Kanazawa Weather

April is Kanazawa's best season — peak Kenrokuen cherry blossoms as Golden Week approaches. It averages 18°C/8°C with 165mm of rainfall. The April signature is peak cherry blossoms at Kenrokuen — Japan's #1 great garden, with 200+ cherry trees and night illumination. The first-to-second week of April is best, about a week later than Tokyo (late March) and Kyoto (late March-early April). Kenrokuen waives its ¥320 admission during the cherry week (first week of April) — a top season. The castle park, Asano River, and Sai River are also lovely. The Takayama Matsuri (Apr 14-15) is one of Japan's three great festivals — reachable from Kanazawa by Nohi bus and the JR 'Hida.' Four 16th-19th-century floats process with puppet performances. 4-star hotels run ¥25,000-40,000; book 6 months ahead. The third-to-fourth week of April (1-2 weeks before Golden Week, with blossoms fading) is a value window — about 30% cheaper with spring scenery intact. Golden Week starts on Showa Day (Apr 29), bringing a surge of domestic travelers and yearly-peak hotel prices.

November in Kanazawa is peak foliage, the start of the Kaga fugu and crab season, and the start of yukitsuri. It averages 16°C/8°C with the year's second-highest rainfall (245mm). The November signature is Kenrokuen's peak foliage — Japan's #1 great garden, with 200-year-old maples, night illumination, and a free-admission week (last week of November). The third-to-fourth week is best. The castle, Toride forest, and the Noto Peninsula's Uchinada beach are also lovely. Shirakawa-go and Takayama peak earlier (late October to the first week of November, 2-3 weeks ahead of Kanazawa). A November Kanazawa + Noto + Shirakawa-go combo is a peak-season trip. The Kaga fugu and crab season begins (Nov-Mar) — Kagaya ryokan, Kanihonke, and Torafuku full courses. A special-occasion season opens. Yukitsuri (rope snow-guards) begins (November 1 to mid-March) — a 600-year Kaga tradition protecting large trees with V-shaped ropes at Kenrokuen and around the city. A rare sight. 4-star hotels run ¥18,000-30,000. Japanese public holidays (Nov 3, Nov 23) bring more domestic travelers. Foliage season runs about 1.5x normal hotel rates. Late November nears freezing — pack a down jacket and hand warmers.

October in Kanazawa brings the Takayama Matsuri, the start of Shirakawa-go's foliage, and a top autumn season. It averages 22°C/13°C with 165mm of rainfall. The October signature is the Takayama Matsuri (Oct 9-10), one of Japan's three great festivals — reachable from Kanazawa by Nohi bus and the JR 'Hida.' Four 16th-19th-century floats process with puppet performances and night illumination. It runs twice a year (spring Apr 14-15, autumn Oct 9-10); the autumn edition overlaps foliage season — recommended. Shirakawa-go's foliage begins (late Oct-early Nov) — gassho-zukuri with red, orange, and yellow leaves and mountain scenery, a photo-spot favorite. Kanazawa's own foliage starts in late October and peaks the third-to-fourth week of November — 2-3 weeks later than Shirakawa-go. 4-star hotels run ¥18,000-30,000. The Takayama Matsuri, Shirakawa-go foliage, and Kiriko festivals together make yearly-peak pricing. Late October is a value window — about 30-40% cheaper. End of the Noto Kiriko festivals (October) — the season's last.