Table full of items you can add gold leaf designs to in Kanazawa including plates, bowls and chopsticks

5 Hands-On Craft Experiences Not to Miss in Kanazawa

Kanazawa is one of the best places in Japan to visit if you enjoy crafts. The history of the city means it became home to many artisans, and it boasts a long history of making pottery, working with gold leaf and other crafts. And today there are a whole heap of classes and workshops that you can take as a tourist to learn their skills. Like these….

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Exterior of an old wooden building in Higashi Chaya Kanazawa

What Not to Miss in Higashi Chaya, Kanazawa

Higashi Chaya is the old geisha district of Kanazawa. Today, it’s a maze of streets lined with old wooden buildings full of shops, restaurants, and other tourist attractions. Dotted around these are some interesting shrines and other elements of Kanazawa life. Here’s our guide to the eleven things, big and small, that caught our eye.

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View of Nishi Chaya main street in Kanazawa showing old wooden houses and red framed old fashioned lights

8 Things to See Around Nishi Chaya, Kanazawa

Nishi Chaya is one of Kanazawa’s four main sightseeing areas. An old geisha district, it’s lined with old wooden teahouses. Inside these, you’ll find new cafes and museums full of fun and interesting artifacts. Here are eight things not to miss when you’re wandering around Nishi Chaya and nearby.

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Black box with gold leaf motif

What to Expect From a Gold Leaf Experience in Kanazawa

You’ll see a lot of gold leaf in Japan. Mostly on shrines and temples, but nowhere will you see it used in more fun ways than in Kanazawa. There are entire walls covered with it, you can eat food sprinkled with sparkly particles, and add it to cute souvenirs on one of Kanazawa’s gold leaf craft sessions. Here’s what happened when I tried the Hakuichi Gold Leaf Experience in Kanazawa.

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