A Pocket Guide to Ishikawa, Japan

A Pocket Guide to Ishikawa, Japan

A coastal prefecture famed for culture-packed cities, pretty fishing villages and a culinary scene as delicious as those of Tokyo and Kyoto. Tap into Ishikawa’s creative energy with our ultimate guide to the area’s best hotels, restaurants and attractions, including the workshops, markets and Japanese gardens not to miss.

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Snow-tipped
mountains back ancient towns decorated with artisan
workshops. Paddy fields tumble into the ocean. Fertile farms and
fishing boats laden with seafood make their way to lively morning
markets.

Situated on Japan’s rugged northern coast, Ishikawa
showcases all of Japan’s best bits: culture, craftsmanship and
exceptional cuisine. As destinations go, it flies relatively off
the radar of travellers who beeline for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. But
they’ll be missing out on the prefecture’s culture-packed cities,
thriving craft scenes and a smorgasbord of regional delicacies.

While there’s no one right way to tackle Ishikawa, we recommend
kicking off your itinerary in Kanazawa, Ishikawa’s capital and home
of the Maeda clan for 14 generations from the 16th century. Through
generous funding, the family established the city’s reputation as
an artistic enclave. Today, dip in and out of Kanazawa Castle and
museums stacked with precious wares before rolling up your sleeves
get stuck in the vast array of workshops. Kanazawa’s residents are
keen to share the knowledge passed through generations. Slow-paced
travel reigns supreme here. Drive along the Mitsuboshi Kaidou, or
so-called “Three-star Road” – to connect with Ishikawa’s cultural
heritage.

Cultural appetite satisfied, whisk yourself to the Noto
Peninsula, where you’ll find artistry of a different kind: in the
buzzy kitchens, on plates piled high with sashimi and in markets
stalls teeming with farm-fresh produce. Fuelled up, sink into a
slower pace of travel courtesy of Kaga’s rejuvenating hot-spring
villages, where steamy baths are said to hold restorative
properties.

Intrigued? We’ve scoured museums, gorged on seafood suppers and
bedded down in rejuvenating ryokans across Ishikawa to bring you
the prefectures’s best hotels, restaurants and cultural
attractions.

For more information and to get planning, visit www.ishikawatravel.jp.


hotel

Maki No Oto Kanazawa

Hidden among the timeless chaya houses and manicured Japanese gardens in Kanazawa’s historic Higashi Chaya District is this peaceful, four-room ryokan. Mirroring traditional chaya house architecture – lattice on the outside, tatami (mats of woven straw) and clean, minimalist lines on the inside – Maki No Oto embodies Kanazawa’s well-regarded history of artistry. Sample Ishikawa’s finest farm-to-plate kaiseki menu before retreating to one of the immaculate guest rooms – snag the NISHI room for its bath overlooking the foliage-filled patios.

Address

1-5-8 Kannon-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa 920-0838


hotel

Kayotei

After pounding the pavements packing in the museum visits and exercising newfound creative skills, it’s time for some well-deserved R&R. Situated in Yamanaka, a small hot spring village, Kayotei is a boutique bolthole catering to long, relaxing soaks in rejuvenating baths. Spend time wallowing in the al fresco bath that overlooks the gorge’s dense forest, before retreating to one of ten traditionally designed rooms. Japanese customs are celebrated and preserved in each.

Address

1-17-1, Higashimachi, Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga City, Ishikawa 922-0114


hotel

Forest

Escape from the humdrum of city life with a few days spent foraging and feasting on the Noto Peninsula. Perched on a lush hillside and overlooking sake-clear waters, Forest is a rustic, farm-style guesthouse reserved for only one group of travellers each stay. Spend time with villagers foraging the surrounding land, harvesting seaweed or collecting seashells. Come evening, gather for banquets supplied by local farmers: octopus, seawater-cured sweet potato and autumnal mushrooms often crop up.

Address

6-31-1 Wada, Monzen-Machi, Wajima City, Ishikawa 927-2176