Kanazawa: Samurai history and one of Japan's great gardens

Kanazawa often gets called 'the small Kyoto' but that's selling it short. It has its own preserved geisha and samurai districts, one of Japan's three great landscape gardens, and an outsized contemporary art scene — all without the temple-day crowds.

Getting There

• Shinkansen — 2.5 hours from Tokyo on the Hokuriku line
• From Kyoto / Osaka — 2 hours on the Thunderbird limited express via Tsuruga
• Local buses — the Kanazawa Loop Bus connects all major sights from the station

What to See

• Kenroku-en — one of Japan's three great landscape gardens, beautiful in every season
• Kanazawa Castle Park — adjacent to the garden, free to enter
• Higashi Chaya — preserved geisha district with teahouses and gold-leaf shops
• Nagamachi — samurai residences with earthen walls and a small canal
• 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art — Leandro Erlich's swimming pool installation is the icon
• Omicho Market — three centuries of seafood; the kaisendon bowls are excellent
• Myoryu-ji (Ninja Temple) — hidden passages and trapdoors, must reserve in advance

Where to Eat

• Kaisendon — sashimi rice bowls at Omicho Market are a Kanazawa staple
• Jibu-ni — local duck and wheat-gluten stew, a Kaga cuisine signature
• Gold-leaf ice cream — kitsch but iconic, sold in Higashi Chaya
• Oden — winter classic, simmered fishcake stew

Two nights is right. It's a great pair with Shirakawa-go — bus from Kanazawa station, a few hours in the village, then onward to Takayama or back.