View Japan & Asia on the mapSea of Japan castle town rich in traditional culture

Kanazawa

Kanazawa · Japan · 36.61, 136.61

A castle town in Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan, known for its preserved traditional culture and beautiful streetscapes from the domain era. Highlights include Kenrokuen, one of Japan's three great gardens, Kanazawa Castle, the Nagamachi samurai district, and Higashi Chaya District. Traditional crafts such as gold leaf and Kaga yuzen, along with fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan, are also attractions. This town where history and art live on is also called a little Kyoto.

Port highlights

About 460,000

Population

Japan Sea climate. Winters bring heavy snow and frequent cloudy weather, while summers are hot and humid.

Climate

Japanese (Kanazawa dialect)

Language

Japanese yen (JPY).

Currency

April to June and September to November (spring and autumn)

Best time to visit

Local food

Seafood bowls and sushi, nodoguro, Kaga cuisine, and gold leaf soft-serve ice cream

Sights

Kenrokuen GardenKanazawa CastleHigashi Chaya DistrictNagamachi samurai residence district

Monthly average high / low temperatures

7°

1°Jan

8°

1°Feb

12°

3°Mar

17°

8°Apr

22°

14°May

26°

18°Jun

30°

23°Jul

31°

24°Aug

27°

20°Sep

22°

14°Oct

16°

8°Nov

10°

4°Dec

Unit: °C · Adapted from Japan Meteorological Agency climate normals · Period: 1991–2020 · Station: Kanazawa · about 3.3 km from port · Last checked: Oct 3, 2026 · A guide for choosing your travel month.

Local prices for travelers

Similar to Tokyo

Compared with Tokyo, Japan (median of items)97 (Tokyo = 100)

Compared with Tokyo, meals are somewhat cheaper; water, coffee, beer and a Big Mac cost about the same.

¥108

Water 370 ml

¥485

Coffee

¥730

Inexpensive meal

¥650

Local beer

¥500

Big Mac

Prices from nearby Osaka (about 242 km away) · Amounts in the recorded local currency. No currency conversion applied. · Last checked: Oct 2026 · Sources: Shop and menu prices · The Economist, Big Mac Index (CC BY 4.0)