is the draw, especially seafood rice bowls and the crab season. Cheaper meals come from set-meal restaurants, ramen shops and convenience stores. Prices vary by shop and season, so no figures are given here; read the menu outside before going in. To keep to a budget, have one big meal a day, such as lunch at the market, and keep dinner light.

Halal and vegetarian options

Kanazawa receives many foreign visitors, so more restaurants say they accommodate halal or vegetarian diners, but check the status and ingredients directly, because bonito stock, sauces and many Japanese seasonings contain animal products or alcohol. Seafood rice bowls and most izakaya are not suitable for those who avoid fish. For vegetarian meals, look for shojin-style restaurants or places with a clear vegetable menu, and state your restrictions clearly.