Looking for a new experience for your trip to Japan? Try the exciting city of Kanazawa on for size! The area is also known for its rich culture and history, presenting tourists with an array of historic attractions. From preserved Edo-period structures to major folk festivals, you’ve got plenty to see here. Kanazawa is also a food lover’s paradise, thanks to its access to the finest seafood in the region. The original local dishes put a twist on Japanese favorites such as sushi or donburi. Before you get to planning the perfect itinerary though, you’ll need to decide where to stay in Kanazawa. Even with the city’s relatively compact nature compared to other Japanese destinations, there’s a massive selection of accommodations straddling nearly every price point.
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Where To Stay In Kanazawa, Japan
Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel
Surrounded by four large gardens, Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel offers a tranquil setting several blocks from the centre of the city. It’s near the top attractions and provides comfortable and clean accommodations. The rooms are relatively spacious and affordable for a four-star hotel, with some rooms containing a seating area with a desk and sofa.
One of the best features of the Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel is the view. Throughout the year, the surrounding plant life changes colour, giving the hotel a different landscape with each season. There are amazing views of the mountains or sea, depending on which way your room faces. You can also spend your time exploring the gardens during your visit.
The Square Hotel Kanazawa
The Square Hotel Kanazawa not only has an interesting name, it offers interesting accommodations. The modern rooms feature eclectic décor and loft-style layouts. The hotel is brand new and built right next to Omicho Market. The large public market includes over 180 shops and restaurants and is one of the best places to visit in Kanazawa for fresh seafood.
If you don’t feel like dealing with the crowded market, the Square Hotel Kanazawa has its own restaurant. You can unwind at the end of the day in one of the public baths or saunas. The hotel even has a gym on the top floor. These features give you plenty of reason to stay indoors, but you’re also a short distance from the market and other Kanazawa attractions.
One of the more interesting features of the hotel is the free smartphone. Guests receive a smartphone when they arrive for the duration of their trip. It comes loaded with apps to help you navigate the city and find the most popular attractions.
Takitei
Takitei is a hot spring ryokan that quietly stands along the Sai River, a river that was loved deeply by the Kanazawa-born poet Saisei Muro who is quite famous even today. The ryokan is surrounded by two waterfalls, which is where its name came from (“Takitei” is written with the characters for “waterfall” and “pavilion”), and it also has a beautiful lush green garden and a murmuring river, so you can relax in peace.
Here, the recommended guestroom is the Hanare Saikawa that is overlooking the Sai River and features an open-air bath. Stay there and enjoy the gentle flow of the river and the passing of time to your heart’s content while soaking in the well-known hot spring.
This ryokan is recommended to those who want to stay in a relaxing hotel that is rich in nature.
Kanazawa Hakuchoro Hotel Sanraku
Hotel Sanraku is a classic hotel with a nostalgic atmosphere, since it will make you feel as though you’ve slipped back to the Taisho period (1912 – 1926), a period when Japanese and Western cultures mixed. The hotel lobby is decorated with stained glass that depicts the area around the Kanazawa castle town, flooding the room with light in beautiful colors. Inside the hotel, you will see Kutaniyaki porcelain lamps made by Yasokichi Tokuda, a person recognized as a national living treasure, and other decorations casually placed all over. Further, adorable Kanazawa lacquerware such as small boxes are placed on top of tables in all guestrooms, filling this hotel with the strong spirit of Kanazawa.
You should also try the natural hot spring called Bihada no Yu (beauty springs). Soak in the water and heal your tired body from all the traveling.
