Treat yourself! Have a wonderful time in Ishikawa in winter

 

The Ishikawa Prefecture is an area we’d recommend to people who would love to try authentic Japanese experiences. Situated in the Hokuriku region facing the Sea of Japan, the prefecture is home to famous hot spring villages such as Kanazawa and Kaga. And of course, the area has lots of attractions that are well-known for their delicacies like seafood and Noto beef.

During this past winter, we visited the Noto Peninsula and the Kanazawa area with friends. We wanted to treat ourselves to a slightly luxurious Japan food trip where we could indulge in the most delectable dishes. 

 

For a satisfying food trip to Ishikawa, Japan, follow our itinerary that’ll let you experience the unique charms of the prefecture. Taste Japanese cuisine made with high-quality fish, gold-leaf pasting, and more at the following top spots. 

 

※All images in this article are for reference only.

 

1) Nodoguro and crab at the Noto Peninsula

 

 

For the first leg of our food trip in Ishikawa, Japan, we went to the Noto Peninsula. Sticking out into the Sea of Japan, the area is a popular spot owing to the spectacular view of the sunset and sea.
Aside from the views it offers, what makes Noto Peninsula a famous tourist spot is its accessibility. It only takes around an hour to fly from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Noto Satoyama Airport. 

 

If you’re traveling by land, there are a number of convenient routes to choose from. From Tokyo, you can first take the JR Hokuriku shinkansen (bullet train) to Kanazawa. Then, switch to your choice of either a limited express or local train line to various stops in the Noto Peninsula. Highway buses also run from Kanazawa to Wajima, the peninsula's northern tip.

 

We really intended to visit Noto Peninsula to try out the seafood cuisine, which the area has become known for. When you visit, we recommend that you try luxurious local seafood such as the Nodoguro or Blackthroat Seaperch, a high-quality fish with plenty of fat. 
 

 

When traveling in wintertime, make sure to order Noto Peninsula’s crab, once fishing restrictions are lifted and it’s served at restaurants. During our trip, we had the Crab kaiseki, a multi-course meal ranging from sashimi to rice porridge made with seasonal crabs. 

 

In addition, high-grade seafood such as blowfish and oysters from Wajima Port, which boasts the largest haul in Japan, are also popular. To try them all, we made sure to visit a restaurant that offers luxurious Japanese kaiseki for dinner. Some of the restaurants that offer Japanese kaiseki have a private atmosphere, so you’ll feel like you’re away from the hustle and bustle as you dine.

 

2) Warm coffee in a Japanese-style Cafe

 

 

After enjoying high-grade seafood cuisine, we headed for a spot to relax. We went to a cafe built with materials sourced from Wajima, Ishikawa, and the surrounding local area. The cafe we visited was special as it was also particular about using spring water from the Shiroyone Senmaida rice terraces. Drinking the specially crafted coffee made me feel relaxed and my heart was filled with calmness.

 

If, like us, you would like to visit a cafe that’s completely unique to Japan, search for a traditional cafe in an area that makes use of local crafts. Try to find one where drinks are served in a traditional cup called Wajima Nuri. Known for its vibrant coating and elegance, Wajima Nuri lacquerware has become one of the traditional crafts that represent Japan.
 

3) Sushi at Higashi Chaya

 

 

After enjoying the local specialties of Noto Peninsula, we took the Wajima Express Bus from Wajima Station to Kanazawa, a trip of about two hours and 10 minutes. We went to the Higashi Chaya District, which was what I actually wanted to visit the most in Kanazawa. 

 

The area looked too beautiful to resist so I ended up taking a lot of photos. The district features an old townscape with restored teahouses and taverns, beautiful grids, and cobblestones, which sure look fab on social media! 

 

There, we found lots of great restaurants such as sushi restaurants and soba restaurants. Keeping in line with our luxurious food trip, we headed to an authentic sushi restaurant in the district and had high-grade sushi made using fresh seafood for lunch.
 

4) Gold Leaf Ice Cream at Kanazawa

 

 

Did you know that the famous gold leaf or kinpaku is a traditional craft that originated in Kanazawa? In fact, the city accounts for more than 98 percent of Japan's gold leaf production. Gold leaf is produced by pounding melted gold and trace amounts of silver and copper into thin sheets.

 

We wanted to have the luxurious experience of trying the traditional craft, so we went to the gold leaf museum called Hakuichi Honten Hakukokan. Touring the facility, you can see and touch gold leaf sheets while learning of its history and manufacturing process. After exploring the museum, we dropped by its shopping areas and the cafes where we could try out desserts dusted with the precious craft.

Among them, we recommend the Brilliance of Gold Leaf Soft Ice Cream, which uses a single piece of gold leaf as a topping. Be sure not to miss the moment when the staff member gently lifts the gold leaf with bamboo chopsticks and places it on the ice cream! 
 

 

 

After having the soft ice cream, don’t forget to try gold leaf pasting, a master course where you paste sheets of gold leaf on hand mirrors and other objects. 

 

Placing the gold leaf was a nerve-racking experience for me. But thankfully, the staff was there to guide me carefully, so I managed to create a one-of-a-kind souvenir with no problem at all. 

 

At the end of our visit, I took a picture of a room decorated with 10,000 sheets of gold leaf. It was truly a golden way to cap off our Japanese food trip filled with sumptuous experiences. 
 

 

Refer to the following for more information on the facilities mentioned in this article

 

Must-go places in winter! A treasury of spectacular views in the Ishikawa・Gifu・Toyama area
https://www.japan.travel/en/my/solo-japan/must-go-places-winter-treasury-spectacular-views-ishikawa-gifu-t/
Hokuriku

https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/hokuriku-shinetsu/

Ishikawa Prefecture

https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/hokuriku-shinetsu/ishikawa/
https://www.ishikawatravel.jp/en/destinations/kanazawa/
https://visitkanazawa.jp/

 

Sample Itineraries
https://www.ishikawatravel.jp/en/plan-your-trip/itineraries/