VISIT KANAZAWA, JAPAN - Official Travel Guide

Established during the Edo Period, Omicho Market has formed an essential part of Kanazawa’s food culture for more than 300 years.

 The sprawling market features more than 170 stores, including a large number of fishmongers that sell freshly caught seafood from the Sea of Japan. There are also fruit and vegetables stores that sell unique local produce, marine product stores, clothing stores, grocery stores and restaurants.

Particularly well-revered are the crab, yellowtail and shrimp from the Sea of Japan that are sold around November. Because of this, the market is normally crowded with tourists and locals alike during this time of year.

Another key attraction of the market is Omicho Ichibakan. The refurbished building features a number of popular restaurants and stores that are worth stopping by during your trip to the market.

The shrine that enshrines Maeda Toshiie was moved to the present location in 1873. The main gate is a peculiar mix of traditional Japanese, Chinese, and European religious architectural elements. This gate, which was designated as Japan's important cultural assets, was completed in 1875.

One of the highlights of Oyama Shrine is the garden in round-the-pond style with an artificial island and bridge in the images of old musical instruments, such as the biwa (Japanese short-necked fretted lute).

It is illuminated from after sunset until 22:00 at night, and the way it floats in the light creates a fantastic atmosphere. Located between Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa Castle and the Nagamachi District and downtown area, it is an easy stopover during sightseeing.

Kanazawa was once the economic and administrative center of the Kaga Domain (feudal-era Ishikawa Prefecture). Over the course of the Edo period, it grew rapidly – its population growing to over 100,000 – transforming it into one of the largest castle towns in feudal Japan. Its population rivaled that of Rome and Madrid at the time.

With the castle at its center, the town was designed with both its defensive and economic aspects in mind. Members of the upper classes were often given allotments of land for their residences close to that of the feudal lord (daimyo) in the castle, while commoners lived near the town’s edges.

Nagamachi Samurai District, located near the center of town, was where the middle to high-ranking samurais lived – which is why it’s sometimes described as the city’s samurai district. Nagamachi literally means “Long Town,” though it’s more likely that it actually takes its name from the surname of a local family, the Cho, which means “long” which can also be pronounced “naga.”

Nagamachi Samurai District’s historical value lies in its unusual state of preservation. It has escaped large-scale fires, including the firebombing that damaged other large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka during World War II. Accordingly, it retains many features from the Edo period: narrow streets, a drainage and water supply system that remains in use, and restored samurai houses.

Many of these residences maintain their original earthen walls (tsuchi-kabe), which are still covered in the winter with straw mats to protect them from frost and subsequent cracking. A walk through Nagamachi, where an Edo-period atmosphere still lingers, offers a glimpse into the heritage of Kanazawa and Japan.

At the Kanazawa City Ashigaru Museum (Low-rank Samurai Houses) , feudal-era Japan comes to life once more. 

In the feudal era, the size and design of homes were determined by a family’s class and rank. Many houses visible in Nagamachi—with their earthen walls lining the streets, private entrance gates, and gardens just beyond—were the residences of middle-ranking samurai. Those of lower rank, on the other hand, had houses surrounded by hedges, which also enclosed gardens. Visitors can see such a structure in the Kanazawa City Ashigaru Museum (Low-rank Samurai Houses).

Preserved at this museum are two of the oldest surviving examples of ashigaru housing. Ashigaru were foot soldiers in feudal Japan. During the Sengoku (“Warring States”) and the Momoyama periods from approximately 1467 to 1600, they made up battalions of archers and gunmen; but in the Kaga domain (feudal-era Ishikawa centered on Kanazawa) during the Edo period (1603–1867), they were designated the lowest rank of the samurai class.

Displayed in the museum are the Takanishi Family House and the Shimizu Family House, two ashigaru residences. Visitors can walk through these historical homes to learn more about ashigaru housing, life, and society.

Takanishi Family House

In the Edo period (1603–1867), ashigaru (foot soldiers, the lowest rank of samurai) often lived in continuous rows of tenement housing called nagaya (literally “longhouses”). In the prosperous Kaga domain (feudal-era Ishikawa centered on Kanazawa), however, ashigaru were allotted detached houses with gardens. This unusual incentive, along with Kaga’s economic opportunities, is thought to have made the domain attractive to ashigaru. The Takanishi Family House, along with the Shimizu Family House next door, is one of the oldest remaining detached houses for ashigaru in Kanazawa. Descendants of the original ashigaru owners lived in the house until 1994, when it was dismantled and moved here to become part of the Kanazawa City Ashigaru Museum. Previously, the residence was located in the district designated for “fast feet” (hikyaku). Hikyaku were couriers known for their speed and unique running style; they delivered anything from correspondence and goods to money orders. In the relatively peaceful Edo period, hiyaku was the primary occupation of many ashigaru.

