Kanazawa, Japan’s El Dorado

As a content creator, one of my goals for 2018 is to see more of Japan. My recent visit to Kanazawa allowed me to do just that. Here’s a recap of my journey with the monster in tow.

Background

3 hours away from Tokyo (via the  Hokuriku Shinkansen) is Japan’s “little Kyoto,” Kanazawa, on the coast of Ishikawa Prefecture.

Because it escaped the firebombing of World War II, Kanazawa has entire districts of perfectly-preserved 17th-century Edo-era architecture. During your stay in Kanazawa, experience traditional Japanese arts like…
Wajimanuri (輪島塗) lacquerware,

kagayuzen (加賀友禅) textiles and kimono,

kutaniyaki (九谷焼) porcelain, blah blah blah
Enough of the travel book fluff. Let’s get to the heart of Kanazawa!

Japan’s El Dorado

Kanazawa might be Japan’s “little Kyoto,” But I prefer to call it Japan’s El Dorado.
Why?
Shops all over Kanazawa sell a variety of products that contain gold leaf (金箔/kinpaku), like handicrafts, cosmetics, food, and drink:

In fact, Kanazawa produces 99% of Japan’s gold leaf, so there are plenty of items heavily featuring gold leaf that you can’t find anywhere else.
From gifts for under 500 yen to pens costing millions of yen, there’s a shop somewhere in Kanazawa selling it.

The Quest For The Golden Ice Cream Cone 

I was on a mission to eat this:

A post shared by Baby Kaiju By Teni Wada (@wadateni) on Feb 17, 2018 at 6:09am PST

Mission accomplished!

It’s literally everywhere! We had fun trying it wherever we went😋But at Hakuichi in Higashi Chayagai you get a little show pic.twitter.com/PQpRdotXGp

— Teni Wada (@WadaTeni) 2018年9月14日

Bonus Golden Treat:

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Teni | Life➕Motherhood➕Tokyoさん(@wadateni)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 3月月25日午前6時40分PDT

READ: Kanazawa is Japan’s Best Spot to Eat Gold Sushi, Gold Ice Cream and More

What To Eat In Kanazawa

Kanazawa is right on the Sea of Japan meaning it’s a paradise for seafood lovers — and absolute hell if you have seafood allergies. 

There’s more than seaweed in Kanazawa, though. 

Lunch. Because nothing screams “tradition” like pancakes, right?😂 to be fair, these pancakes are made with Kaga houjicha (Kaga/加賀 being the old name domain name of Ishikawa Prefecture centuries ago). Want these pancakes? Head to Fluffy, 2 minutes away from the center of Kanazawa’s Higashi Chayagai. 金沢・ひがし茶屋街のフラッフィーで食べた加賀ほうじ茶ホットケーキ。ほうじ茶の香りたっぷりで苦味もなく、めっちゃ美味しかったわ。 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. #babykaijublog #japanblogger #japaneseblogger #japanblog #butfirstdessert #pancakes #pancakesforlunch #sweettooth #foodie #sweettooth #houjicha #sweets #パンケーキ#ほうじ茶#ほうじ茶ホットケーキ #desserttable #instasweets #dessertsgram #huffposttaste #lunch #cafe #hungry #foodlover #brekkie #brunch #instagramjapan #japan#ひがし茶屋街カフェ#ひがし茶屋街

A post shared by Teni | Life➕Motherhood➕Tokyo (@wadateni) on Mar 25, 2018 at 5:47am PDT

What To See And Do In Kanazawa

Getting To Kanazawa And Where To Stay

I booked a 3-day, 2-night stay and shinkansen round trip ticket for under 35,000 yen. I also got a 1-day use bus pass thanks to an amazing deal found on the website for Nippon Travel Agency
Included in our package was a stay at Hotel Mystays Kanazawa Castle, a newly renovated hotel just minutes from Kanazawa Station.

The hotel also has an onsen but, kids in diapers are not allowed to use it, so no onsen relaxation for me. The temperatures dipped right before our Kanazawa trip, and there’s just something about a hot outdoor bath when it’s freezing.
I had a fantastic time in Kanazawa…but travel always turns into an adventure when you have awesome buddies by your side!

Kanazawa, Japan’s El Dorado