Known for its blend of tradition and modern charm, Kanazawa is one of Japan’s most underrated food destinations. From the famous Omicho Market for incredibly fresh seafood, to the lively Katamachi district, an ideal downtown area to explore Kanazawa foods, and the ever-busy Kanazawa Station area for abundant eatery options, the city offers a delicious range of Kanazawa delicacies that reflect both its rich history and coastal location. Whether you’re sampling fresh seafood, slow-simmered stews, or gold-covered sweets, these are the 5 best local Kanazawa foods you shouldn’t miss.
🥇 1. Kaisen don (Seafood Rice Bowl)
The kaisen don is a wonderful way to experience the best of Kanazawa food, as it’s packed with the region’s ultra-fresh seafood in one bowl. This colourful dish features a variety of sashimi-grade fish like tuna, shrimp, and salmon—often caught just off the coast—served over a bed of vinegared rice, making it a must-try on any trip.
Where to Eat It: Head to Omicho Market, Kanazawa’s main food hub, where many stalls and restaurants serve fresh kaisen don.
For high-quality options, try Omicho Shokudo, loved by many locals serving their top selling kaisen don since they opened in 1930 or Iki Iki Tei, a small 10-seater restaurant, offering a delicious kaisen don for breakfast from 7 am. Also, there’s the Yamasan Sushi, famous for its Insta-worthy kaisen don with18 different toppings.
🦆 2. Jibuni (Duck and Vegetable Stew)
Jibuni is a distinctive Kanazawa food specialty that reflects the elegant Kaga cuisine of the region. This warm, rich, and deeply comforting stew features flour-coated duck (or often chicken these days) and fu (wheat gluten), simmered with seasonal vegetables in a thick soy-based broth. This traditional dish is frequently served as one of the multi-course Kaga kaiseki-style meal at traditional Japanese restaurants.
Where to Eat It: Look for Kaiseki or traditional Kaga Ryori restaurants and get an exquisite dining experience although many other eateries have this dish on their menu as a la carte or part of a set menu including a multi-course meal.
Try Gyohan Bukeyashikimaeten (English menu available), a family-run restaurant, serving regional cuisine including authentic Jibuni for over 120 years near the Korinbo bus stop, or Yoshihisa (with a regional sake tasting set available), a 5-min walk from Kanazawa Station, offering delicious Jibuni, sashimi and tempura on its own or as part of a set meal.
🍢 3. Kanazawa Oden
In most of Japan, Oden is a cozy winter treat. But in Kanazawa, it’s a year-round favourite, a perfect example of classic Kanazawa food. Get ready to taste Kanazawa Oden with its famously delicate and flavourful broth along with unique local bites such as Akamaki (red fish cake roll), Kurumafu (large wheel-shaped wheat gluten), Baigai (conical shells), and Gensuke Daikon (a regional Japanese radish).
Where to Eat It: Find a traditional Izakaya (Japanese-style pub) or an Oden restaurant for this popular Kanazawa food. As each oden restaurant boasts its own unique broth recipe, it’s worth-trying different ones if you have time.
Try Akadama Honten in Katamachi, a long-established oden restaurant since 1927, offering a broad selection of oden items simmered in their original light broth or Kuroyuri, located in the Kanazawa Station area, serving traditional Kanazawa oden with local ingredients simmered in their secret broth with a recipe that dates back over 50 years.
🍛 4. Kanazawa Curry
For a true taste of hearty Kanazawa food, look no further than the Kanazawa curry. Its thick, rich, dark brown roux blankets a plate of rice, typically topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet (tonkatsu) and a drizzle of sauce. Served alongside shredded cabbage and fukujin-zuke pickles on a stainless-steel plate with a spork or fork, Kanazawa curry is a beloved local specialty boasting a richer and more savoury flavour than the typical Japanese curry.
Where to Eat It: Go for a renowned chain restaurant such as Champion Curry or Go! Go! Curry. While Champion Curry is widely regarded as the Ganso (originator) of the Kanazawa-style Curry, Go! Go! Curry successfully globalised the Kanazawa curry style.
