There are many museums throughout Kanazawa, with a number of them, including the Prefectural Art Museum, Prefectural History Museum, Honda Museum and 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, concentrated around Kenrokuen. Note that various combination tickets are available for the museums.
Around Kenrokuen
21st Century Museum
The
21st Century Museum is a popular museum which exhibits contemporary art by acclaimed artists from across the world. Well known, permanent installation include Leandro Erlich's "Swimming Pool" and James Turrell's "Blue Planet Sky".
Prefectural History Museum
Located in former factory buildings used for silk production, this well done museum introduces the natural and cultural history of
Kanazawa and Ishikawa Prefecture. Information is available in English and Japanese. It displays both a permanent and temporary exhibitions.
Honda Museum
This museum exhibits treasures of the Honda family, the second most powerful family of
Kanazawa during the
Edo Period. Objects on display include
samurai weapons and armor as well as paintings and calligraphy. The museum is located in the same brick building complex as the Prefectural History Museum.
D.T. Suzuki Museum
This museum commemorates the life and works of Buddhist philosopher Suzuki Daisetz Teitaro who was born in Kanazawa. The exhibitions introduce the visitor to Suzuki and his writings, while the architecture of the museum is an embodiment of his life and philosophy.
Prefectural Museum of Art
This museum hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions of local fine arts from the 15th to 20th centuries. On display are pieces of lacquerware, porcelain, swords,
kimono, paintings, sculptures and more.
Museum for Traditional Products and Crafts
This museum displays famous handicrafts and products produced in
Ishikawa Prefecture. Gold leaf and dyed silk
kimono (using the local Kaga Yuzen technique) are some of the numerous products on exhibit.
Kanazawa Noh Museum
Standing not far from the 21st Century Museum, the Kanazawa Noh Museum introduces the traditional Japanese theater
Noh with exhibits about theater architecture, costumes, masks and props used in performances. Visitors can also try on Noh masks and costumes in the experience corner.
Nagamachi District
Maeda Tosanokami-ke Shiryokan
This museum is dedicated to the Maeda family who once ruled over the region that is now Ishikawa Prefecture. The museum features
samurai armor and other relics of the Maeda Clan. English audio guides are freely available.
Shinise Kinenkan Museum
The Shinise Kinenkan is a restored shop from the
Edo Period. Once a prominent pharmacy, it now is a museum that also shows local Kanazawa crafts.
Ashigaru Shiryokan Museum
The ashigaru, or foot soldiers, were the lowest ranked soldiers of the
samurai class. This small museum consists of two of their reconstructed homes, which illustrate the relatively austere lifestyle of the ashigaru.
North of Kanazawa Castle Park
Confectionery Museum
The Confectionery Museum is appropriately located above a number of sweets shops and displays different types and methods of making traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi).
Combination tickets
There are several combination tickets that provide entry to museums around Kanazawa and may be of interest to visitors. They can purchased at the ticket counters of each museum covered:
- Kenrokuen Plus One Ticket (2-day pass for 500 yen)
This ticket is valid over two consecutive days and includes admission to Kenrokuen Garden and one of the following attractions of your choice: the paid area of Kanazawa Castle, the Prefectural History Museum, the Prefectural Museum of Art, the Honda Museum, the Museum for Traditional Products and Crafts and the Ishikawa Kikokinen Cultural Exchange Center.
- Kanazawa Cultural Attraction Passport (1-day pass for 510 yen, 3-day pass for 820 yen)
Available in one and three day versions, this pass covers entry to 16 cultural attractions around Kanazawa, including free admission to the Noh Museum, the D.T. Suzuki Museum, the Maeda Tosanokami-ke Shiryokan and the Shinise Kinenkan Museum. Passport holders also get discounted admission to the Prefectural History Museum, the Prefectural Museum of Art, the Honda Museum, the Museum for Traditional Products and Crafts and the Ishikawa Kikokinen Cultural Exchange Center.
