Kanazawa Seafood: Top 6 Must-Try Restaurants

Almost every coastal region of Japan will claim that it has the best fish. Ehime, Kochi, Miyazaki and Kagoshima constantly war over who has the best katsuo (skipjack tuna). Spear squid is a three-way conflict between Saga, Fukuoka and western Yamaguchi. 

As one of the two specific prefectures with access to that specific area of the Sea of Japan, Ishikawa spars constantly with Toyama for the title of top seafood producer in Hokuriku. (Niigata is content to settle for its crown of top rice producer, though it also has some pretty great seafood.)

Being the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa is among the best places to try seafood from the Sea of Japan. It’s host to one of the most famous seafood markets in the whole of Hokuriku, Omicho Market. 

This market supplies almost every seafood restaurant in the Kanazawa locality. Visitors who go early in the morning will see sushi chefs in plainclothes and/or their assistants perusing the fish on offer, before the crack of dawn.

Realistically, it’s difficult to go wrong with any restaurant when the seafood is just that good. But for a list of Kanazawa’s true cream of the crop — read on to find out. 

To be completely honest, a lot of Kanazawa’s seafood is not specific to that region — the whole of northern Japan borders the colossal Sea of Japan, after all. 

Nonetheless, Ishikawa, and by extension Kanazawa, has become associated with several specific types of fish. The most famous of these is the blackthroat seaperch, or nodoguro — a highly expensive fish found mainly in the very deep, cold waters of the Sea of Japan, particularly Toyama Bay.

When eaten, it’s renowned for its sweet, dense flesh and high oil content, being extremely rich in fatty acids. But the most striking thing is probably its appearance: a bright red fish with big eyes, it takes both its English and Japanese name from its jet-black mouth, which is startlingly bizarre.

Kanazawa is also famed for the shiro-ebi white shrimp, which are difficult to find outside of the Hokuriku region. About the length of a finger, they are commonly used as sushi toppings, but can also be found prepared in different ways. 

In Kanazawa, they are especially popular deep-fried whole in batter, which makes them an amazing drinking snack. 

Said by many locals to be the best izakaya in Kanazawa, Itaru Honten is just as famous for its incredibly long lines outside as it is for its amazing food. Many visitors to Kanazawa have also caught wind of its reputation, which doesn’t help the queue times. 

Located just a short walk from the southwestern side of the Kenroku-en Gardens, it’s a popular spot to go for dinner after a day of walking — if you’re not already interested in one of the many restaurants within its walls, such as Kenrokutei.

Itaru Honten’s specialty is yellowtail, which is especially fatty in the winter months, as well as the aforementioned shiro-ebi, deep-fried to make the perfect drinking snack. They also take great pride in their selection of sake, but the shochu and other cocktails won’t disappoint either. 

Don’t worry about ordering difficulties  — there is an extensive English menu for both food and drinks, thanks to the restaurant’s huge spike in recent popularity.

With its popularity, a reservation at Itaru Honten is basically mandatory. Smaller groups can get away with reservations about a month in advance, but earlier is always better.

While not quite as old and storied as Itaru Honten, Fuwari is very much the young upstart come to challenge the older izakaya for the throne of Kanazawa’s best. 

Located just two minutes from the famous Omicho Market, Fuwari attracts a somewhat different crowd from Itaru Honten, with its more upscale and hip vibe — the atmosphere is still decidedly izakaya, filled with a younger clientele than the aforementioned Itaru. 

Nonetheless, just like Itaru Honten, many coming to Fuwari tend to be visitors to a nearby attraction, stumbling across the long lines before joining the queue for themselves. 

As the huge crowds every night no doubt suggests, everything on the menu is fantastic. But guests should look out for the konbu-jime sashimi, a type of aged sashimi that is sandwiched between two pieces of kelp for a long time, augmenting the fish’s natural umami with a kelp-infused flavor. 

Thanks to the experience of head chef Matsumura Ippei, who worked in Nobu Downtown in New York for 10 years, less traditional dishes like pizza and seasonal fruit sorbets are available as well, and also definitely worth a try.

Understandably, with its popularity, Fuwari has quite a strict two-hour time limit. But English menus are available too, so order as much as you possibly can to make the most of your 120 minutes. 

The “taishu” in Taishu Kappo Uogin’s title means “the masses,” and that’s exactly who it’s for. Kappo counterside dining, as a culinary form, has slowly grown further and further from its roots as a casual food, with kappo restaurants being gradually priced out of the average person’s reach.

That’s why Taishu Kappo Uogin is bringing it back to its roots. Using premium ingredients, Uogin’s chef stubbornly sticks to prices that are half, or even one-third of a typical kappo meal. 

There’s no sign at all of quality being compromised, either; this is a full kappo course meal, from appetizers to mains to closing dishes and desserts. 

Appropriately for a kappo restaurant, the menu changes from season to season, but the most common fixture is the oke-mori sashimi platter. Literally meaning “bucket-serving,” the dish is just what it sounds like: various seasonal sashimi served in a traditional wooden bucket. 

Combined with the traditional, homey design (though the sunken kotatsu seating on the second floor has beautiful ultramarine walls in the tradition of Kanazawa royal residences), it really adds to the sense of authenticity.

Generous nomihoudai all-you-can-drink plans are available as add-ons for each course. But the owner particularly recommends the sake selection — it’s a staggeringly comprehensive showcase of Ishikawa’s finest. 

Omicho Market is, as expected, full of fantastic seafood restaurants, each of them serving some of the best and freshest seafood available. But ask any local where to go for kaisendon (seafood bowls) at lunch, and Sashimiya — literally “sashimi restaurant” — is definitely going to be in their top few names.

