- Kenrokuen （兼六園): a serene Japanese garden perfect for a breather

- Higashi-chayagai (東茶屋街): the width of the street and traditional facades contribute to a great vibe. Yes, there are a lot of tourists but contrary to most tourist locations, the food (both light snacks and dinners) is amazing.

- The food is one of the best along the Sea of Japan

 - Omi market (近江市場): amazing seafood

- Higashi-chayagai has some of the country’s best traditional Japanese restaurants

- Kanazawa is also home to some of my most favorite French restaurants, I will find any reason to travel here.

- To and from: 2.5 hours from Tokyo by the shikansen directly into the city center; otherwise, Komatsu airport （小松空港） is a 45-minute drive away from the city, connected to other large Japanese cities. What I like to do is fly into Kanazawa on my way back from another city, eat dinner, then get on the last Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Trust me, the food is amazing.

- Within: contrary to what I would say for most cities, you probably do not want to drive in Kanazawa: (1) all the tourist sites are located close to each other, you can get by with walking + taxi; (2) if food is your main objective and you drink, driving would be a horrible decision. If you want a slow time in the city, you would not need a car; if you want to visit anywhere outside the area enclosed by the aforementioned locations and Kanzawa station, you will definitely need a car.

- There are nice boutique hotels in Kanazawa as well as delicious traditional Japanese ryokans.