Kanazawa Machiya and the Artisans Who Keep Tradition Alive

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Walking through the historic streets of Kanazawa, you’ll notice something unique: rows of traditional wooden houses with latticed windows, tiled roofs, and deep, narrow structures. These are Kanazawa machiya —historic townhouses that reflect the city’s rich cultural legacy.

More than just beautiful architectural structures , these machiya are living symbols of the incredible skill and dedication of local craftsmen. Every beam, door, and joint reveals a deep understanding of materials, climate, and tradition.

In this blog, we’ll introduce how Kanazawa’s artisans and their techniques have shaped the city’s iconic machiya, and how the city and its institutions, like Kanazawa’s own “Craftsman University,” are helping preserve these skills for future generations.

■ Table of Contents

• What Is a Kanazawa Machiya?

• The Artisans Behind the Beauty

• Kanazawa Shokunin Daigakkō（Kanazawa Kanazawa Craftsman Training School）: Preserving Traditional Skills for the Future

• Why Kanazawa’s Machiya Are So Valuable

• Final Thoughts: Experiencing the Soul of Kanazawa Through Its Machiya

  
  
  
  

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

■ What Is a Kanazawa Machiya?

A machiya is a traditional Japanese townhouse, and in Kanazawa, they take on a distinct style adapted to the region’s snowy winters and humid summers.

Details are written in our other blog: https://www.in-kanazawa.com/post/what-is-a-kanazawa-machiya-discover-the-charm-and-history-of-traditional-townhouses

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

■ The Artisans Behind the Beauty

1. Carpentry and Architecture

The structure of a Kanazawa machiya relies on the skills of traditional carpenters, who build homes without nails, using complex wood joinery techniques passed down for centuries. The timber is carefully selected and treated to endure Kanazawa’s climate.

Artisans understand how to build flexible and breathable structures, which are crucial in a city with heavy snowfall. These traditional homes can “breathe,” adjusting to the seasons naturally.

2. Joinery and Interior Craft 

Tategu-shokunin, or interior joinery craftsmen, specialize in making doors, screens, and windows. These wooden elements not only divide space but also play a role in light, ventilation, and aesthetics.

Delicate shoji screens, fusuma sliding doors, and decorative ranma transoms are all handmade and fitted perfectly—sometimes without the use of a single nail or screw. These skills represent some of the finest aspects of Japanese architectural artistry.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

■ Kanazawa Shokunin Daigakkō（Kanazawa Kanazawa Craftsman Training School）: Preserving Traditional Skills for the Future

Kanazawa Shokunin Daigakkō (Kanazawa Craftsman Training School), established in 1996 in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is a unique training institution dedicated to preserving and passing down Japan’s traditional architectural and craft techniques. The school was founded through the efforts and vision of Tamotsu Yamade, the former mayor of Kanazawa, who believed deeply in the value of regional craftsmanship and the importance of sustaining local heritage.

Yamade’s motivation came from the growing concern that traditional skills—such as those used in carpentry, plastering, and roofing—were being lost due to modernization and the aging population of artisans. He envisioned a place where young people could learn from seasoned masters and become the next generation of skilled craftsmen capable of restoring and maintaining historic buildings, including Kanazawa’s many machiya townhouses and cultural properties.

The school offers two main courses: a three-year general course that includes nine departments—stone masonry, roofing (kawara), plastering, landscaping, carpentry, tatami, joinery, sheet metal, and mounting—and a special restoration course focusing on the repair and conservation of historical buildings. Students attend classes at night, allowing them to work during the day, and tuition is free.

Graduates are awarded certifications such as Kanazawa Takumi no Ginōshi (Skilled Artisan of Kanazawa) or Historical Building Restoration Specialist, recognized by the city. The school also serves as a cultural hub, attracting aspiring artisans from all over Japan.

Today, the Kanazawa Shokunin Daigakkō continues to uphold Yamade’s original goal: to make craftsmanship a lifelong career path, not just a job, and to ensure that the spirit of traditional Japanese skill lives on in the city’s architecture and identity.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

■ Why Kanazawa’s Machiya Are So Valuable

Kanazawa’s machiya are more than picturesque buildings—they represent a living tradition. Each townhouse is a result of collaboration between architects, carpenters, plasterers, and artists, all guided by generations of knowledge.

These buildings demonstrate:

• Deep respect for natural materials

• Clever adaptation to climate and lifestyle

• Aesthetic principles rooted in Japanese values of harmony, simplicity, and beauty

Thanks to the efforts of Kanazawa’s city government, local craftsmen, and educational institutions, the structure, craft, and meaning behind each machiya continues to be preserved and appreciated.

■ Final Thoughts: Experiencing the Soul of Kanazawa Through Its Machiya

When you visit Kanazawa, don’t just admire its architecture from the outside—step into a machiya café, gallery, or guesthouse, and you’ll feel the soul of the city around you.

Whether it’s the scent of timber, the light filtering through washi paper screens, or the precise joinery in every beam, you’re experiencing centuries of craft, pride, and artistry.

Kanazawa machiya are not just buildings—they are living expressions of the city’s history and the hands of its craftsmen. To see them is to understand Kanazawa. To stay in one is to be part of its ongoing story.