EXPLORE KOMATSU | The official Komatsu City travel guide!

What's New

Why Komatsu ?

Komatsu City sits upon the southwestern plains of Ishikawa prefecture. On one side lies the Sea of Japan, and on the other the sacred Mt. Hakusan. These natural resources contribute to the rich nature and have influenced the local history and culture. Symbolic of this culture are the living traditions of Kutani ceramics made from Komatsu stone, and children’s kabuki performed at yearly festivals.

PLACES & EXPERIENCES

Places

Experiences

WATCH VIDEO

Plan Your Trip

Gourmet

gourmet

Facebook

Explore Komatsu

Explore Komatsu

Explore Komatsu

Instagram

🍁 It's not too late to catch the autumn colors!

🍁 It's not too late to catch the autumn colors!🍁

With an extended summer delaying autumn colors this year, many spots in Komatsu have just peaked this past week! 😍

And here's an easy spot to get your autumn fix:
👉 Rojo Park!

Often dubbed a "mini #Kenrokuen" of sorts,
but we think this humble park for the locals is charming in its own way, with its convenient proximity to Komatsu Station (15 min walk), 24h free entry, and the luxury of a tranquil stroll without the crowds 😌

Do look forward to its magical transition to winter too 😉❄️

Winter in Komatsu brings everyday views of snow-ca

Winter in Komatsu brings everyday views of snow-capped Mt. Hakusan 🗻

Its such a natural part of daily life here that we almost forget, its not a vantage point you get everywhere 🥹

While locals pride over Lake Kiba Park as the best Hakusan-viewing spot, when in Komatsu chances are this white beauty will emerge before your eyes just about anywhere you go 😍
Whether along rivers, or across paddy fields.

It's a joy we would love everyone to take their time to indulge in, if you visit from winter to spring.
We're sure you'll understand then why we adore this holy mountain so much! 🤗

*Feel free to DM us for some secret Hakusan viewpoints!

🦀 Crab Feast at Michelin-starred Matsuya by the

🦀 Crab Feast at Michelin-starred Matsuya by the Sea 🦀

Crab season has officially begun in Ishikawa!
(typically Nov 6 every year)

If you're looking to savor this winter delicacy in Komatsu, one recommendation is 100-year-old ryotei restaurant, Matsuya まつ家

Where the decadent kaiseki course meals include the Komatsu-unique delicacy of kora-age:
deep fried 🦀 shells stuffed with juicy crab meat! 🤤

As you delight your taste buds with dish after dish of freshly-caught local seafood, do also feast your eyes on window views of sunset over crashing waves 🌅

For such a special experience, we certainly approve of the two stars awarded to Matsuya in the Michelin Guide Hokuriku 2021 🌟🌟

Check out Matsuya’s English page to learn more, and consider booking yourself a treat:
https://www.matsu-ya.jp/en/

*Do also check the article on JNTO Japan’s Local Treasures @visitjapanjp
🔍Seafood Feasts at Michelin-starred Matsuya🔍

In preparation for the arrival of the 🚄 Hokurik

🏠 Cosy Cafe in a Traditional Townhouse 🏠 If

🏠 Cosy Cafe in a Traditional Townhouse 🏠

If you find yourself around Komatsu Station finding somewhere to cosy up, our recommendation would be Machiya Bunko @machiyabunko 💞

Tucked in a 90-year-old traditional machiya townhouse, you may easily miss this hidden spot, with its humble exterior marked only by the words "Recycle Book Library" 😯

In fact, Machiya Bunko is not just a library, but also a cafe where you can unwind over homemade bites and drinks, such as chocolate gâteau or cheesecake 🍰 (if you're lucky even parfaits 🍨) flavored with fruits of the season, and locally-sourced coffee and tea ☕ (including Kaga Bocha tea from the oldest tea-maker in Hokuriku @chooboya just a street away)

