Hi, I’m Rio ✨
After an amazing first day exploring Kanazawa, I woke up VERY excited for the breakfast buffet at Onyado Nono Kanazawa 😂
And honestly… I may have eaten a little too much 🤤
The original plan was to visit Omicho Market first, but I was so full that I decided to explore the museum before getting hungry again lol
So, I followed ChatGPT’s itinerary—with a little adjustment! Here’s how Day 2 of my Kanazawa trip went ✨
If you haven’t read it yet, start with Part 1 here 👀
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Day 2
📍Breakfast at Onyado Nono Kanazawa
The breakfast buffet was AMAZING✨
They even had all-you-can-eat seafood bowls 🤤
Everything was so good that I ended up eating way too much 😂
Honestly… this breakfast alone made me glad I chose this hotel.
If you love seafood, leave plenty of room for breakfast!
📍21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
A contemporary art museum with exhibition spaces, public areas, and artworks to discover around the building.
It’s a fun contrast to Kanazawa’s traditional streets and gardens.
Even if you’re not usually into art, this museum is such a fun place to explore✨
I especially loved the rabbit-shaped chairs 🐰 and the famous Swimming Pool installation.
I went into the underground section, and it really felt like I was standing underwater!
Looking up and seeing people above the “pool” was such a funny, surreal experience.
We only had five minutes inside, though, so everyone was rushing to take photos 😂📸
Some public areas are free to explore, while exhibitions require a separate ticket. Ticket prices vary depending on the exhibition.
To enter the underground section of The Swimming Pool, you currently need:
・An eligible exhibition ticket
・A same-day waiting-list reservation
Reservations open at 9:00 a.m. on the day of your visit, and time inside is limited to five minutes.
Check the museum’s official reservation information before visiting, as access and booking arrangements may change.
About 60–90 minutes, with extra time if you want to explore more exhibitions or wait for your pool entry.
📍Omicho Market
A historic food market known as “Kanazawa’s kitchen,” with more than 300 years of history.
It’s a great place to discover fresh seafood and local food.
・Seafood bowl
・Kanazawa curry bread
・Omicho croquette
The seafood was so fresh and delicious✨
Even after that huge hotel breakfast, I somehow found room for more food 😂
I loved exploring the market and stopping to try different local foods!
I visited on a Wednesday and noticed that several shops were closed.
Opening days vary by shop, and more shops tend to close on Wednesdays. If there’s somewhere you really want to visit, check its opening days in advance.
Also, enjoy your food in the designated eating areas at each shop rather than eating while walking through the market.
Around ¥3,000 per person in total for the food I tried at the market.
Your total will depend on what you order—especially which seafood bowl you choose!
About 60 minutes.
Prefer to explore with a guide? Here’s a food tour option to check out:
Explore an Omicho Market Food Tour
📍Nagamachi Samurai District
A historic district known for its preserved earthen walls, narrow lanes, and former samurai residences.
Walking around here honestly felt like stepping back into the Edo period✨
The quiet streets and traditional atmosphere made it one of my favorite areas in Kanazawa.
After the busy market, it was lovely to slow down and take in the scenery.
About 30–45 minutes for a walk around the district, plus time for cafés and any residences you visit.
If you’d like to add another activity to your trip, these might interest you:
⚔️ Explore a Samurai Sword Lesson in a Temple
🍶 Explore a Kanazawa Night Food Tour
📍Sakakobo Taro — Onikawa Branch
A Japanese sweets shop with a café in the Nagamachi area, where you can enjoy sweets while looking out over the garden of the Nomura Samurai Residence.
Cold matcha and Japanese sweets 🍵
This was such a relaxing place to take a break after walking around.
Matcha, Japanese sweets, and a beautiful garden view… such a lovely combination✨
It fit perfectly into my visit to the samurai district.
Allow around ¥800–1,500 per person, depending on what you order. Check the current menu when you visit.
About 30 minutes.
📍Nomura Samurai Residence
A preserved residence associated with the Nomura family, who served the rulers of the Kaga domain.
You can explore the traditional interiors and admire its garden.
The garden was absolutely beautiful✨
It felt so surreal being inside a real former samurai home.
Walking through the district was lovely, but stepping inside the residence made the experience feel even more special.
Definitely worth a visit if you enjoy Japanese history, traditional architecture, or gardens!
Adult admission is currently ¥550.
Check the official Kanazawa travel guide for the latest visitor information.
About 30 minutes.
📍Souvenir Shopping at Kanazawa Station
Before heading back to Osaka, I stopped to buy some souvenirs at Kanazawa Station 🚅
It was a convenient final stop before the journey home!
Kamifuusen are adorable, colorful Japanese sweets with a delicate, crispy shell filled with Japanese-style jelly.
I loved the contrast between the crisp outside and the jelly inside.
They’re cute, a little different, and such a fun souvenir to bring home💕
▶ Watch me try Kamifuusen on Instagram
Final Thoughts
Honestly… I didn’t expect a ChatGPT-planned trip to turn out this well 😂
Across two days, I enjoyed:
・Historic streets and traditional gardens
・Amazing seafood and local food
・A relaxing hotel hot spring
・Modern art
・Matcha and Japanese sweets
Kanazawa had such a lovely mix of experiences✨
I also learned that an itinerary doesn’t have to be followed perfectly.
Sometimes you need to change the order because of opening days, how you’re feeling—or because you ate too much at breakfast 😂
ChatGPT gave me a helpful starting point, and I could adjust it along the way.
If you’re planning a Kanazawa trip, I hope these two posts give you some ideas for your own adventure!
Read Day 1 of my Kanazawa trip 👀
Prices, opening days, and booking arrangements may change. Check official information before your visit. Suggested stay lengths are a guide, so adjust them to your own pace.
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