This is a family trip with my cousins so we tried to cramp shopping in Tokyo and culture in Kanazawa within 5 Days. Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It's known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and regional handicrafts. We set our schedule as below for this trip:
Day 1 Tokyo
Day 2-4 Kanazawa
Day 5 Tokyo
To be honest I don't think going from Tokyo is the best way to get to Kanazawa but here we are. Also I don't think January is a good time to go to Japan due to their public holidays. Many places were closed during our visit because of this.
Accommodations
Tokyo Ekimae BAY HOTEL (Capsule Hotel)
Since we are only staying a brief night here and heading straight for Kanazawa in the morning, we decided to try a capsule hotel thats 10 min walk from Tokyo Station. The hotel was clean and service was good as you would expect in Japan. I would suggest you to ask for a capsule far away from the dorm entrance as it gets noisy at night and the heaters from the bathroom area can makes your capsule very warm, even with the fan on. They even provide you with pijamas.
Hotel Vista Kanazawa
For the first 2 nights in Kanazawa we stayed 5 min walk on the west side of Kanazawa Station. Although most of the tourist attractions are on the east side of the station we just think we get bigger space for our bucks. The rooms are pretty nice as this is a new build. They have their own bath but I never used it.
Motoyu Ishiya (Onsen Hotel), Kanazawa
As my cousins have never stayed at an Ryokan/Onsen place before we booked 1 night at this establishment 20 min drive from Kanazawa Station. For the price we paid and our cousins' first experience I think this place did the job well. It has the history and architecture of a traditional Ryokan but the food is mediocre. Some Ryokans serve your meal in your room but this one you have to go to their dining rooms. They also have an indoor and outdoor bath.
Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyobashi, Tokyo
This is the most value for bucks hotel I managed to find near Tokyo Station. Spacious and close to the famous luxury Takashimaya department store. It is about a 10 min walk from the Station. Accommodations around Tokyo Station are expensive so you need to think about what matters to you most.
Sightseeing in Kanazawa
Kanazawa Station / 金沢駅
Kanazawa Station hosts a great souvenir mall Kanazawa Hyakubangai/金沢百番街 and a smart department store Kanazawa Forus/金沢フォーラス. You will be able to get most of your souvenir shopping done here at Hyakubangai if you are not too fussy and the price is the same anywhere else.
Omicho Market / 近江町市場
Do not be mistaken this market as the fish market in Tokyo. They have a few restaurants in the market but you cannot order fresh sashimi and eat on the spot. This market is catered for local so it's interesting for me to see how the locals live.
Higashiyama Higashi Chaya District / ひがし茶屋街
Higashiyama centers on Higashi Chaya, or the Geisha District, with restored teahouses and taverns reminiscent of bygone Japan. Elegant servers in silk kimonos prepare traditional tempura dishes and perform folk songs. Souvenir shops specialize in Kanazawa’s signature gold-leaf lacquerware, a craft celebrated at the Yasue Gold Leaf Museum. Tranquil Shinto shrine Utasu has model ninjas in its garden grounds.
Kanazawa Castle Park / 金沢城公園
The castle burnt down several times over the centuries, and the most recent fires of 1881 were survived only by two storehouses and the Ishikawa-mon Gate. The gate dates from 1788 and faces Kenrokuen. For several decades, Kanazawa University occupied the former castle grounds until the campus was moved to the city's outskirts in the early 1990s. Since then, a project is underway to rebuild the castle's former buildings. In the meantime, most central structures are standing again and make a visit more interesting. To be honest I have seen enough Japanese Castles and this one does not offer much. You really don't have to go in if you are push for time.
Kenroku-en / 兼六園
Kenroku-en, located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, is an old private garden. Along with Kairaku-en and Kōraku-en, Kenroku-en is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan. It is a beautiful garden and you should definitely make time for this.
Seisonkaku Villa / 成巽閣
The Seisonkaku is a large Japanese villa in the city of Kanazawa, built in 1863 by Maeda Nariyasu, 13th daimyō of the Kaga clan, as a retirement home for his mother Shinryu-in. A collection of her personal effects is open to the public. Note this Villa is located next to Kenroku-en and closed on Wednesdays.