But it is not just food you can savor here, but also a taste of the slow quiet pace of life, as you soak in the warm ambiance and woody aroma of a preserved machiya 😌
And as a cute souvenir, consider bringing home a bottle of their homemade jams as well! 🧉 Made from local fruits such as Komatsu tomato, or even Kaga Bocha milk tea!
(Bonus tip: the jams are also available 24/7 from the vending machine outside, alongside their homemade cakes!? 🤯)

☕ Cafe Machiya Bunko ☕
46 Yokaichi-machi
*just a 5-min walk from Komatsu Station, along the historic Hokkoku Toori Street @hokkokutoorimachi
Open Wed-Sat, 11:00-18:00

📸: @machiyabunko
Check their official account for more info and updates!

🍁Best of Autumn in Komatsu: A Preview🍁 Our

🍁Best of Autumn in Komatsu: A Preview🍁

Our favorite time of year is coming soon... when the mountains transform into a sea of red❣️

If you've been waiting as eagerly as us, but aren't sure where Komatsu's autumn gems slumber, we've created a little guide for you, from our autumn adventures from past years! 😉

Featured are
@natadera_temple (pics 1-3)
Ikumo Lodge (pics 4-5)
Hiyo Moss Garden (pics 6-8)
@yunokuninomori (pic 9)
Aramata Gorge (pic 10)

Komatsu's autumn colors typically peak from early to mid Nov, so we hope this guide can help you put the upcoming weekends to good use, and chase the colors before they fall 😋

Just check out our latest article on
👉explorekomatsu.com👈

As always, DM us with any questions and do share if you have other autumn spots in Komatsu to recommend 🤗

*photos in this post are from previous years

🚗 The Motorcar Museum of Japan 🚗 boasts an e

🚗 The Motorcar Museum of Japan 🚗 boasts an expansive collection of more than ✨500 cars showcased across ✨10,000 square meters, making it the largest museum of its kind in Japan. Explore a diverse array of vehicles from different countries and eras, organized into sections highlighting specific manufacturers or categories. Notably, the museum features a dedicated area showcasing various Japan-made commercial vehicles that are exclusive to this exhibit. If you’re a car enthusiast, make sure to include this unique destination in your travel itinerary!

Motorcar Museum of Japan
(日本自動車博物館)

📍923-0345 Ishikawa, Komatsu, Futatsunashimachi, Ikkanyama−４０

Admission

・Adults (high school students and above): 1,200 yen
・Children (elementary and junior high school students): 600 yen
・Senior (65 and over with ID) 1,000 yen

👶🏻　Free for children under elementary school age.

⭐️ Groups discount also available for 15 or more people.

⏰ Hours

9:00 - 17:00 (last admission by 16:30)
Closed on wednesdays (except if it's a public holiday, it will be closed the next day) and from Dec. 26-31.
*Open everyday in August.

🏭 GEMBA Open Factory Expo 2023 (Nov 2-5) 🏭

🏭 GEMBA Open Factory Expo 2023 (Nov 2-5) 🏭

Komatsu's own unique festival, the GEMBA open factory expo, is happening again this year! 🥳 @gemba_komatsu

As a hub of creation, from world-famous machine-maker KOMATSU LTD. 🏗, to the centuries-long craft of Kutani Ware⚱️, a huge part of Komatsu heritage lies hidden behind the doors of its many factories and studios.

The GEMBA expo, held Nov 2-5 this year, allows you a chance to step behind the scenes for a rare peek 👀 at the people and technologies that go into constructing that giant truck, nurturing that juicy tomato, or shaping that delicate bowl 🤲

What's more, you can partake in that creation itself, through the many hands-on workshops offered! 🤗

Got you curious?
Then check out the GEMBA website
👉 https://2023.gemba-project.jp/ 👈
for the full list of offerings.

Many tours and workshops require reservation and have limited slots, so do book your spot early❗️

And as always, feel free to DM us if you require English assistance!