Though it’s named for sashimi, the most popular dishes aren’t actually sashimi in the conventional sense; a quick look around will show you that almost everyone (at lunch, anyway) is chowing down on some form of kaisendon. 

Of these, the restaurant highly recommends the regular kaisendon, which features a staggering array of fresh seafood, including the blackthroat seaperch. The Sashimiya bowl is also a good choice. 

Feeling decadent? You can take it a level up by ordering the “Zeitaku Zanmai” bowl, which uses even more premium ingredients, including a hefty serving of sea urchin, chutoro medium-fatty tuna belly, and — you guessed it — blackthroat seaperch. 

Just can’t get enough of blackthroat seaperch? You can go for broke by getting the nodoguro meshi — literally “blackthroat seaperch rice.” It’s a massive amount of nodoguro laid atop rice, enjoyed three separate ways.

First, simply with soy sauce, then with various other condiments like sesame seeds, spicy yuzu kosho and spring onions. Finally, pour the provided dashi broth over the remaining rice to make an ochazuke. 

Like most Omicho Market restaurants, it’s small, with limited table and counter seats on the first floor and semi-private seating upstairs. It’s also always crowded during mealtimes — but that’s just how you know it’s good. 

It’s highly recommended to get some local sake to go with your seafood bowl; the restaurant offers tasting comparison courses of some of the premium selections from local Kanazawa breweries.

Ajidokoro Takasaki is an institution — italics necessary. Just west of Kenroku-en Gardens, the restaurant has been delighting visitors for more than 50 years. 

And naturally, as a restaurant with such a long history, its menu is equally formidable — the restaurant has over 100 items on its a la carte menu, from bite-sized firefly squid (hotaru-ika) to grilled Kaga vegetables. These are all served at a beautifully lit, cozy wooden counter at which you can see the chef dutifully preparing each one. 

As mentioned earlier, blackthroat seaperch is famed all throughout Kanazawa, but possibly nowhere more so than at Ajidokoro Takasaki. The restaurant makes sure to use fish that are at least 500 g in weight. It’s an explosion of flavor in the mouth, bolstered by an extremely satisfying mouthfeel.

Fatty fish like nodoguro pairs excellently with sake, which Ajidokoro Takasaki has in spades. It has more than 20 types of sake in the restaurant on regular rotation, most of which is from Ishikawa breweries. 

For a little bit of variety, though, the restaurant also features a healthy selection from Hokuriku’s best as well, like a miniature hall of fame of sake brewers in Niigata and Toyama. 

The best part? It’s shockingly affordable for the quality you receive. Full course menus hover between ¥7,000 to ¥10,000 at the time of writing, with additional charges for sake pairings. An equivalent in Tokyo would be easily two or three times the price.

Nonetheless, no restaurant is perfect, Ajidokoro Takasaki included. And the major failing of Ajidokoro Takasaki is simply that it’s only open for dinner.

For those who desperately need a taste of it at lunch, the restaurant actually has a second store just three blocks south, a stone’s throw from Kenroku-en Gardens (and actually diagonally opposite from Itaru Honten mentioned earlier). 

In contrast to its sister restaurant, Hirudokoro Takasaki is only open for lunch, but brings all the signature favorites with it into the lunch hour, including blackthroat seaperch done various ways, assorted sashimi, and of course the rock oysters from the Noto Peninsula.

There are some key differences, of course. The first is the ambience; naturally, Hirudokoro Takasaki feels much more like a modern restaurant, comparatively bright and spacious in contrast to the traditional, dimly-lit glossy counter seating of its older sister, so that’s something to note if you’re looking to replicate that really Showa-era experience of a service at Ajidokoro Takasaki.

The other is that Hirudokoro Takasaki offers dedicated crab options — a rarity for a lunch-only restaurant. Just like its blackthroat seaperch, Hirudokoro Takasaki makes sure to get its crabs big, for more flavor and texture. Whether it’s hairy crab, red king crab or snow crab, some of the best in all of Kanazawa can be found here. 

This is especially true as the weather gets colder: November to March is peak crab season. You might have to shell out a little more for it — pun intended — but it’s definitely worth it.

Speaking of lunch… Another way to see Kanazawa is by bike. Explore the backstreets of Kanazawa with this bike and lunch tour, giving you a chance to tick off a few more local sights before sitting down to a meal of regional delicacies.

Craving more time in Kanazawa? You’ll want to find Omicho Market’s best foods, tick off a few of the best things to do in Kanazawa, then join the vibrant nightlife in Katamachi.

From Tokyo, the Hokuriku Shinkansen makes it extremely easy to reach Kanazawa; the reserved seat-only Kagayaki service from Tokyo Station reaches Kanazawa Station in just over 2 hours and 30 minutes. 

For cheaper fares but a slightly longer journey time of 3 hours, opt for the Hakutaka service instead. 

Overnight bus services are also available from Tokyo and Ueno Stations, which are significantly cheaper but also take about eight hours. 

Kanazawa is a beautiful destination all year round, but the choicest season for seafood is definitely in winter, between November to March, where yellowtail are fattiest, and snow crabs are at their largest and sweetest. 

Hotaru-ika, or firefly squid, are also very popular in the winter from January to the end of the season.

Popular sights in Kanazawa include the Kenroku-en Gardens, one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, the Omicho Market, the historic Higashi Chaya geisha district, and Kanazawa Castle. 

Explore the geisha district with a local guide in this Kanazawa geisha district tour and dinner.

Another popular option is this Kanazawa gold leaf tour, where you’ll learn about the area’s famous gold leaf production, try gold leaf ice-cream and takoyaki, and take a guided tour through the Higashi Chaya district.

Popular day trips include the Noto Peninsula, which has spectacular sights of the Ishikawa coastline, and the traditional sloping thatched-roof houses of Shirakawa-go Village, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.