Kanazawa recommendations?
Mar 28th, 2011, 06:27 PM
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Kanazawa recommendations?
Aside from the superlong earthquake thread, there hasn't been much action on the Japan Forum recently, so I thought I would jump in again with a question related to our upcoming trip in May. We'll be in Kanazawa for three nights (staying at the Dormy Inn) and would love some recommendations on what to do there, as well as advice on where to eat. The garden, of course, is on our list, but I haven't yet done much homework on other ways to occupy our days there. Advice appreciated!
Mar 28th, 2011, 06:46 PM
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http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2167.html
In addition to the garden, I visited the Kanazawa Castle, Seisonkaku Villa and a couple of museums and I took a walk around the Higashi Chaya area and saw several temples.....this was late April last year...
In addition to the garden, I visited the Kanazawa Castle, Seisonkaku Villa and a couple of museums and I took a walk around the Higashi Chaya area and saw several temples.....this was late April last year...
Mar 28th, 2011, 07:04 PM
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Great amount of time. The Higashi Chaya and Utatsuyama areas are lovely. Omicho is an interesting though recently modernized market. The 21st Centery Museum of Modern Art is good. If you want hands on experiences you can try various crafts like gold leaf, pottery and Kaga yuzen. You can also try kimono and participate in tea ceremony.
Rent a car an spend the day exploring Gokayama and Shirakawago. Only an hour drive to get there. Car much better than bus, which is infrequent.
Definitely eat sushi. In Omicho there are some low priced yet good places. Lots of other great restaurants. Dormy Inn is nice but location isn't great for sightseeing. You'll need bus or taxi to go anywhere. If you can change, you might choose a hotel in Kohrimbo like Tokyu Excel. If not no problem, just know you'll need to use bus/taxi.
Rent a car an spend the day exploring Gokayama and Shirakawago. Only an hour drive to get there. Car much better than bus, which is infrequent.
Definitely eat sushi. In Omicho there are some low priced yet good places. Lots of other great restaurants. Dormy Inn is nice but location isn't great for sightseeing. You'll need bus or taxi to go anywhere. If you can change, you might choose a hotel in Kohrimbo like Tokyu Excel. If not no problem, just know you'll need to use bus/taxi.
Mar 28th, 2011, 08:28 PM
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Restaurants
Rokkakudou - Teppanyaki, open for lunch and dinner. Utatsuyama area. Not cheap but excellent. http://www.asadaya.co.jp/rokkakudou/ japanese only. Beautiful beef. Lovely service.
Sekitei - Japanese/Kaiseki. Same restaurant group. Near 21st Century museum. Not cheap, but again, excellent. http://www.asadaya.co.jp/sekitei/
Both of these restaurants offer both excellent food and an all around lovely dining experience. The Asadaya group of restaurants and their ryokan is respected and one of the best in town. You can't go wrong at their places unless you are on a tight budget.
Mori Mori Sushi, a few outlets in town. Conveyer belt sushi, which is usually anti-climatic, is good here and cheap. Last I knew, an outlet was in Omicho and the shopping center next to Kanazawa Station Forus...but as I don't go to either of those places often that could have changed. In Omicho, you won't go wrong in any sushi shop.
Arroz - Spanish. In Katamachi, across the street from the Smile Hotel, on the second floor. This small, chef owner place is nothing less than outstanding. The food is always excellent, the chef and staff and customers all clearly love good food, wine and company. An excellent night out. Sit at the counter and watch him cook and chat. He speaks a tad of English. 3 of us usually spend ¥10,000 - ¥15,000 there, depending on what we drink. Let the chef choose your menu and you will not be disappointed. Outstanding dishes include piru piru (salted cod in heart attack inducing butter and cream sauce served with sliced French bread), something beef tail cooked for a long time at low temperature (no English menu and I can't translate that eloquently), seafood mountain (self explanatory), any of the paella, sangria, creme brulee. No, not Japanese, but one of Kanazawa's best dining experiences, hands down. Very popular, reservations required or you may not get in. Ask your hotel to reserve for you. Dinner only, open til 3::00 AM. If you have only one splurge, make it here.
Rotti - Indian. I know, not Japanese again, but again, very, very good. Located near the Prefectural offices west of Kanazawa station. Perfect stop after a trip to Gokayama/S-go by car. Friendly and helpful Indian staff, great food, good prices. Need English books....the Beans bookshop is right in front on the main road and has Kanazawa's best selection of books in English on the second floor.
Toritetsu - Yakitori, Katamachi, next to HIS Travel downstairs. Small place selling various grilled stuff on sticks. Best part is their nomohodai, or all you can drink, plan - one hour ¥900, two hours ¥1500 and three hours ¥1800 for a variety of soft drinks, beer and cocktails you choose from a menu. Given that even soft drinks cost ¥300 and up, this is a bargain on drinks. Really local, small place but foreigners welcomed. You probably will need to wait for a seat.
Terakan - Upscale izakaya/Japanese. Family run, small place in residential Izumino. Taxi from Kohrimbo maybe ¥1200. Blackboard menu changing daily, featuring fresh fish and vegetables, mostly local. Many plates and dishes themselves made by the chef - pottery hobby. Not much English, but lots of earnest goodwill and eager to please. if you request omakase, the chef will serve you a course menu of whatever he chooses, and it is always good. Lunch ¥1000 and up for sets. Dinner ¥2500 and up, a la carte or sets.