🌸The Biggest Cosmos Field in Ishikawa🌸 Kom

🌸The Biggest Cosmos Field in Ishikawa🌸

Komatsu's Tsubakura-machi may be a small neighborhood, but they have big dreams: To nurture the largest cosmos field in Ishikawa! 🥰

And they've succeeded! 🥳
After four years of trial-and-error (even amidst the tough times of the pandemic 🥺), the local community has transformed their abandoned farm land into a sprawling sea of cosmos, with about a million seeds planted this year! 😍

What this little community has achieved is not just a record, however.
They've also brought so much joy to us and many others 💖

Getting lost amidst the sea of dainty pink and whites, rightfully known as the "sakura of autumn", is the most magical and healing experience 😌

What's more, visitors are encouraged to bring home their own bouquet, with scissors provided on site! 💐

The cosmos are expected to stay in bloom until the end of Oct, but catch them as soon as possible before they find new homes 😝
(Photos taken 12 Oct, still a little before peak but a visit this weekend is recommended!)

Access
🚗 15 mins drive from Komatsu Stn
🚲 15 mins by share bike / 🚶‍♀️40 mins walk from Awazu Stn

📍Search "Tsubakura Cosmos Field" on google maps, or DM us for the pin!

✈️ Komatsu Air Festival ✈️ (7 Oct) You ma

✈️ Komatsu Air Festival ✈️
(7 Oct)

You may know that Komatsu is where the regional airport and gateway to Hokuriku is located, but did you know that it's also the site of a national air base? 😮

And that every autumn, that air base is open to public for a spectacular air show? 🥳

Airplane fans would be excited to hear names like Blue Impulse 💙, the well-known aerobatic team of the Japan Air Self Defense Force, but even if you know nothing about planes (like us! 😝), the chance to step into an air base and feel the full power (and grace!) of fighter jets up close is sure to be a rare (air)xperience you won't forget! 😉

Not to mention the festivities that will take over the base, including the chance to get a photoshoot in pilot wear (kids only) or parachute, or even tour the control tower! 🤩

Entry is free and no tickets are required,
so do consider dropping by this weekend! 🤗

📆 When 📆
7 Oct 2023 (Sat)
8AM - 3PM

📍Where📍
JASDF Komatsu Air Base

Access:
🚌 By shuttle bus from Komatsu Station 🚌
7AM - 11AM, 10.30AM - 4PM (return)
1000 yen round trip

🚗 By car 🚗
Temporary parking will be available a distance from the venue.
Roads around the air base will be closed.

🚲 By share bike 🚲
E-bikes can be picked up from the station and airport, and parked at the temporary port set up right outside the air base! @komatsusc
Simply ①Download the docomo Bike Share app, or ②Purchase a one-day pass from the airport Sora-no-Eki souvenir shop/URARA Theater by the station.
(details on explorekomatsu.com)

🌺The red sea of autumn 🌺 What marks the sta

🌺The red sea of autumn 🌺

What marks the start of autumn?

Before red leaves, are actually some red flowers! 😮
Specifically spider lilies, known in Japanese as higanbana (lit. "autumn equinox flowers"), that cover river banks in a sea of fluffy red 😍

And in Komatsu City, ask the locals and they'll tell you that the secret go-to spot is along the Kakehashi River in the Nakaumi area.
(specifically Haneda-machi 埴田町)

While the heavy floods that ravaged the area last year prevented a full bloom, getting to see it again this year is sure to give extra joy and hope to us all 🤗
(pictured are photos taken in 2021)

❗️Peak bloom is expected within the next week❗️
DM us for exact location and keep a look out for our story updates! ☝️

🎉 KUTANism 2023 (Oct 6 - Nov 5) 🎉 Happening

🎉 KUTANism 2023 (Oct 6 - Nov 5) 🎉

Happening again this year:
A festival celebrating Kutani Ware, one of Ishikawa Prefecture's representative crafts! 🥳
Jointly held by the Kutani-production centers of Komatsu and Nomi @kutanism_official

