Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum

The Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum is a craft museum in Higashiyama dedicated to the production and application of gold leaf. The collection features historical tools, artisanal techniques, and works that show how this delicate material has been used to embellish artistic objects across different forms.

The museum was established in 1974 by craftsman Yasue Takaaki and relocated to Higashiyama in 2010, a neighborhood where gold leaf artisans had worked since the Edo period. The location links the area's long craft tradition with contemporary presentation of the art form.

The museum displays traditional Japanese objects adorned with gold leaf, including Nō robes, folding screens, Buddhist altars, and decorative porcelain from different periods. You can see how this material enhanced the beauty of handcrafted pieces and held an important place in Japanese artistic traditions.

The entrance is through a small building in the historic district, easily accessible on foot. The exhibition space is compact, so most visitors can complete their visit in about an hour.

The museum demonstrates the remarkable process of transforming gold into extremely thin sheets that can then be applied artistically to various objects. This craftsmanship and precision often goes unnoticed by viewers until shown here.

Location: Kanazawa

Inception: 1974

Official opening: 1974

Opening Hours: 9:30-17:00

Phone: 0762518950

Website: https://kanazawa-museum.jp/kinpaku/english

GPS coordinates: 36.57376,136.66599

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:21