Tsubajin

1 star Michelin kaiseki beautiful traditional restaurant. Require reservations in advance. The oldest in Kanazawa. The restaurant is made up of individual rooms. We got table and chairs. We came for dinner and the experience was truly amazing. The room was beautiful. The kaiseki food and sake were amazing. The staff was super star and professional! They were very welcoming and made the experience the special treat.

- Tom Lim -

My husband and I are in our honeymoon in Japan, and he came across this restaurant during the planning process for our trip. We made a reservation a few weeks ago, and we were blown away by the service, the ambience, and some of the dishes we tried. We have done fine dining in the past, but never with a palate that is different than ours (we are from the US). We loved having this experience and we’ll remember it for the rest of our lives.

- Hayley Pogue -

One quiet morning in Kanazawa, I stepped into the centuries-old ryōtei Tsubajin. The scent of wood and tatami greeted me, easing away the fatigue of travel. From a window seat upstairs, I looked out at greenery by the river, old rooftops, and the distant city. Soft morning light filled the room with calm elegance. Breakfast here felt like a ritual—the delicate crab porridge paired perfectly with the clear morning view, making time feel slow and precious. Kanazawa mornings are best begun with such quiet grace.

- PEACE LOVE -

What a beautiful experience! It’s truly the best food experience we had in Japan. Located in a 300 years old traditional Japanese building, we were welcome by the staff in and warm hospitality. The whole experience deserves a 3 Michelin star ⭐, the food is not only delicious but also exquisitely displayed with seasonal fresh ingredients. The cuisine is not just food, they are like poetry of the seasons in front of you. The room itself is so beautiful decorated and authentic too, it makes you feel like travel back in time. Highly recommend!

- L S -

Tsubajin is an amazing destination restaurant. It's located on a busy road in the temple district of Kanazawa, but once inside you are transported back in time. The restaurant was opened in 1752 and is the oldest in Kanazawa, but the building itself is even older. To begin, the service is stellar - from the greeting at the front to the goodbye at the end. It is really a special place to experience the best of Japanese hospitality (aka omotenashi). We had an early reservation on Christmas Eve and the place was not busy. We were so fortunate to be seated in the Koharu-an room which is where Bashō held his haiku gatherings…that is like eating where Wordsworth or Baudelaire or Rumi wrote their poetry...this occurred before Tsubajin was founded, but I still get goosebumps thinking about it. The meal itself was a parade of beautiful dishes that focused on using the freshest local ingredients. Personally, I think that Ishikawa (specifically Kaga) cuisine is at its best in the winter - because that means it’s crab/buri/fugu/etc season! I loved how they left the blue tag on the crab to ensure that it was locally caught too - not surprisingly, the crab was the highlight of our meal. Each course was not just delicious, it was carefully presented on some gorgeous ceramic and lacquerware dishes. Our wonderful server took the time to explain each course and explained to us how many of the serving dishes were historic (as in from the Meiji era) and were used seasonally. To be fair, the food may not be to everyone’s tastes as you really have to love seafood and Japanese cuisine in general. But if you do, then you are in for a truly fantastic experience. We got the most expensive tasting course for ¥38,500 (~$245) - given the ambiance, the history, the service, and the food, we thought it was a bargain. Drinks were separate, but for history nerds/foodies like us, it was worth every penny. Reservations can be made via TableCheck which is nice for people without a Japanese cell phone number - just make sure to confirm the reservation when they contact you via email.

- VT A -

. ### Common Themes in Japanese Restaurant Reviews - **Freshness**: Sushi and sashimi restaurants often get graded on the freshness of their fish. - **Preparation**: Traditional dishes like ramen may be praised for the depth of flavor and the quality of the broth. - **Presentation**: Japanese cuisine often emphasizes aesthetics, and reviews may highlight beautifully

- Sarfarazahmad 143 -

270 year old restaurant with unique dining rooms. Service was outstanding and each dish had a very creative presentation. We had a room with a view onto the river and was very reserved. Great experience overall.

- Tommaso Tournet -

One of the best restaurants we've ever been to in terms of hospitality, and we've been to numerous 3-star michelin restaurants. It is also unpretentious. The restaurant itself is like a museum, it is idyllic and we were in a private room, the food was excellent and varied. You shouldn't miss this restaurant if you visit Kanazawa.

- Alex -