Kanazawa Noh Museum

With its elaborate costumes and ritualized movements and chants, Noh can seem like an impenetrable Japanese art form. This new museum dedicated to Noh makes a good effort at unmasking this traditional form of theatre with lots of English explanations.

On the first floor, visitors get a brief intro to Noh and it’s connection with Kanazawa. You can experience putting on a Noh costume and mask with the assistance of the staff. There’s also a display on how the masks are carved from a solid piece of cypress and how they are painted.

The second floor has displays of masks, ornate kimono and various props use in ther performance.

Most of the space in the third floor is taken up by a large studio space in which, at certain times, you can try doing Noh yourself.

Entry is free for holders of the Kanazawa City Cultural Facilities Admission Pass.

Getting to the Noh Museum

The museum can be reached by bus by taking a local bus from the East Exit of Kanazawa Station and getting off at the Kohrinbo bus stop in the middle of the city. From there it is a 10 minute walk. The museum is located right next to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and is a only a five minute walk from either Kanazawa Castle or Kenrokuen.