Local Guide
Take out the delicious flavors of Kanazawa. Great as a souvenir or travel companion.

From Kanazawa's traditional food "oshizushi" to bento boxes of rice cooked with seafood, rice balls and bread packed with local ingredients, and gyoza from famous restaurants with unique characteristics. Why not take home some of Kanazawa's gourmet food, known for its fine cuisine, and enjoy it at home? We also recommend savoring it on the Shinkansen at the end of your trip.

A delicious inari made with juicy fried tofu stuffed with cooked rice

Plenty of flavorful rice inside a thick deep-fried tofu soaked in broth.
Plenty of flavorful rice inside a thick deep-fried tofu soaked in broth.

The specialty "yaki-inari," a deep-fried tofu filled with seasoned rice, is a popular dish for both meals and snacks. The simple deep-fried tofu, made from domestic soybeans by a firm tofu store in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is soaked in dashi overnight to allow the flavor to soak in. There are six types of rice inside, including the most popular "chicken and burdock," "chirashi" with Kaga lotus root, "hotate" made from ginger-scented rice mixed with scallops from the Sea of Japan, and "kintokimo red rice" with fluffy Gorojima kintoki sweet potatoes. The flavor of the dashi from the deep-fried tofu and the rice spreads throughout your mouth, making for an addictive taste.
At the storefront of the directly managed store "Kanazawa Kenrokuya" in "Kenrokuen", they also hold demonstration sales on weekends. You can of course buy some as souvenirs, but it's also a luxury to be able to eat freshly baked bread while walking around.

[Product name and price] Yaki-inari 350 yen each, "Nodoguro" only 600 yen
[Stores that sell the product] Kanazawa Kenrokuya, Kanazawa Hyakubangai "Suzume", "Ekiben-dokoro Kanazawa", Meitetsu Mza (frozen only), Komatsu Airport "ANA FESTA", hot spring Station "Seven-Eleven", etc.

Kagamori Okaya Kenrokuen store (Kanazawa Kenrokuya)
  • URLhttps://www.moriokaya.co.jp
  • address2-3 Kenrokucho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • DirectionJR金沢駅から車で約6分
  • Bus DirectionTake the sightseeing bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Kenrokuenshita/Kanazawa Castle" and walk for about 1 minute
  • Opening times8:30～17:00
  • Closed Day2nd and 4th Thursday
  • TEL076-254-0160
  • ParkingPaid (1 hour free for purchases of 3,000 yen or more)

Enjoy premium pressed sushi that is one step above the rest

Clockwise from the right in the foreground: Noto beef shigure, wild sockeye salmon, domestic red sea bream, seared yellowtail, domestic conger eel
Clockwise from the right in the foreground: Noto beef shigure, wild sockeye salmon, domestic red sea bream, seared yellowtail, domestic conger eel

In Kanazawa, "oshizushi" has long been a popular dish made on special occasions such as festivals. Founded in 1958 (Showa 33), this restaurant continues to make oshizushi using rice delivered from contracted farmers, underground water from Mt. Hakusan, and fresh fish marinated in mellow special vinegar and natural salt, wrapped in fragrant bamboo leaves.
Kanazawa Sasazushi Premium, which was renewed in spring 2019, was created in pursuit of the tastiness of the ingredients. It is a colorful dish topped with five ingredients, including Noto Beef Shigure seasoned with local Ono soy sauce, Japanese Red Sea Bream, red sea bream from the Seto Inland Sea marinated in kelp, and seared yellowtail marinated overnight in koji for a rich flavor, on top of plump vinegared rice made from Ishikawa Prefecture. Each sashimi is individually wrapped, making it easy to eat and a great gift.

[Product name and price] Kanazawa Sasazushi Premium (5 pieces) 1,080 yen
[Stores] Kanazawa Hyakuban-gai, Main store Shibazushi no Sato, Korinbo Yamato, Meitetsu Mza, Komatsu Airport 1st floor shop, etc.

Sasazushi Hyakuban-gai branch
  • URLhttps://shibazushi.jp
  • addressIshikawa Prefecture Kanazawa City Kinoshinbocho 1-1 Kanazawa Hyakubangai "Anto" MAP
  • DirectionDirectly connected to JR Kanazawa Station
  • Opening times8:30～20:00
  • Closed DayJanuary 1st
  • TEL076-261-4844
  • ParkingPaid

Freshly cooked, flavorful seafood rice

In the foreground is the specialty "Abalone rice." In the back, "Nodoguro rice" is only served when Nodoguro is in stock.
In the foreground is the specialty "Abalone rice." In the back, "Nodoguro rice" is only served when Nodoguro is in stock.

