With Kanazawa's popularity skyrocketing, the Hokuriku Region is finally getting it's time in the sun, known for its fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan and unspoiled samurai heritage of Kanazawa. The more adventurous traveler straying from the crowds of the Golden Triangle can find world class attractions not suffering from overcrowding. The region can be reached by shinkansen in just 2 hours from Tokyo or a short flight into Komatsu Airport.
Let's See which Prefecture Comes out on Top!
1 point for (1st) .5 points for (2nd)
By Food: ISHIKAWA
(1st) The exquisite kaiseki of Kaga Cuisine (2nd) Sakai City, Fukui (Gastronomy City Award Winner 2025
It's hard to beat the exquisite samurai food of Kaga Cuisine, that was historically served along with tea ceremony. The Hokuriku region is known for its delectable snow crab!
By Temple: FUKUI
1st) Daihonzan Eiheiji (Main Temple of Soto Zen) Fukui (2nd) Natadera, Komatsu, Ishikawa
Founded in 1244, this sprawling temple complex that actively trains over a hundred monks at time is not just a gem of the Hokuriku area, but stands out as one of the most significant temples in all of Japan as the seat of Soto Zen.
By Museum: FUKUI
1st) Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum (2nd) Ishikawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
Touted as 1 of the top 3 dinosaur museums in the world. Even if you don't love dinosaurs, you will be impressed by the sheer number of dinosaur fossils and the majestic way they are displayed.
By Natural Wonder: TOYAMA
1st) Tateyama–Kurobe Toyama (2nd) Tojinbo-Oshima Fukui
Tateyama, regarded as one of the 3 sacred mountains of Japan boasts outstanding views that will leave onlookers breathless.
By City: ISHIKAWA
1st) Kanazawa City (2nd) Toyama City
Kanazawa is the perfect city, not too big and not too small and well preserved with samurai estates and geisha tea houses among modern art museums and shopping centers.
So far Fukui and Kanazawa are tied at 3 points
By Castle: FUKUI
1st) Maruoka Castle (2nd) Echizen Ono Castle ～The Castle in the Sky～
With three castles one of which is of the 12 surviving castles from the Edo Period. Fukui takes 1.5 points with Maruoka Castle and Echizen Ono's castle in the sky. Kanazawa's Castle walls and gates are beautiful but is a castle without a keep, really a castle? For me when I think of Osaka Castle or Himeji, I picture the glorious castle keep, not the walls or gates.
Maruoka Castle is one the 12 original castles that survived from the Edo Period. It was commissioned by Oda Nobunaga and is believed to have been built upon a human pillar (sacrifice) or hitobashira and it's one of Japan's oldest castles.
Fukui with 4.5 points Ishikawa with 3 points
Fukui, one of the least visited prefectures in Japan comes out on top. Who would have thought that this overlooked destination had so much untapped potential? Maybe there is a reason why Fukui tops the charts in Happiest places to live in Japan.
