Discover luxury hotels for gourmet breaks in Kanazawa, Japan

With its green-tea-coloured landscapes, snow-dusted mountains and preserved geisha houses, Kanazawa provides a heady hit of Japanese beauty and tradition. The prefectural capital of Ishikawa, Kanazawa sits in central Japan, between the Saigawa River and the Asano River; peering to the mountains from the southeast and the Sea of Japan from the northwest. Thanks to the mild climate – buckets of rain throughout the year (it’s known as 'Japan’s Seattle') and plenty of snow in winter – and the proximity to the sea, Kanazawa serves up some of Japan’s most succulent seafood. Its main claim to fame, though, is its wealth of history and culture: during the Edo period, the city served as the seat of the majestic Maeda Clan, and arts and crafts flourished here (Kanazawa is a Unesco City of Crafts and Folk Art). Visitors can’t leave without seeing Kenroku-en (one of Japan’s three best gardens), the preserved geisha and samurai districts and the remains of Kanazawa Castle. It’s not without modern distractions, either, as the impressive 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, lively restaurants and bustling shopping quarters prove.