THE TRIP
Visited
Basis
Updated
The short answer
At a glance
Kenroku-en, which is why Kanazawa hotels near the castle park are worth a look.
Kanazawa is small enough to walk, so the question isn’t really which hotel, it’s which part of town. I always answer that first and then narrow it down. I walked Kenroku-en and Higashi Chaya on my trip in November 2023, and everything below is a place I put my clients, so I’ll be plain about where I’m describing a property rather than a night I spent there. I’ll also be straight about something else: Kanazawa doesn’t have a deep bench of grand hotels, and the most memorable rooms near here are in ryokan.
Higashi Chaya in the rain, a district to walk through rather than sleep in.
Latticed wooden frontages in Higashi Chaya.
Beniya Mukayu · Yamashiro Onsen · my top pick
Yamashiro Onsen is a hot spring town in Kaga, roughly an hour south of Kanazawa by road, and Beniya Mukayu is a minimalist ryokan there with sixteen rooms, each with its own open-air hot spring bath. It is a Michelin Guide-listed Relais & Châteaux member, and dinner is multi-course kaiseki built on local Kaga ingredients. One 2024 guide put the price at about ¥80,000 to ¥150,000 per person with two meals, so check today’s rate with me before you plan around it. I’d give it one night, and I’d send a driver to take you there.
Kanazawa Hakuchoro Hotel Sanraku · by the castle park · the one in town
This is the in-town hotel I’d point you to if you want a proper hot spring bath without leaving the city. The listing describes a natural hot spring bath fed from about 807 metres underground, with a sauna and a cold plunge, and Kenroku-en is a short walk away, which is such a lovely thing to come home to after a wet day of walking. The baths are separate for men and women, and opening hours vary by source, so confirm the schedule when we book.
Hyatt Centric Kanazawa · beside the station · the practical one
I’ll be honest that this is a practical choice rather than a splurge: a modern hotel next to JR Kanazawa Station, sharing a building with Hyatt House Kanazawa, and exactly right for one night when the Shinkansen matters more than the room. Through Hyatt Privé my clients typically enjoy an upgrade when there is one, breakfast and a property credit, wherever they apply.
Which part of town?
Near the station for convenience and the trains. Near the castle park and Korinbo if you want to walk to everything. Higashi Chaya is the teahouse district I wandered in the rain, and I’d treat it as a place to walk through rather than to sleep in. Crab season starts in November and the city is busier then, so book early for winter.
The best night isn’t in Kanazawa
Here’s what I tell my clients: the real move is to go out to Yamashiro Onsen for one night. It’s a hot spring town, and Beniya Mukayu has just sixteen rooms, each with its own bath, so it feels more like being looked after in a private house than staying in a hotel. It is worth a night on its own, and I’d pair it with my two days in Kanazawa.
Asked often
What is the best area to stay in Kanazawa?
Near the station for the trains and a short stay, near the castle park and Korinbo for walking to everything.
Should I stay near Kanazawa Station?
For one night or an early train, yes. Hyatt Centric Kanazawa is right next to the station.
Is Higashi Chaya a good place to stay?
It is beautiful to walk through, and I’d treat it as a stroll rather than a base.
What is the best ryokan near Kanazawa?
Beniya Mukayu in Yamashiro Onsen, about an hour south by road, with sixteen rooms and a private hot spring bath in each.
Where is the best hot spring hotel in Kanazawa itself?
Kanazawa Hakuchoro Hotel Sanraku has its own natural hot spring bath and is a short walk from Kenroku-en.
How many nights in Kanazawa?
Two is my answer, and my Route shows you how to spend them.
Tell me how many nights you have and whether you’re a station person or a walker, and I’ll tell you where I’d put you. I’ll place you so you get my perks wherever they apply.
Inquire about a private Japan trip
Pair it with The Rolodex: Kanazawa, The Primer: Kanazawa, Postcard From a Gold Leaf City and Japan : The Dossier.
A quiet corner of Kenroku-en, a short walk from the castle park hotels.