Best Times to Visit Kanazawa

Kanazawa, also famous as “Little Kyoto”, is a city gathering attractive natural scenery and also traditional Japanese buildings. The weather of Kanazawa is greatly affected by the northwest monsoon and is wet throughout the year. The city enjoys four seasons under the temperate monsoon climate, and its less rainy spring from March to May and pleasantly cool autumn from September to November are the best times to make a tour here.

 See also: Kanazawa Weather

Take Photos in Kenroku-en Garden

Cherry blossoms are the most impressive scenery in your tour in Kanazawa, and the period that they are in full bloom lasts from late March to Early April. The famous Kenroku-en Garden and the Kanazawa Castle Park are both good places to view large areas of cherry blossoms, and the two attractions are also open for free at night for tourists to view illuminated cherry blossoms. What’s more, you can go to the Utatsuyama Park, where you can have a panoramic view of downtown Kanazawa and cherry blossoms during this period.

Lovely Cherry Blossoms in Kanazawa

November is in the middle of Kanazawa’s autumn, and it’s the best time to view vibrantly red autumnal foliage in the city, especially in the Kenroku-en Garden with many maple and zelkova trees. In this month, the leaves of those trees change their color from green to red, presenting a vast area of fabulous foliage scenery. By the way, viewing the foliage at night in the garden is also achievable this month. As a reminder, November is cool with high rainfall, so it’s wise to arrange your tour on rainless days or days with just slight rain.

Kanazawa’s summer from June to August and winter from December to February are typically not considered good times to visit the city. Since the weather in these two seasons is either hot and humid, or cold and damp. The long rainy season in summer may greatly influence your sightseeing experience, and heavy snow in winter may make your trip inconvenient.

It’s worth noting that Kanazawa’s grandest festival activity Hyakumangoku Parade from the Tsuzumi-mon of Kanazawa Station to the Kanazawa Castle Park, and the colorful and eye-catching Hokkoku Fireworks Display are both held in summer, although there is a chance that they may be delayed or canceled due to heavy rain.

Tsuzumi-mon Gate in Good Weather

Impressive Buildings in Kanazawa Castle

1. Golden Week between April 29 and May 5, 2026
Long public holidays fall in the Golden Week, in which local people also make their travels in Japan. As a result, hotel room prices soar and tourist attractions are crowded.

2. August 9 to 17, with Weekends, and Holidays of Mountain Day and Obon Festival
In this period, many Japanese people return to their hometowns via public transportation, resulting in busy traffic and crowded scenic spots. Your tour may not be that smooth in this period.

1. Since the climate of Kanazawa is basically wet all year long, raingear should not be forgotten when you pack your luggage. As for your shoes, please pay more attention to their anti-slippery and waterproof properties. Or, you can choose to wear anti-slippery covers additionally to protect your shoes from rainwater.
2. In spring and winter with relatively large daily temperature variations, to have a comfortable night tour in the Kenroku-en Garden, you’d better learn about specific weather conditions in advance, and dress warm enough to avoid getting a cold.
3. Since many tourists choose to visit Kanazawa in its cherry blossom season, it’s wise to book plane tickets and hotel rooms beforehand.