Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts

Genuinely my favourite part of Kanazawa. Despite being directly next to the Kenrokuen gardens, which are teeming with tourists, the museum was incredibly peaceful! I took the time to stop and sketch some things I liked, and I was undisturbed the entire time. It was an absolutely wonderful escape from the crowds outside, with so much interesting information about local crafts! If you're a crafter, this is a MUST GO spot!!

Small, but well organized museum and showroom for local crafts of various types, including fireworks, lacquerware, plates, and artwork. The first floor is a store and is free for all to enter, the second floor houses various exhibits for an entry fee of 260 yen. Overall nice and worth a side trip if you're already going to Kenrokuen; it's right adjacent.

The museum is small but the right size to tell the stories of the many traditions of Ishikawa arts and crafts. The brochure calls out 36 different crafts, from porcelain to silk to gold leaf to taiko drums and fishing flies. If you are curious about old traditions here, and how things are made, this will scratch that itch. I found it fascinating, and digestible, too. Enough to explain then move on. I liked it as much as the Arts & Crafts museum in Mexico City, which is my favorite.

Don’t be fooled by the museum’s drab exterior - this small museum located on the southeast side of Kenrokuen houses a wonderful overview of the 36 different heritage arts and crafts of Ishikawa prefecture. You can get through it in an hour and it costs under $2 (¥260), so it might be worth a quick stop if you are visiting Kenrokuen - just exit via the Kodatsuno Gate and you are right there. To be fair, I happen to love handicrafts, so I loved learning things like why Kanazawa paper lanterns are stronger than their counterparts or all the various steps of Wajima lacquerware. But even if you’re not an arts and crafts nerd, you might just appreciate the artistry of the craftspeople. Unfortunately, not all of the displays have English translations, so bear that in mind. The first floor is dedicated to modern artisans and also a very nice gift shop - this level is free.

Review is only for gift shop. Has small but amazing selection of Kanazawa handicrafts including lacquerware and ceramics.

I enjoyed this museum a lot more than the 21st century museum. You can also buy a combo ticket with Kenrokuen (and this museum) for only ¥500 for both!

I recommend, to deepen your understanding of the extraordinary craftsmanship that goes into the local artisan products. Really friendly staff also.

Small museum with many beautiful craft items, some with price tags and available to purchase.