Inside the Takanishi Family House, visitors can learn more about ashigaru organizations, life, residential areas, and housing. The Shimizu Family House next door introduces everyday life and activities.

Shimizu Family House

During the Edo period (1603–1867), ashigaru (foot soldiers) typically lived in long ranges of tenement housing called nagaya. They had little choice but to endure cramped living conditions. When compared to this standard that existed throughout the country, however, ashigaru in the Kaga domain (feudal-era Ishikawa centered on Kanazawa) enjoyed more comfortable quarters: each family was given a completely detached house with its own garden.

The Shimizu Family House, like the Takanishi Family House next door, is one of the oldest remaining ashigaru houses in Kanazawa. It was moved to this location in the 1990s to become a part of the Kanazawa City Ashigaru Museum. Until it was moved, descendants of the original ashigaru owners continued to live there. Its previous location was in the residential district assigned to ashigaru that served as “fast feet” (hikyaku). Hikyaku were couriers known for their speed and unique running style.

The Shimizu Family House is an excellent example of ashigaru houses of the time. Visitors can experience something of the life of these foot soldiers by walking through the rooms of the house. The interior is divided into a guest reception area comprising of an entryway (genkan) with an entrance hall (genkan no ma), and a formal reception room (zashiki), and private areas reserved for family use. These were the kitchen (nagashi), living room (cha no ma, literally “tea room”), and sleeping room/work room (nando and kagi no ma). 

More information on ashigaru life and residences is on display next door, in the Takanishi Family House.

Walking along the channel that flows through Nagamachi, one comes to a crossroads called Yon-no-hashi (“Fourth Bridge”), where stands the surviving structure of the Takada Family Samurai House Remains. Here, an original samurai residence has been restored and opened to the public so that visitors can peek into the inner life of a samurai of the Kaga domain (feudal-era Ishikawa, centered on Kanazawa).

The Takada family were samurai of middle rank or heishi. They lived in the area designated for those of their status. Today, the house occupies a plot of roughly 890 square meters, but once it exceeded 1400 square meters. The nagaya-mon (“longhouse gate”) of the residence has been restored, and inside are exhibits relating to the servants who worked in the samurai household.

The beautiful Japanese stroll garden has also been restored. At the center of the garden is a pond that draws its water from the canal, and Japanese red pine trees are artfully arranged around it. The garden’s grounds have been designed for a leisurely walk.

The institution surrounded by mud walls is rest facilities for tourists, and provided with a lobby and restrooms. Sightseeing volunteer guides stand by here and guide visitors (in Japanese only) around the Naga-machi samurai (feudal powerful military class) residential areas.

The remains of the Nomura family are also open to public. The family successively held executive posts from generation to generation under rule of the Maeda family.

The house has a coffered ceiling totally made of Japanese cypress and fusuma-e (paintings on sliding-door panels) created by the Maeda family's personal painter. The garden inside the residence has a Japanese bayberry over 400 years old and a meandering stream surrounded by ancient and strangely shaped rocks.

A hidden gem in the heart of the historic Nagamachi Samurai District – officially recognized as a Cultural Heritage Site by the City of Kanazawa.

Nestled within the preserved Nagamachi Samurai District, the Senda-ke Garden is a peaceful retreat where visitors can enjoy the beauty of Japanese tradition with both the eyes and ears. This exquisite strolling garden was created in 1894 by Norifumi SENDA, a former samurai of the Kaga Domain, who was inspired by the famous Kenrokuen Garden.

At the center of the garden lies a tranquil pond, carefully fed by a nearby irrigation canal called the Ōno-shō waterway. The water flows gently around an artificial hill before returning to the canal—bringing a continuous sense of life and calm to the garden.

Throughout the garden, you will discover traditional features that reflect the elegance of Kenrokuen, such as:

A Yukimi-dōrō (snow-viewing lantern), designed to reflect beautifully on the pond’s surface.

A stone bridge made from rare Akatomuro stone.

Decorative stones and pagodas inspired by the Seven Gods of Fortune, placed around the hill.

After a century, the garden's waterfall has been restored, and the gentle sound of flowing water now enhances the tranquil atmosphere once again.

The garden features carefully maintained Japanese black and red pines, as well as colorful azaleas and rhododendrons that bloom spectacularly from spring to early summer.

Adding to the sensory experience:

The soft, rhythmic sound of a shishi-odoshi (a bamboo water feature used to scare away animals), creates a moment of stillness.

A unique suikinkutsu (literally “water koto cave”) offers a musical surprise—a buried pot that resonates with the delicate sound of dripping water, echoing like a Japanese harp.

The site also includes a small museum featuring artifacts and photographs related to Norifumi SENDA. Visitors can gain insight into how this former samurai lived through the dramatic shift from the late Edo period to the modern Meiji era.

Take a moment to step away from the modern world and immerse yourself in the quiet flow of time at this rare and beautiful garden.