かにじぇんぬ 金沢, a new restaurant from Osaka-based QRAUD Inc. (CEO 寺田幸宏), opens in Kanazawa's Nishi Chaya district on Monday, September 7, 2026. かにじぇんぬ, known for courses built around live crab, currently operates in Tokyo's Ginza and Azabu Juban, Sapporo, and Osaka, with a Kyoto Gion location also planned — and the Kanazawa opening marks the brand's first entry into the Hokuriku region. QRAUD operates more than 20 dining brands across Japan built around standout Japanese ingredients, including 銀座 虎あら and Salon du Kuma3, and plans to open two locations in Dubai as it expands overseas.
かにじぇんぬ 金沢 draws heavily on Ishikawa ingredients, from local crab to Kaga vegetables and Noto-made seasonings. Located in Nishi Chaya, one of Kanazawa's three historic chaya (teahouse) districts, the restaurant also offers a special course where guests can watch a geisha dance up close while enjoying crab, bringing the area's chaya culture into the dining experience.
A Restaurant Built Around Nishi Chaya's Teahouse Culture
かにじぇんぬ 金沢 sits in a corner of Nishi Chaya, one of Kanazawa's three historic chaya districts, directly across from the kenban, the geisha training hall. The building is a renovated machiya (traditional townhouse) that keeps the character of its history intact while offering a refined interior, with an old kura (storehouse) still standing at the back of the property.
The restaurant has eight counter seats, with a tatami-floored stage set up behind them where geisha can perform dances and other arts. A special course lets guests watch a geisha dance up close while enjoying crab dishes.
Ishikawa's Crab and Local Ingredients Take Center Stage
The menu draws heavily on local Kanazawa and Ishikawa ingredients. At the September opening, the restaurant serves beni-zuwai (red snow) crab and hair crab landed in Ishikawa; once crab season opens on November 6, Ishikawa's branded zuwai crab, kano-gani, joins the course. Kaga vegetables and Noto-produced seasonings round out a menu built around what can only be tasted in this particular place.
Watching live crab prepared right in front of guests, one dish after another, is part of what defines the かにじぇんぬ experience.
Live Crab, Prepared Table-Side
Chefs carve live crab right in front of guests before dipping the meat in cold water so it curls open like a flower for the sashimi, one of the course's most popular dishes. The grilled crab is slow-cooked over charcoal to preserve its juiciness, while the shabu-shabu is timed precisely to serve the crab at its best moment.
Staying true to the かにじぇんぬ style while drawing on Kanazawa's food and culture, the restaurant aims to be an experience found only in this location.
Store Overview
- Name: かにじぇんぬ 金沢
- Address: 2-24-5 Nomachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
- Phone: 076-256-3339
- Grand opening: Monday, September 7, 2026
- Hours: Lunch from 12:00 PM; dinner seatings at 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM (reservation only)
- Seats: 8
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kani.kanazawa/
- Reservation email: Kanizawa@qraud.com
Course Highlights
From September through October, the course lets guests compare Noto hair crab and beni-zuwai crab side by side. After zuwai crab season opens on November 6, the course shifts to feature Ishikawa's branded kano-gani, so the crab on offer changes with what's in season.
*Zuwai crab season typically opens on November 6 each year, with the catch reaching markets from around the following day. Rough seas and other conditions affecting the catch may shift the date kano-gani becomes available.
Why Kanazawa? A Message From CEO 寺田幸宏
Comment from 寺田幸宏 (CEO of QRAUD Inc.)
"At かにじぇんぬ, I've always valued letting guests experience crab, one of Japan's signature ingredients, together with its region, season, and local culture.
The main reason I chose Kanazawa is that Hokuriku is one of Japan's leading crab-producing regions, and Kanazawa still carries a rich culture surrounding food today — from cuisine and tableware to tea, architecture, and traditional performing arts.
I've opened locations in Tokyo, Osaka, and Sapporo so far, but for Kanazawa, rather than simply building another かにじぇんぬ branch, I wanted to create a かにじぇんぬ that could only exist in this particular place.
I'm especially drawn to Nishi Chaya, where the chaya culture still lives on. Beyond the crab itself, I want guests to experience Kanazawa's distinct atmosphere through the space, tableware, presentation, and hospitality.
With respect for Hokuriku's wonderful ingredients and producers, and for the culture Kanazawa has nurtured over many years, I hope to grow this into a restaurant that both locals and visitors from Japan and abroad will want to visit whenever they come to Kanazawa."