Three exhibitions will be held this year, but they are not your ordinary gallery tour! 😉
Think a moss garden 🌿, old townhouse 🏠, and space weaved from cloth 🌈
Spaces rooted in local community, that all are welcome to take a casual step into (for free!) 🤗

With this year's theme being "Tracing the Colors of Kutani",
workshops and open studio tours are also offered for a more immersive experience of the colorful world of Kutani 🤩

Swipe for more details and check for updates on kutanism.com OR explorekomatsu.com

Exhibitions:
① Kutani Ornaments
"Moss Garden X Ornaments"
@Hiyo Moss Garden (Komatsu)

② Living With Kutani
"How are Kutani Ware used?"
@Shoundo Gallery (Komatsu)

③ Wrapped in Kutani
"Immerse yourself in Kutani patterns"
@Nomi Furusato Museum

Upcoming Workshop:
🎨Design your own Kutani Plate with stamps!🎨
30 Sept (Sat)
1-2 PM / 3-4 PM
@Nomi Furusato Museum
*Check explorekomatsu.com for details and registration

🎁Bonus: Collect stickers and get a gift!🎁
Simply,
①Pick up a festival guidebook
②Collect stickers at each of the spots listed
③Decorate your guidebook
④Present your guidebook at a service counter to receive a gift!

🎉 Komatsu Nine: A Brand New Tourist Hub @ Komat

🏡Takigahara: A Sanctuary of Nature & Craft🏡

🏡Takigahara: A Sanctuary of Nature & Craft🏡

What sort of space will the ishinoko festival (see last post) take place at?
Since the venue is actually half the charm of this unique event, here's some background to the little hamlet of Takigahara! 🤗

A village tucked in the Komatsu mountainside, with a population of less than 200.
But Takigahara is anything but sparse.
Here, both the passionate locals striving to preserve and promote their way of living, and new dwellers mysteriously drawn from all over Japan and the world, have come together to create a new vibrant community fusing nature and craft in their everyday lives 💚

Visitors are invited to partake in this unique and refreshing way of living through regular farming clubs, community dinners and craft workshops.
(check @takigaharafarm for announcements of these events)

Even just a meal at the cosy Takigahara Cafe (pic 3-4), or the local canteen "Satoyama Shokudo", is sure to give you a taste of the simple yet magical charm of this place and its people 😌

Of course, the best way to really soak in the healing air is to book a stay, at:

1) Takigahara House (pic 5-7)
A cosy private inn, tastefully renovated from an old stone cellar.

2) Takigahara Craft & Stay (pic 8-9)
A hostel renovated from an old farmhouse, with affordable bunk bed options!
@craftandstay

The latter is available during ishinoko too, so do contact the organizers ishinoko.jp if interested!

And take the chance to explore this nature haven to your heart's content 😌

🎭🌱Ishinoko Festival 2023 (9/29-10/1)🌾🎉

🎭🌱Ishinoko Festival 2023 (9/29-10/1)🌾🎉
Music, Art and Feast in the Komatsu Countryside

If you visit the mountainside village of Takigahara this end-Sept, you'll not only find solace in nature, but a vibrant gathering of art, music and food! 🥳

The community-initiated ishinoko festival will be held over three days from 29 Sept to 1 Oct, bringing the sleepy village to life through a colorful mix of people and their diverse creations from all over the world 🌈

Whether you're seeking to party and dance 🎶, appreciate or create art 🖼, or forage and feast in the forest 🏕, all are welcome to join in this magical time and space for deep connection in nature 😌

Both three-day and one-day tickets are available 🎫
and accommodation plans (incl. the Craft&Stay hostel on site) are also on offer 🏨
so it's not too late to join the party!
*you can also choose to camp under the stars ⛺️
🔎Check @ishinoko.jp for details.

🚌 Access 🚌
As Takigahara is tucked in the mountainside area, it is usually accessible only by car or taxi, but shuttle buses will be provided during the festival period from Kaga Onsen Station!