A famous shop known for its "seared yellowtail" offers "abalone rice" and "rosy seabass rice" only at Kanazawa Station Hyakuban-gai. Both are bento boxes that are handmade right at the back of the store, starting with washing the Ishikawa Prefecture-produced koshihikari rice, and when it's done, a delicious aroma fills the air.
"Awabimeshi" is made with plenty of domestic abalone, mainly from Noto, and has a secret ingredient of "ishiru," a fish sauce made from fermented squid, giving it a delicious flavor that you will never tire of. The texture of the abalone is also excellent. "Nodoguromeshi" is a luxurious dish made by cooking Nodoguro broth with fried tofu and carrots. It is delicious both freshly made and when cooled. It often sells out by the evening, so be sure to call and ask to reserve one for yourself.

[Product name and price] Abalone rice 1,600 yen, Blackthroat seaperch rice 1,800 yen

Seared Yellowtail Honpo Ushioya Kanazawa Hyakubangai Branch
  • URLhttps://ushioya.com
  • addressIshikawa Prefecture Kanazawa City Kinoshinbocho 1-1 Kanazawa Hyakubangai "Anto" MAP
  • DirectionDirectly connected to JR Kanazawa Station
  • Opening times8:30～20:00
  • Closed DayJanuary 1st
  • TEL076-222-408
  • ParkingPaid

Compare the taste of two unique gyoza

The deep-fried "white gyoza" is in the foreground, and the pan-fried gyoza is in the background. They are delicious when reheated in a toaster oven.
The deep-fried "white gyoza" is in the foreground, and the pan-fried gyoza is in the background. They are delicious when reheated in a toaster oven.

This famous gyoza restaurant is always full, with long queues at lunch and dinner time. The signature dish is the "White Gyoza," a rendition of the gyoza that the founder of the main "White Gyoza" store in Chiba Prefecture learned to make in China. The thick skin is deep-fried for 20 minutes, giving it a fluffy bread-like texture, and the inside is filled with a filling made mainly of finely chopped cabbage, Chinese chives, and minced pork.
Meanwhile, the original "fried gyoza" from "Dai 7 Gyoza no Mise" is made by wrapping minced pork and beef with a filling made from cabbage and onion in skin and frying it, giving it a crispy, crunchy texture and juicy taste. The two types of gyoza, which are all different in terms of the ingredients used for the skin and filling, the ratio of ingredients, and the frying method, are definitely worth trying to compare. Since it takes a while for the gyoza to be cooked, it's best to make a reservation if you want to take them out.

[Product name and price] White gyoza (medium) 10 pieces 605 yen, fried gyoza (medium) 5 pieces 442 yen

The 7th Gyoza Shop
  • URLhttps://www.white-gyouza.co.jp/branch/kanazawa.html
  • address1-259 Morinosato, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • DirectionJR金沢駅から車で約18分
  • Bus DirectionTake the bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Wakamatsu" and walk for about 5 minutes
  • Opening times11:00～26:00（L.O.25:45）
  • Closed DayWednesdays (open on public holidays, closed the following day), New Year's holidays
  • TEL076-261-0825
  • Parkingfree

Exquisite rice balls with ingredients typical of Kanazawa

Each rice ball costs 140 to 400 yen. They are large at 150g, and if you take them out, they are served in a burger bag.
Each rice ball costs 140 to 400 yen. They are large at 150g, and if you take them out, they are served in a burger bag.

This is an unpretentious onigiri shop opened by a chef who has 35 years of experience in traditional Japanese restaurants in Kanazawa and Tokyo. The shop serves large onigiri rice balls made with rice from Noto, cooked in a hagama pot, and topped with Mongolian rock salt and Ariake nori seaweed. There are over 40 types of ingredients, most of which are homemade, including flavors unique to Kanazawa, such as "Kaga lotus root kinpira," "black squid," "Noto shiitake mushrooms," and "fugu bran."
Also, be sure to check out the seasonal recommended onigiri, such as the limited-edition "Okoge" rice ball, which allows you to simply enjoy the deliciousness of rice, "Hamo tossed in pickled plum" in summer, and "Chestnut rice" in autumn. What's great is that they make all the onigiri after you order. Set menus with side dishes are also available for takeout.

[Product name and price] Noto beef simmered in soy sauce 300 yen, Kaga lotus root kinpira, Noto shiitake mushroom simmered 250 yen each (excluding tax)

Kettle-cooked rice balls Mitsuya
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