Climate
Kanazawa can get a lot of rain -- Seattle of Japan. A local proverb says "even if you forget your lunchbox, don't forget your umbrella". Although the weather can be beautiful in spring and autumn, it is never a good idea to bank on it being fine in Kanazawa, and winters in particular are cold. Kanazawa is in the Snow Country, the area along the Japan Sea coast of Honshu where cold Siberian winds dump large amounts of snow in orographic precipitation, and while it does not get as much as more inland areas, half a metre or more is not uncommon. Most of the main roads have lines of sprinklers down the street to wash the snow away, but the smaller roads often do not.
Understand
Kanazawa is one of the overlooked jewels of Japanese tourism â although not by the Japanese, who visit in droves. Its relatively remote location, off the beaten shinkansen track, has perhaps unfairly contributed to a lower number of foreign tourists. However for those travellers who want to see perhaps the best-preserved major Edo-period city in the country along with Takayama, it is hard to beat. Kyoto's offerings of temples and shrines are all very well, but Japanese history and culture is not just about them. The samurai, the merchants, the geisha, and the lords have all left their mark on Kanazawa in a compact, easily navigable central area. Kanazawa is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Crafts and Folk Art. Kanazawa cuisine is famous throughout Japan, particularly its seafood since it lies in the sweet spot of the hot south and cold north currents. The quality of food is so high, that essentially you'll eat good food whatever the price.