What to Eat in Kanazawa: 12 Must-Try Local Dishes

A coastal city in the Hokuriku region of northern Japan, Ishikawa Prefecture’s Kanazawa is a lesser-known spot to add to your Japan itinerary. Easily accessible via shinkansen, the city is known for its fresh seafood, gold leaf crafts, and historic castles. 

If you’re planning a side trip to the East Coast, this 3-day Kanazawa itinerary will help you figure out what to do while you’re there.

Looking for more Kanazawa content? Check out all our Kanazawa Travel Guides:

• What to eat in Omicho Market

• 3-day Kanazawa itinerary

• Best restaurants in Kanazawa

• How to enjoy Kanazawa nightlife

• Best seafood restaurants in Kanazawa

But first, we have to figure out the food. So without further ado, here are 12 dishes you’ve got to try while you’re in Kanazawa. 

Darker and more soulful in flavor thanks to the addition of caramel and other spices, Kanazawa curry is a comfort food for locals and tourists alike. 

No matter where you choose to savor this delectable dish, you’ll most likely have it served to you on an old-fashioned metal plate with a topping of crispy, fried pork cutlet (known as tonkatsu in Japanese), a side of shredded cabbage and a generous portion of chocolate-colored curry smothering the white rice beneath. 

Introducing the dish that’s perfect for kids and picky eaters. Taken from the words for Hungary and tuna in French, hunthon rice consists of ketchup and butter rice with a creamy, semi-cooked egg on top, then a seafood element of fried white fish or prawns, and finally, a saucy addition of ketchup or tartar sauce. 

For a luxurious dessert, why not try the emblematic gold leaf ice cream of Kanazawa? Depending on where you go, you can find gold-dusted ice cream cones or sheets of gold delicately wrapped around the ice cream.

If you have any concerns about this ingredient, let us allay your fears: edible gold is safe to eat and does not affect the taste of the desserts containing them — it just makes them look prettier and pays tribute to Kanazawa’s history of gold leaf craftsmanship! 

Want to try gold leaf food in Kanazawa? Join this Kanazawa gold leaf tour, including gold leaf ice cream and gold leaf takoyaki (octopus balls).

If you’re visiting Kanazawa during the colder months, we can’t recommend Kanazawa oden enough for keeping warm. 

This hot pot dish features vegetables from the Kaga region, a mildly flavored broth, and several seafood ingredients. If you have the budget, the kani-men variety made with the shell of the female snow crab is a worthy indulgence.

Although conveyor belt sushi is ubiquitous in Japan as an accessible, affordable entry point into Japanese seafood, Kanazawa is the ultimate destination for sushi lovers. 

So, where can you find the best conveyor belt sushi in the city? Check out Omicho Market, restaurants around Kanazawa Station and the teahouse district of Higashi Chaya. 

We recommend trying the white shrimp and rosy sea bass (nodoguro), two delicious types of sushi that are local to Kanazawa.

Want to explore the geisha district of Higashi Chaya? Join this geisha district tour with dinner, where an expert guide will share stories of this traditional, culture-rich area. 

Speaking of sushi specialties in Kanazawa, you also have to try kaburazushi, a uniquely fermented sushi made from two pieces of salted yellowtail, salted turnips and malted rice sandwiched together. 

This is typically prepared in households across Kanazawa during the winter but can be found in restaurants as well. If you’re a fan of pickled foods, this might just be your newest sushi favorite.

One of the most sought-after delicacies in Kanazawa, kano-gani refers to the large male snow crabs that are caught in the limited fishing season between November 6 and March 20. 

Said to be sweeter than the female crabs, you can try this in the form of crab sashimi, broiled crab, and more at restaurants across the city.

If you’re wanting to come to Ishikawa specifically for the seafood, we recommend coming in the winter months when the crabs are at their prime. Be prepared to shell out a little extra for this exclusive dish! 

Unlike snow crabs, the fishing seasons for amaebi, or sweet shrimp, run from May to June and September to October. Naturally sweet, we recommend eating them raw in the form of sashimi. 

Don’t let the beady eyes deter you from enjoying this highly-praised seafood.

If you like your seafood in miniature format, gori karaage is a must-try dish during your time in Kanazawa. Gori are small river fish that are traditionally deep-fried and boiled in soy sauce and mirin for a sweet, crispy coating. 

Although it was widely eaten by locals in the past, gori karaage has become rare over time as fewer river fish are available to catch. So, if you’re intent on trying this delicacy, be sure to call up the restaurant ahead of time to check if it’s on the menu.

Heading down south to the Kaga Onsen region, you can find jibuni, a traditional stewed dish made with duck or chicken meat wrapped in wheat, seasonal vegetables and wheat gluten (a local specialty) swimming in a thick broth and topped with wasabi. 

While you’re down in the Kaga Onsen area, soak up Kanazawa’s rich culture in this kaiseki, sake and gold leaf workshop — complete with a one-night stay at Kaga Onsen and your private hot spring bath.

For another dish local to Kaga, look no further than sea bream karamushi (stuffed sea bream). Two whole seabream fish are sliced open and topped with a mixture of lily bulbs, lotus root, carrots, wood ear mushrooms and ginkgo nuts. Afterward, the fish are seasoned with soybean pulp and steamed.

This dish has Southeast Asian origins and was once served at weddings, but now can be found in high-end Japanese restaurants throughout Ishikawa Prefecture.

The lesser-known cousin of wagyu beef from Kobe, Noto beef comes from the black cattle raised on the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa. Their superior quality results in beef that’s low in fat, sweet in flavor and melts in your mouth. 

Although it’s a specialty of Noto Peninsula, rest assured you can easily find Noto beef at restaurants in Kanazawa, too!

Kanazawa curry is set apart by its rich brown color and a thicker sauce consistency compared to other Japanese curries. However, like many other Japanese curries, it is also paired with a deep-fried pork cutlet known as tonkatsu and served with rice and shredded cabbage.

Kanazawa is popular as a place of natural beauty, a rich culture — including traditional geisha districts and a castle — and bountiful fresh seafood from the neighboring Sea of Japan.