From visiting ancient castles to skiing down some awesome slopes, here is our list of the best things to do in Kanazawa!
Literally translated, Kanazawa means ‘marsh of gold’ and is said to be originated from a legend where a peasant washed gold dust in a local marsh.
The other origin story for the city’s name is that the present Kenrokuen Garden area was once called Kanazawago and Kanazawanosho in ancient times.
Kanazawa served as the seat of the second most powerful feudal clan during the Edo Period.
The Maeda Clan was second to Tokugawa in terms of rice production and fief size.
The family invested in the promotion of culture and learning.
This lead to the development of a number of traditional cultures and activities such as handicrafts, tea ceremonies, Noh theatre and gastronomy.
This allowed Kanazawa to eventually become a town of great cultural achievements alongside Tokyo and Kyoto.
During WWII, Kanazawa was fortunate enough to escape destruction by air raids.
Accordingly, there are many parts of the old castle town that remain in good condition.
Many of these are found alongside its modern buildings and make some of the best things to see in Kanazawa.
Kanazawa today serves as the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture. It is located on the opposite side of Tokyo on Japan’s central island of Honshu.
From Tokyo, Kanazawa Station is three hours away and the city boasts many historical attractions and modern museums.
Although Kanazawa is a beautiful city to visit at any time of the year, the most popular times are in autumn (September to mid-November) and in spring (March to May).
June to August tends to be quite hot and humid and winter can be cold and damp when it’s not snowing.
If the climate isn’t a big consideration for your travels, visiting Kanazawa during the shoulder or off-season is the best way to avoid crowds and to save money on accommodation.
READ MORE: Check out our list of the best places to visit in Japan!
The Best Things to Do in Kanazawa
In June 2009, UNESCO appointed Kanazawa to the Creative Cities Network as a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art.
This affirms Kanazawa as being one of the best cultural cities to visit in Japan.
Visitors to Kanazawa city can enjoy hands-on craft activities and learn about the city’s contribution to art in the country.
From the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, to gold leaf production, to zen Buddhism temples, there is lots…
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