Kanazawa 金沢
Cultural & historic hotspot
Kanazawa is a lovely city to visit, deserving of lengthy exploration. Make sure to spend some time here.
Kenrokuen is one of Japan's Sanmeien, the ‘three great gardens’, considered by many to be the most beautiful. Just over the road is Kanazawa Castle, with magnificent grounds.
Other highlights include the Higashi Chaya (teahouse) district, Nagamachi, the former samurai district, and Ōmichō Ichiba, Kanazawa’s fresh food markets.
The Kanazawa Loop Bus is a hop-on, hop-off bus that takes visitors to the city’s interesting spots.
The colourful Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival is held in the first weekend of June.
Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, which includes the Noto Peninsula - exploring by rental wheels from here is a good option.