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HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Kanazawa's Kaga Cuisine
Savor fresh, delicious ingredients harvested from mountains and the sea
Kanazawa City Tourism Association
The traditional foods of Kanazawa are known as Kaga cuisine. Kaga Province (present-day Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures) was ruled in feudal times by the Maeda family who encouraged the city’s specialized cooking techniques. In the 17th century, the Maeda lords also established the brewing of soy sauce in Ono. This port town is still famous for making this mild, sweet and salty condiment today and it goes perfectly with the region’s rice, vegetables and fresh seafood. In fact, don’t leave Kanazawa without enjoying its excellent fish and shellfish. The quality of sushi here is nationally recognised and there are many sushi restaurants and kaitenzushi conveyor-belt sushi shops in which to sample the dish.
The perfect drink to go with this delicious seafood and other Kaga dishes is the region’s rich tasting sake. During the region's cold winters, high-quality sakes have been produced in Kanazawa for 400 years from rice harvested in the Kaga Plain and water from the Saigawa and Asanogawa rivers.
After enjoying seafood and sake, something sweet is a must. Kanazawa is one of the top three cities in Japan for wagashi confectionery making. Specialised techniques are used to create traditional sweets made from ingredients including pounded rice, red beans and sugar, and formed into seasonal shapes such as maple leaves in the autumn.
How to get there
Aproximately 2.5 hours from Tokyo Station to Kanazawa Station via direct JR Hokuriku Shinkansen.
