Cute and Stylish! Japanese Goods from Kanazawa in Ishikawa Perfect as Souvenirs

1. Nakashima Menya\'s Kaga Hachiman Okiagari

Nakashima Menya, which was established in 1862, produces and sells handmade Kaga dolls and rustic and warm regional toys.
The Kaga Hachiman Okiagari, which is designated as a rare traditional craft of Kanazawa, is made by pasting washi paper on a form, painting it with white and red pigments, and drawing the expression and pine, bamboo and plum decorations. The round form and full face is very cute. It is considered to be a fortuitous item and is often purchased as baby and wedding gifts and to ward off evil.

Kaga Hachiman Okiagari: 756 JPY (incl. tax) and up
Kaga Hachiman Okiagari strap: 648 JPY (incl. tax) and up

2. KUTANI SEAL\'s Ohana-no Yunomi

KUTANI SEAL is a brand that was created to make Kutaniware, a traditional craft representative of Ishikawa, more accessible.
Its products are ceramics created with transfer stickers featuring traditional Kutaniware coloring and designs. They are distinguished by their stylish patterns that add a playfulness to Kutani china with its more than 360-year history.
Ohanano Yunomi (flower tea cup) has contemporary designs of pine, bamboo, and plums, which are considered to be fortuitous in Japan. You can have your name added by hand by a craftsman (for a fee) to create a one-of-a-kind tea cup.

Ohanano Yunomi: 2,700 JPY (excl. tax) and up

3. Iwamoto Kiyoshi Shoten\'s Chokotto Tray

Iwamoto Kiyoshi Shoten has been making crafts with wood from kiri (paulownia tree) since its establishment in 1912. Kanazawa\'s kiri craft is distinguished by the unique texture of burned kiri wood and beautiful makie gold and silver lacquer. The shop has a variety of products ranging from tools for tea ceremonies, trays, and storage containers.
The recommended item is the Chokotto Tray. This is a small tray that will make you feel luxurious when you use it for tea and sweets or sake and snacks. There is a plain version and a version with makie of cherry blossoms and other decorations, so you can select the one that suites your taste.

Chokotto Tray: 1,500 JPY (excl. tax) and up

4. Kurumiya\'s Tenugui

Kurimiya is a shop that sells tenugui hand towels from Kanazawa and around the country.
There is a selection of more than 1,000 types of tenugui hand towels in the shop, ranging from those with traditional patterns to modern ones. The recommended line is the Kaga Yasai series that features traditional Kanazawa vegetables. They feature modern depictions of Kaga Futo Kyuri (cucumber), Kaga Renkon (lotus root) and Heta Murasaki Nasu (eggplant). There is also a large selection of designs unique to Kanazawa in Ishikawa, such as the popular tourist destination of Kenrokuen Garden.

Tenugui (Kaga Kyuri): 945 JPY

*The image is for illustrative purposes only

5. Takazawa Shoten\'s NANAO Japanese Candle

Takazawa Shoten, established in 1892, is a producer of the traditional craft of Nanao Japanese candles. It is the only shop making Japanese candles in the prefecture.
Japanese candles are characterized by a thick wick made of washi paper and nettle and plant wax. The wick sucks up the melting wax so the whole candle burns cleanly. There is very little soot so it is friendly to the environment.
The recommended product is the Tegakie Rosoku (candles with hand drawn pictures) with drawings of plants and flowers such as cherry blossoms, chrysanthemum, and iris. The Akarino Hitotoki, which has stylish modern Japanese decorations, is also worth checking out.

Tegakie Rosoku: 540 JPY/candle (incl. tax) and up
Akarino Hitotoki: 1,080 JPY for a box of 8 (incl. tax) and up

*The image is for illustrative purposes only

If you are purchasing mementos and souvenirs in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, try selecting items such as those introduced this time that represent traditional culture.