Yunokuni no Mori Craft Village

In the forested hills of the Kaga Onsen region south of Kanazawa, Yunokuni no Mori collects the crafts of Ishikawa Prefecture into a village of old thatched and timber houses, each one a workshop. It is one of the best places in Japan to stop admiring traditional crafts and actually try them.

Pick your craft

The houses cover an impressive spread: gold leaf work, for which Kanazawa produces almost all of Japan’s supply, plus Kutani porcelain painting, Yuzen silk dyeing, washi paper making, soba noodle rolling, mochi pounding and more, with dozens of hands on experiences bookable across the village. Sessions are short and beginner friendly, guided by craftspeople who make the tricky parts look effortless, and you keep what you make. Gilding a chopstick set or small box with real gold leaf is the signature experience and a genuinely good souvenir.

Wandering the village

Between workshops, the village itself earns a slow lap: seasonal gardens, streams and galleries of finished masterwork that show where each craft can end up in expert hands. Cafes serve gold leaf ice cream, because in Ishikawa of course they do.

Getting there

The village sits in the hills near Kaga Onsen. Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen or limited express services to Kagaonsen Station, then a taxi or local bus for the final stretch. From Kanazawa the trip takes well under an hour by rail, making this a comfortable day out.

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