Experience Go! Go! Curry, identifiable by its gorilla logo, and famous for its incredibly thick, almost black curry sauce with intense flavour. Alternatively, try Champion Curry for its authentic, classic Kanazawa curry taste, that appeals to all generations.
🍦 5. Gold-Leaf Soft Serve Ice Cream
Kanazawa is Japan’s top producer of gold leaf, and while being in Kanazawa, one of the things we would recommend doing is to have an edible gold leaf soft serve ice cream which you can then share photos of with family and friends. The gold doesn’t have a taste or add any flavour to the food, but it gives a touch of luxury to your creamy vanilla cone. This photogenic treat is more of a tourist delight, but undeniably it’s a lot of fun and special.
Where to Eat It: You can find gold-leaf soft serve ice cream at various shops and cafés in Kanazawa, particularly in or around the Higashi Chaya District and Kenrokuen Garden. For the most authentic experience, opt for gold leaf producing shops and their associated cafés.
Try Hakuichi, often featured on the media, as their gorgeous looking soft serve ice cream comes with a whole sheet of gold leaf, or Imai Kinpaku, where you can apply gold leaf yourself to your own ice cream for 200 yen more, which can be quite fun (just eating the ice cream without the experience costs 600 yen).
✨ More Local Kanazawa Foods Worth-Tasting
If you’ve got more time (and appetite), here are a few more local Kanazawa foods worth-trying:
Nodoguro (Blackthroat Seaperch) – A highly prized fish, known as the “white fish toro”, Nodoguro boasts rich, fatty white flesh. It’s often grilled with salt or can be enjoyed as sashimi or sushi. This rich fish is Kanazawa’s delicacy that is definitely worth-tasting.
Kaga Ryori (Kaga Cuisine/Kanazawa Cuisine) – A traditional cuisine featuring fresh, seasonal and regional ingredients. Dishes are meticulously prepared with refined techniques and presented beautifully in exquisite vessels like Kutani ware or Wajima lacquerware. It’s often served as a multi-course kaiseki meal at prestigious ryotei (upscale traditional Japanese restaurants) or high-end ryokan (Japanese inns).
Wagashi (Traditional Sweets) – Kanazawa’s famous for many things and wagashi making is one of them. Along with Kyoto and Matsue, Kanazawa is one of the three most famous confectionery cities in Japan producing a variety of fabulous sweets. Try a beautifully crafted wagashi with matcha offered at many cafés or during tea ceremonies.
Hasumushi (Steamed lotus root) – A traditional steamed dish made with minced Kaga regional lotus root, mushrooms, shrimp and fish in a thick dashi-based soup. This dish can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a set menu including a multi-course Kaiseki lunch or dinner.
🏁 Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a curious traveler or a passionate foodie, Kanazawa offers a taste of regional Japan that’s both delicious and deeply rooted in tradition. From market-fresh seafood to gold-topped ice cream, these local Kanazawa foods offer more than just flavour—they tell the story of a city rich in culture and culinary pride. So come hungry, and leave with your tastebuds—and camera roll—fully satisfied!
🚅Travelling to Kanazawa
Thanks to the Hokuriku Shinkansen, it’s now only about 2.5 hours from both Tokyo and Osaka, making it an easy and unforgettable add-on to your trip itinerary.
From Tokyo: Tokyo Station >> 🚅 Hokuriku Shinkansen (Kagayaki-fastest) >> Kanazawa Station (about 2.5 hours)
From Osaka: Shin-Osaka Station >> Limited Express (Thunderbird) >> Tsuruga Station (Change trains) >> 🚄 Hokuriku Shinkansen (Tsurugi) >> Kanazawa Station (about 2.5 hours)
We hope you’ll get a chance to try some of the local Kanazawa foods on your next trip to Japan.
If you’re thinking of visiting Japan and not sure when the best time to go, check our post here. Meanwhile if you’re looking for more food related articles, try exploring our food section. Or you can head to our Instagram account for posts of delicious restaurants, fantastic festivals, and travel experiences.
All the information and details are correct at the time of publishing. We would recommend checking each relevant website for the latest information.