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa / 金沢21世紀美術館
We didn't get to see any exhibitions but it has a great gift shop. There are also a nice collection of design shops in the area as well.
Nagamachi Neighborhood / 長町武家屋敷跡
Nagamachi is a beautifully preserved historic area of Kanazawa that was once the residential district for the city’s samurai. It is a lovely area of canals and stone-flagged winding lanes that run between tile-topped earthern walls. Some of the former samurai houses and their gardens are also open for public viewing.
Restaurant - Kanazawa
Menyataiga / 麺屋大河
This place is recommended as one of the best Ramen place in Kanazawa. Expect a small wait and if you come in a big group you may be seated separately. Occasionally they sell pre-cook ramen packs and they are great souvenir option as well.
On-Yasai / 溫野菜
This place is know for their all you can eat hotpot. They have a branch in Hong Kong as well but the ones in Japan offers way better quality and its also cheaper! This particular branch is located within the station complex.
Kanazawa Takasaki / 味處 高崎
This restaurant offer home-cook style regional cooking with top tier ingredients. We came here for their crab. Although it was delicious I feel like it was a bit too expensive for the amount we had.
Daimiudiya / 大名茶家
This was the other option for our crab dinner that we didn't get to go. This establishment is quite famous in the city and is known for regional cuisine.
Go Go Curry / ゴーゴーカレー 金沢駅総本山
Go Go Curry is one of the most popular Japanese curry chain restaurants in the country. Their curry is Kanazawa-style curry, a type of Japanese curry that originated in Kanazawa, in Ishikawa Prefecture. Kanazawa curry is richer and more creamy than typical Japanese curry and usually topped with shredded cabbage, pork cutlet, and extra sauce on the top. This particular branch is located within the station complex.
HATCHi
Hatchi is a boutique hotel catered for the design conscious budget travellers. Their restaurant on the ground floor is a great stop off point for a coffee or tea while browsing their unique souvenirs before your get to the Geisha District.
Kanazawa Chuo Mishokugai / 金沢中央味食街
Kanazawa Chuo Mishokugai is the best kept secret of Kanazawa’s nightlife district, Katamachi 2-Chome - even most locals aren’t familiar with this collection of twenty great little bars and restaurants. Enjoy delicious food and drinks in an old-fashioned atmosphere that feels like something out of a movie. Note ordering food in this area without any knowledge of Japanese maybe tricky.
Restaurant - Tokyo
Ryuu (龍), Shibuya
This is a charcoal Japanese BBQ place which was recommended by one of my cousin swho is a chef. They have a basic english menu but the staff was helpful enough. For the price we paid it is definitely worth coming back.
Omoide Yokocho / 思出橫丁, Shibuya
Landmark alleyway featuring a selection of counter-serve stalls for simple fare & alcoholic drinks. There are so many options in these 2 narrow streets and you just have to go with your gut. The quality can really vary but the vibe is always good. Although they market this place as a late night joint many of the shops were closed by 11:00pm.
Tsukiji Market / 築地市場
Although the main trade market has moved to the new site, many of the shops remained here to cater for the tourists. Come here for the vibe and don't try to fill yourself up with snacks from takeaway vendors only. The snack takeaway vendors are pretty over-priced for the quality but the restaurants are reasonable. I can recommend going for sushi rice bowl at Sushikuni (鮨国) to finish your food journey off.
Hotsuki / 北輝, Shinbashi
This place specialises in Hokkaiko Cuisine. Our family has been coming for years so I have never actually have to order anything myself. I think normally they have most items on the menu but for fancy things like Hairy Crab (毛蟹) and Kinki Fish (喜之次) you will need to pre order.
吉 精肉
This is late night Japanese BBQ place near a Yūrakuchō Station. I cannot find any information in English so here is the map. Yakitori Onegi is not the correct name of the place but I believe it's next to it. There are many late night restaurants in this neighbourhood so it is worth looking around.
Comments