A Japanese Crafts Journey in Ishikawa: From Gold Leaf to Kutani Ware

When visiting Japan, it can be tempting to stick to the classic Golden Route of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. But once you overcome the urge to tick one famous attraction after another and venture past the path well traveled, a vast new world of opportunities will open up to you. You will be rewarded with a look into a different side of Japan, one where the rhythm of life and work is unhurried, and doing things the old-school way is cherished rather than considered obsolete in this digital age.

For travelers willing to go beyond the guidebooks and take it slow, Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan’s Hokuriku region is one such place. Here, you can step into the world of traditional Japanese crafts, where cultural legacies are kept alive by weaving them into the fabric of daily life. Local museums filled with precious artifacts, long-standing shops, and generations-old family-run studios all stand as a testament to a heritage of artisanship that has withstood the test of time.

At these destinations across Ishikawa Prefecture, all carefully selected by Team Musubi, you can gain meaningful encounters with Ishikawa’s culture of artisanship. Experience a variety of traditional crafts for yourself, rather than simply observing them.

Facing the Sea of Japan, Ishikawa Prefecture is bountiful in not only resplendent natural scenery and delicious seafood, but also arts and crafts. The area has as many as 36 designated traditional crafts, as recognized by the Japanese government: Traditional crafts such as Kutani ware, Kaga yuzen dyeing, and others.

Ishikawa’s reputation as a land robust in the arts is all thanks to the incredibly wealthy and powerful Maeda clan, its rulers back during the Edo period (1603–1868 CE), when a chunk of the prefecture was known as the Kaga Domain.

To avoid being branded a threat to the shogunate, the Maedas purposely used their wealth to fund artistic and creative pursuits, leading to the development of many crafts and craft-related industries. As a result, to this day, Ishikawa is one of Japan’s leading areas in terms of preserving traditional crafts, and it continues to enjoy a thriving arts scene.

Additionally, Ishikawa is a top (if not the top) producer of highly prized lacquerware, with the prefecture having three main areas known for these exquisite items: Yamanaka, Wajima, and Kanazawa. Each is associated with a specific technique or step in the lacquerware-making process that it specializes in, as summarized in the saying: “Yamanaka for wood, Wajima for lacquering, and Kanazawa for maki-e.”

The capital of Ishikawa Prefecture is Kanazawa, a burgeoning city that has been gaining international attention since it was linked to Tokyo via the Hokuriku Shinkansen high-speed rail in 2015. Kanazawa’s first few symbols that you’ll see upon exiting the ticket gates, the station’s glass-domed ceiling, and the majestic Noh theater-inspired Tsuzumi-mon Gate, should give you an idea of what this compact city is like: rich in both traditional and modern art.

Kanazawa’s main attractions are a blend of historical districts and expertly curated art museums. Imagine the glory days of the Kaga Domain as you explore Kanazawa Castle, the tranquil Kenrokuen Garden, the well-preserved Nagamachi Samurai District, and the Higashi-Chaya district. Then, for a change of ambiance, admire acclaimed works from renowned artists at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, and savor fresh seafood and local delicacies at Omicho Market.

If local culture, specialties, and souvenirs are what you seek, look no further than Kanazawa’s representative handicraft: gold leaf, which is made by hammering gold down until it stretches out into a thin, delicate sheet.

Kanazawa accounts for around 99% of Japan’s gold leaf production, and it is the birthplace of a painstaking traditional technique called entsuke. Though industrialization has made mass production of gold leaf possible, a small handful of Kanazawa artisans still use entsuke to this day to produce higher-grade gold leaf. Want the inside track on Kanazawa gold leaf? You’ll find a concise primer in this article.

After immersing yourself in Kanazawa’s storied gold-leaf culture, its shimmer, history, and refined aesthetics, continue the journey at Crafeat, where culinary art meets another Ishikawa masterpiece: Wajima lacquerware.

Address: 5-2 Kiguramachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture

Note: The second floor requires a reservation. The first floor does not require a reservation, but as it can get crowded, we recommend making one in advance.

Practically every prefecture in Japan has its own type of ceramic, but Ishikawa has given rise to multiple types, one of which is a fine porcelain called Kutani ware. Named after its birthplace, Kutani Village, once located in present-day Kaga City, Kutani ware is distinguished by its vivid colors, striking designs, and overglaze decoration.

Having weathered multiple cycles of production hiatuses and revivals throughout its 370-year-old history, Kutani ware is a superb porcelain that continues to adapt to and evolve with the times, with some artisans even incorporating Western and Middle Eastern influences into their works. However, among the many different styles that have emerged throughout the centuries, Kutani ware’s timeless signature style is a five-colored scheme of blue, green, purple, red, and yellow called gosai-de.

In the present day, most Kutani ware kilns are concentrated in Kaga and its nearby city, Nomi. If you plan to spend some time traveling around Ishikawa, an excursion to Nomi to see Kutani ware straight from the source is an easy addition to your itinerary. After all, it is just a 40-minute ride from Kanazawa. Yet despite its convenient links to the rest of Japan (and the world), Nomi can feel far removed from urban life, thanks to its proximity to nature.

Complete your immersion into the world of Kutani ware with a trip to the Kutani Ceramic Village. This “theme park for Kutani ware” houses museums, a gallery featuring exhibits and ceramics for sale, opportunities to watch artisans at work, up-close looks at pottery tools and equipment, and an array of hands-on Kutani ware experiences.

Address: 22 Izumidaimachi-minami, Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture

Hours: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (last entry: 4:00 p.m. or 4:30 p.m., depending on the facility)

Days closed: Mondays and year-end holidays (December 29–January 3)

Access: A 15-minute car ride from Komatsu Station

Note: Some facilities may require an admission fee

Considered the lacquerware capital of Japan, Wajima takes such pride in its homegrown craft that it has two museums dedicated to it, Wajima Nuri Kaikan (also known as the Wajima Lacquerware Museum or Wajima Lacquer Hall) and The Wajima Museum of Lacquer Art, and some stalls sell lacquerware at its famous morning market.

Today, Yamanaka lacquerware’s meticulous, intricate techniques are a carefully preserved legacy that continues to be passed down across generations. In particular, two techniques are considered integral to this craft: kijibiki (woodturning)—shaping wood with hand-held tools as it spins on a lathe—and nuri-urushi (wiped lacquering), repeatedly applying and then wiping off lacquer to achieve an accented finish.