Kanazawa in Ishikawa prefecture is one of my favorite cities to visit. On Toyama Bay the seafood in Kanazawa is fresher than what you can get in Tokyo. There is also the famous Kenrokuen gardens and the charming Higashi Chaya district. What I now look forward to more than anything in Kanazawa is visiting the new Ishikawa Prefectural Library.

The library is designed by architect Mitsuru Senda. It has 300,000 books and 1.5 million materials. There is seating for 500 throughout the museum. It is busy with a mix of people. Students studying, readers, and groups doing activities or seminars.

One taxi driver said he goes a few times a week. He likes it that there is a quiet part of the library but that the rest of the library it’s ok to talk. There’s a cafe at the library for drinks and light meals. Even if you don’t read Japanese the building is fantastic.

To get to the library it is a short bus ride. I believe it is bus 11 that leaves from either the station or near Ohmicho Market twice an hour. The bus will stop by the Higashi Chaya district on the return to the city. 

For more on the library (in English):

https://www.library.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/category/aboutlibrary/2983.html

Ishikawa Prefectural Library

石川県立図書館 Ishikawa Kenritsu Toshokan

Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa-shi, Kodatsuno 2