Kanazawa Shopping

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Kanazawa has a lot of great shopping scattered throughout the city, but if you’re short on time you can just go next to Kanazawa Station and check out the AEON Forus shopping center, where you can find a multitude of eating and shopping options. Don’t expect anything to outrages, its just a normal shopping center that you are able to find throughout Japan. Certainly Kanazawa has more interesting and unique shopping options. As I said, if you’re short on time and really to see a typical Japanese mall this would be a great opportunity.

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If you’re really looking for a unique and interesting shopping experience, check out the Omicho market in the center of the city. It’s a covered market that runs the length of 4 or 5 blocks and sells mainly fish and produce. The food is ultra fresh and of high quality. You should need more than 45 minutes to go though and have a good look. Please note, if you plan to buy sometime bargaining is a must.

What to buy: Crabs!

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Most people familiar with Kanazawa will know about Omicho Ichiba market, but few will able to tell you about the far less known Matto Coastal Oasis, located in Matto at CCZ. Catch the free shuttle bus from Kanazawa station. The shopping center is a great place to buy crabs and other seafood. There are also several restaurants (mostly severing fish and rice) and there’s even an onsen next to the mall.

FYI if you come later in the day you get much better discounts. Bargaining is ok here.

What to buy: Mostly seafood.

If you’re looking for a gift that is uniquely Kanazawa, look for an item with gold leaf. Gold leaf is a kind of art, where very thin pieces of gold are used to make a picture or design on all kinds of different items, such as bento boxes. It is quite beautiful and almost exclusively done in Kanazawa. You find gold leaf items on the top floor of Diawa or in the Higashi Chaya District.

What to pay: Price varies on what you buy, for example, how big and how much gold. Expect to pay a minimum of 3,000 yen for something small.

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Certainly Kanazawa can’t top the shopping of Tokyo or Osaka, but there are some really nice stores around. Check out Korinbo 109 in Katamachi. There is also a Diawa across the street for that. The upper floors have some really nice traditional stuff, like gold leaf. Also, there is Tatemachi shopping street (in Katamachi as well), which has a lot of unique shops, and is closed to traffic.

Being that this is a Japanese department store, it is a cut above all others, with about 10 floors to satisfy most everyone's yearnings. The basement has a spectacular food hall with extremely tasty-smelling bakeries and free samples, and it always seems to be bustling. One can buy sporting goods, local souvenirs (omiyage), kimono, music, clothes, etc...and there is a top floor for the kids to enjoy, replete with a play area and big top games. Near the entrance in front of the glass pyramid, there is a cool clock that puts on a show for the audience every hour on the hour.

Additionally, the 7th floor has an unique meaning for me, as that is where I spent a lot of time with my homestay friends playing "Kirby 64" and "Mario Tennis" on the Nintendo 64 video game console.

In terms of shopping, this place cannot be beat!

What to buy: My usual lunch consisted of milk, a roll with corn, and an apple, and sometimes a pine nut cookie. Very cheap, if I remember correctly.

What to pay: How much you got?...

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its a long street with a lot of brand shops, like zara and others. nice to walk in.

What to buy: everthing to wear

What to pay: japan is expensive but i see kanazawas prices acceptable

good priced addidas products

What to buy: sporty clothes and shoes

What to pay: i bought a training suit for 60 dollar and my husband bought one for about 80 dollar.