Ishikawa Prefecture Travel Guide

• Gold leaf craft

Gold leaf is the base material for a gilding technique known as "cold gilding," used to "gild with leaf" certain everyday objects, such as altars and temples. Today, 99% of Japan's gold leaf production comes from Kanazawa.

Here, the Yasue Gold Leaf Museum will captivate you with the beauty of its exhibits. In the old Higashi-Chaya pleasure district, numerous stores sell products made from this ancient craft. Let yourself be tempted! Some shops offer visitors the chance to apply real gold leaf themselves to the objects they covet.

• Kutani porcelain

Renowned in Europe, Kutani porcelain is distinguished by its pieces decorated with multicolored images and glazed in bright colors. The five defining pigments of the craft (green, yellow, blue, violet and red) are used to create geometric patterns, as well as representations of birds and flowers.

In Kanazawa, you can observe the production process in some of the city's workshops. In Nomi, the Kutani Ceramic Art Village market is entirely dedicated to the local porcelain! A dozen stores and several museums present a wide range of ceramic pieces. Near Kaga, the Kutani-yaki Art Museum and the Kutani-yaki Kiln Art Museum will enable you to learn more about the techniques that have made this exceptional craft famous.

• Wajima lacquerware

On the Noto Peninsula, Wajima lacquer is renowned for its durability and aesthetic appeal. It is produced from urushi, an extract from the sap of the lacquer tree.

In Wajima, where you can meet master craftsmen, visitors have the opportunity to learn about this refined art. The Wajima Museum of Urushi Art boasts a remarkable collection of works to be admired without moderation. The Wajimanuri Center is dedicated to the city's creations.

• Kaga-yuzen silk

In Kanazawa, kaga-yuzen is a manual silk-dyeing technique used to produce kimonos of the highest quality. The technique is characterized by the use of five basic colors (indigo, dark green, ochre, violet and purple) and complex patterns.

In Nagamachi, the former samurai district, the Nagamachi Yuzen-Kan workshop exhibits—among other things—kimonos produced by the famous craftsman Teranishi Ikkō. Not far from the Kenroku-en garden, the venerable Kaga-yuzen Kimono House showcases its finest pieces and offers visitors the chance to dye their own handkerchiefs.

• Ohi ceramics for tea ceremony

Exclusively produced by members of the Ōhi family, this unique, hand-formed ceramic has been used for the tea ceremony since the rise of the Maeda clan in the region.

The Ōhi Museum exhibits the works of this illustrious line of ceramists, some of which are offered for sale. A teahouse here also serves matcha in real Ōhi bowls.

Day 1

In front of Kanazawa station, the Tsuzumi-mon gate has become one of the city's most iconic symbols. As soon as you arrive, take a stroll through the Kenroku-en Garden, one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, famous for its changing landscapes with the seasons. A stone's throw away, visit Kanazawa Castle, former home of the Maeda lords, which elegantly dominates the city.

Step back in time: the 21st-century contemporary museum welcomes you to its bold premises. It houses temporary exhibitions by world-renowned Japanese and international artists. Its central "swimming pool" installation is filled with surprises and is one of the most interesting spots in the city. 

At the end of the day, stroll through the city center. The Katamachi and Korinbo districts are ideal for shopping and dining!

Day 2

Spend the morning in the samurai district of Nagamachi. Its stone-lined alleys and historic residences will introduce you to a forgotten Japan. For lunch, head to Omicho Market. Enjoy the lively atmosphere as fishermongers cheerfully call out to passersby. End the day in the old pleasure district, where you can discover local crafts.

Day 2

Take the ferry to the island of Noto-jima. Explore its fishing villages and artisan workshops, before ending the day relaxing at the Wakura Onsen hot springs.

Day 3

Start the day with a visit to Keta Taisha Shrine, one of the region's most important sacred sites. Stop off at the salt village of Okunoko, where an ancient tradition of salt harvesting lives on.

Day 1

South of Kanazawa, Kutani is the birthplace of Kutani porcelain. Visit craftsmen's workshops and the Kutani Ceramic Art Village, an area dedicated to porcelain work. Then head for Kaga and its Kitamaebune Museum, which aptly recounts the history of Japan's ancient merchant ships. At the end of the day, stop off at Kaga Onsen. Comprising four spa villages (Yamashiro, Yamanaka, Katayamazu and Awazu), Kaga Onsen is the ideal place to experience an overnight stay in a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) and take full advantage of the benefits of the hot springs.

Ishikawa Prefecture's geographical location makes it an ideal place to discover Japan's seafood.

Among its culinary riches are oysters, zuwaigani, a "snow crab" whose long legs are prized by gourmets, and nodoguro, known as black throat seaperch in English, which is best enjoyed grilled.

Have you ever tried kamaboko? These white fish cakes surrounded by kombu seaweed were once loaded into the holds of Kitamaebune boats and sold all over the country.

Feeling more adventurous? Try fugu, the "puffer fish" (or "porcupine fish"), whose fleshy body swells and bristles with deadly venomous spines. Rest assured, the region's chefs have a state license to prepare it.

• In January, the Kaga-tobi Dezomeshiki festival brings together a thousand municipal firefighters at Kanazawa Castle. Perched atop bamboo ladders, these firefighters perform an impressive display of acrobatics known as Dezomeshiki.
• In early May, the Seihakusai festival features Japan's largest wooden floats in an extraordinary parade. These 12-meter-high monsters, each weighing over 20 tons, are carried through the village of Nanao, a small fishing port.
• At the same time, the Otabi festival is in full swing in the streets of Komatsu. It offers local residents the chance to attend kabuki theater performances, in which the roles are played by children.
• Every first weekend in June, Kanazawa celebrates the Hyakuman-goku festival, in commemoration of the city's founding deed, signed in 1583 by Toshiie Maeda, the first lord of Kanazawa.
• From July to September, the Noto region hosts over 200 traditional festivals. These celebrations feature the kiriko, imposing lanterns carried by villagers on their shoulders.
• On August 22, Wajima holds the Wajima Taisai festival in honor of a deity from the island of Hegura-jima, who once a year is said to have come to Wajima to visit her lover. For the occasion, for four days, local residents carry palanquins and kiriko lanterns through the town so that the goddess may continue to watch over the region.