Often called ‘Little Kyoto,’ Kanazawa is diverse to say the least.
It has one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, a beautifully preserved samurai district, and a geisha quarter you can actually wander through without feeling like you’re intruding – and just round the corner is a contemporary art gallery!
It’s compact, walkable, and blissfully less crowded than its more famous cousins – which makes it perfect if you want that classic old-Japan atmosphere without the queues.
Throw in gold-leaf everything (they produce almost all of Japan’s gold leaf here, and yes, you can eat it on soft-serve) and an entire culture based on crafts and artisans who, today, want to teach tourists their crafts, and you’ve got a city that rewards a slow two or three days rather than a rushed day trip.