Harvest - buffet restaurant inside Forus shopping center next to Kanazawa station. Great quality and variety. Not what you'd expect from a buffet.
Kanazawa is packed with restaurants. These are just a few.
Rokkakudou - Teppanyaki, open for lunch and dinner. Utatsuyama area. Not cheap but excellent. http://www.asadaya.co.jp/rokkakudou/ japanese only. Beautiful beef. Lovely service.
Sekitei - Japanese/Kaiseki. Same restaurant group. Near 21st Century museum. Not cheap, but again, excellent. http://www.asadaya.co.jp/sekitei/
Both of these restaurants offer both excellent food and an all around lovely dining experience. The Asadaya group of restaurants and their ryokan is respected and one of the best in town. You can't go wrong at their places unless you are on a tight budget.
Mori Mori Sushi, a few outlets in town. Conveyer belt sushi, which is usually anti-climatic, is good here and cheap. Last I knew, an outlet was in Omicho and the shopping center next to Kanazawa Station Forus...but as I don't go to either of those places often that could have changed. In Omicho, you won't go wrong in any sushi shop.
Arroz - Spanish. In Katamachi, across the street from the Smile Hotel, on the second floor. This small, chef owner place is nothing less than outstanding. The food is always excellent, the chef and staff and customers all clearly love good food, wine and company. An excellent night out. Sit at the counter and watch him cook and chat. He speaks a tad of English. 3 of us usually spend ¥10,000 - ¥15,000 there, depending on what we drink. Let the chef choose your menu and you will not be disappointed. Outstanding dishes include piru piru (salted cod in heart attack inducing butter and cream sauce served with sliced French bread), something beef tail cooked for a long time at low temperature (no English menu and I can't translate that eloquently), seafood mountain (self explanatory), any of the paella, sangria, creme brulee. No, not Japanese, but one of Kanazawa's best dining experiences, hands down. Very popular, reservations required or you may not get in. Ask your hotel to reserve for you. Dinner only, open til 3::00 AM. If you have only one splurge, make it here.
Rotti - Indian. I know, not Japanese again, but again, very, very good. Located near the Prefectural offices west of Kanazawa station. Perfect stop after a trip to Gokayama/S-go by car. Friendly and helpful Indian staff, great food, good prices. Need English books....the Beans bookshop is right in front on the main road and has Kanazawa's best selection of books in English on the second floor.
Toritetsu - Yakitori, Katamachi, next to HIS Travel downstairs. Small place selling various grilled stuff on sticks. Best part is their nomohodai, or all you can drink, plan - one hour ¥900, two hours ¥1500 and three hours ¥1800 for a variety of soft drinks, beer and cocktails you choose from a menu. Given that even soft drinks cost ¥300 and up, this is a bargain on drinks. Really local, small place but foreigners welcomed. You probably will need to wait for a seat.
Terakan - Upscale izakaya/Japanese. Family run, small place in residential Izumino. Taxi from Kohrimbo maybe ¥1200. Blackboard menu changing daily, featuring fresh fish and vegetables, mostly local. Many plates and dishes themselves made by the chef - pottery hobby. Not much English, but lots of earnest goodwill and eager to please. if you request omakase, the chef will serve you a course menu of whatever he chooses, and it is always good. Lunch ¥1000 and up for sets. Dinner ¥2500 and up, a la carte or sets.
Harvest - buffet restaurant inside Forus shopping center next to Kanazawa station. Great quality and variety. Not what you'd expect from a buffet.
Kanazawa is packed with restaurants. These are just a few.
Mar 29th, 2011, 06:32 AM
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Thanks so much for the detailed reply--especially about the restaurants. Great info, and nice to have some non-Japanese recommendations in case we are ready for a break (that will be 2 weeks into our trip so it's quite likely!). I think we'll stick with the Dormy Inn and try to figure out the buses or take a taxi. For some reason I hate changing reservations once I've made them. We'll be spending 2 nights in Shirakawa-go before we get to Kanazawa and arriving on the bus, otherwise we would definitely rent a car and go to the villages. I'm looking forward to learning more about the crafts and maybe trying my hand at something. Thanks again!
Mar 29th, 2011, 06:57 AM
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Your restaurant recos look fantastic! Can't wait to get there to try some of them. I love those Japanese adjectives "heart attack butter" lol. Have you had the piru piru? Is it spicy hot. Linda ate a piri piri cod dish in Lisbon that sounds like the same sauce only spicier and wondering if was anything similar. Guess she'll have to wait and see 
Aloha!
Aloha!
Mar 29th, 2011, 10:50 AM
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In addition to the places already mentioned, I loved Gyokusen-en:
http://www.geocities.jp/gyokusen_en/rekishi-e.html
Enjoy!
http://www.geocities.jp/gyokusen_en/rekishi-e.html
Enjoy!
Mar 29th, 2011, 06:35 PM
#10
I liked the okonomiyaki at Kotatsu. I ate there twice - admittedly it was very convenient to my hotel & I was limping, but I definitely enjoyed the food. The mushroom salad was good, too. I think it's underneath Arroz.
