Blessed on all sides by the natural bounty of mountains, rivers and the sea, Kanazawa is renowned for its culinary culture, with super fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan, sweet white rice grown with natural mineral waters, and unique varieties of healthy Kaga vegetables. In this article we highlight five essential specialties that you should try in Kanazawa and tell you where to find them.
Table of Contents
1. Sushi at Maimon Sushi
The main branch of Maimon Sushi though highly recommended is far from the center of town
If there is one thing you must eat in Kanazawa it is sushi. Even in a cheap “conveyor belt sushi” store you will be surprised at just how good the local sushi is. Although there are many fine sushi restaurants in this city, Maimon Sushi is one of the names you will hear again and again. Specifically, locals often recommend Maimon Sushi Honten, the head restaurant of the chain. However, although the sushi served at this main branch is truly delicious, the location just off the Hokuriku Expressway is not very convenient and if you don’t have access to a car, you will need to take a taxi.
Fortunately, there is a smaller branch of Maimon Sushi just inside Kanazawa Station. This smaller store is also extremely popular so if you want to have lunch or dinner here it’s a good idea to arrive just a little before, or just a little after the peak period or be prepared to wait.
The Kanazawa Station branch of Maimon Sushi
Maimon Sushi Main Branch
Open: 11:00 – 21:30 (Last orders: 21:00)
Tel: 076-234-1144
Website: https://www.maimon-susi.com/shop/ekinishi-2/
Kanazawa Station Maimon Sushi
Open: 11:00 – 21:30 (Last orders: 21:00)
Tel: 076-225-8988
Website: https://www.maimon-susi.com/shop/kanazawaeki/
Location: You can find the Kanazawa Station branch of Maimon Sushi inside the Ajiwai Koji section of the Anto shopping mall on the south side of the station building.
The main branch of Maimon Sushi is located a 15 minute drive from Kanazawa Station. Here is a map of the main branch’s location.
A lunch time sushi set at the Kanazawa Station branch of Maimon Sushi
2. Fine Kaga Dining at Kinjohro Ryokan
Kinjohro opened at its present site in 1890 and has more than 130 years of history
One of the best culinary experiences you can have in Kanazawa is a meal at the luxury ryokan style inn, Kinjohro. This inn doubles as a ryotei style restaurant and serves multi-course meals of Kaga ryori, the original cuisine of the Kanazawa area. An exquisite series of culinary delights are served in spacious private rooms with garden views. The service is impeccable and the in-house “Taka-no-ha” sake is a flavorful treat that will perfectly complement your meal.
An assortment of delicate entrées: top left is namako sea cucumber with tartare sauce, top right is salmon wrapped around a shishito sweet pepper with crab and egg jelly, bottom left is octopus with mozuku seaweed, and in the center is sticky white rice wrapped in bamboo leaves
As a hotel Kinjohro is quite pricey, and its restaurant is best treated as a special meal rather than a casual lunch stop. Individual lunch and dinner courses start at 16,500 yen. A weekday lunch course from 5,500 yen is available for groups of 10 or more, with separate room charges. It is entirely worth considering if you want a one-of-a-kind taste of luxury ryokan life in a private room setting.
Meals are served in private rooms with garden views
Open: 11:00 – 21:00 (Lunch course reception: 11:00 – 13:30; dinner course reception: 17:00 – 19:30)
Tel: 076-221-8188
Website: https://www.kinjohro.co.jp/japanesecuisine/
Location: Kinjohro is a short walk south of the Higashi Chaya-gai district. Here is a map of the location.
3. Zen Vegetarian Food at Tenten Nomachi
Tenten Nomachi is located in the house of an ordained Buddhist nun
Traditionally Buddhist monks were prohibited from eating meat, so they created a healthy and flavorful vegetarian cuisine called shojin ryori. You can try this tasty vegan fare for yourself at Tenten Nomachi, a tiny little eatery in the heart of the Teramachi temple district. The food is prepared and served by ordained Buddhist nun, Yonezawa Myosei, in the comfortable living room of her house. Her ingenious concoctions of vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and beans are delicious. Tenten Nomachi is a small reservation-only restaurant, so call ahead in Japanese rather than treating it as a walk-in lunch stop. Meals generally cost around 1,000 – 2,000 yen.
A healthy and delicious home-cooked vegan meal
Coffee and sweet muffins made without milk or eggs
Open: Reservation only; Friday – Sunday from 11:30 until tailored to guests. Closed Monday – Thursday. Reservations may also be accepted on other days upon request.
Tel: 076-287-5874
Location: Tenten Nomachi is a short walk from the Ninja Temple in the heart of the Teramachi district. Here is a map of the location.
4. Duck Soup at Yoshihisa
Yoshihisa is cheerful family run restaurant close to Kanazawa Station
Jibuni is a thick soy based broth of gluten, mushrooms, and thinly sliced duck and it is Kanazawa’s signature dish. If you want a taste of local home kitchen cooking, then you really have to try this local comfort food. Some restaurants serve it with chicken, but real jibuni is served with duck. Yoshihisa is a cozy, casual restaurant close to Kanazawa Station that serves jibuni, along with excellent tempura, sake rice wine tasting sets, and Kanazawa-style course meals.
Jibuni is Kanazawa’s signature dish
Open: 11:30 – 14:30 (Last orders: 14:00), 17:00 – 22:00 (Last orders: 21:30)
Closed: Mondays and the 4th Sunday of the month
Tel: 076-221-4988
Website: https://www.yoshihisa.co.jp/english.html
Location: Yoshihisa is a 7 minute walk south of Kanazawa Station. Here is a map of the location.
5. Local Sake at Nihonshu MAKOTO
Ishikawa Prefecture is well known for its delicious rice, so it’s not surprising that there are plenty of rice wine breweries here too. Nihonshu MAKOTO is a sake bar in the Higashi Chaya District where you can try local sake with oden and other small dishes from late morning through the early evening. This makes it a useful stop if you want to combine a walk around the historic teahouse district with a relaxed tasting of Ishikawa sake.
Open: Monday 11:30 – 16:00; Wednesday – Sunday 11:30 – 19:00
Closed: Tuesdays
Tel: 076-205-3800
Location: Nihonshu MAKOTO is located at 1-5-3 Higashiyama in the Higashi Chaya District.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 29-May-2026.
