With its well-preserved samurai and geisha districts, various temples and traditional crafts, the castle town of Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture is often nicknamed "Little Kyoto." The opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line extension in 2015 reduced travel time from Tokyo to just 2½ hours, making Kanazawa an attractive alternative for those wanting a taste of tradition without the crowds that have descended on Kyoto in recent years.
Most visitors make a beeline for the Kenrokuen Garden (¥310; bit.ly/kengarden), which is considered one of the "Three Great Gardens of Japan," alongside Kairakuen in Mito and Kenrokuen in Okayama. Other popular attractions include Omicho Market and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (¥1,000; kanazawa21.jp). However, Kanazawa has several other museums worthy of your time and attention.
Many of the tourist spots are clustered around the Kanazawa Castle Park and Kenrokuen Garden area. A short walk from the latter will take you to the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art (¥360; bit.ly/ishiart). In addition to its extensive collection, which covers 500 years of local art, this museum boasts one of the city's chicest cafes, Le Musee de H Kanazawa. Most people come for the luscious, highly photogenic desserts, designed by award-winning pastry chef and Ishikawa native Hironobu Tsujiguchi. The cafe can be crowded in the afternoon, but this dessert-lover can assure you it's worth the wait.