Hotel Kanazawa, which serves dishes built around seasonal ingredients, will offer two à la carte menu items made with kobako crab (香箱蟹), the female snow crab known as the queen of Hokuriku's winter flavors. The "Kobako Crab Spaghetti" (香箱蟹のスパゲッティ) and the "Kobako Crab Shell Plate (Kanimen)" (香箱蟹の姿盛り（蟹面）) will be available for a limited time at DINING TSUZUMI, the hotel's first-floor restaurant, starting Saturday, November 7, 2026, to coincide with the opening of the crab fishing season.
Crab With the Shelling Done for You
Snow crab is a winter staple of the Hokuriku region. Among them, the female kobako crab is caught for only about two months, from the season opening on November 6 through the end of the year, which makes it an extremely rare winter ruby.
In recent years, more people have wanted to enjoy tasty local crab with little effort. At the same time, many diners hold back because shelling the crab is a hassle or because the price feels steep.
At Hotel Kanazawa, experienced chefs prepare each crab by hand, so it can be eaten right away without any shelling. The dishes are meant for visitors to Kanazawa as well as local residents, whether for a regular dinner or a special treat. The hotel says it hopes to share the appeal of Hokuriku's food culture in Japan and abroad, and to help energize winter tourism and dining in Kanazawa.
The Two Menu Items
Kobako Crab Spaghetti
The chef's special pasta uses one whole kobako crab. To let the crab's delicate sweetness and deep umami come through, the dish is kept deliberately simple. Homemade tomato sauce is accented with garlic, anchovies and capers. Squeezing the lemon served on the side and tossing the pasta with Parmigiano cheese lets the crab's flavor unfold in layers.
Kobako Crab Shell Plate (Kanimen)
In this traditional dish, a chef carefully removes the meat and arranges it back in the crab's shell. In a single bite, you can taste the rich, deeply flavored uchiko (immature eggs), the popping sotoko (mature eggs), the gently sweet crab meat and the rich crab miso. It is served with sanbaizu (seasoned vinegar sauce) for a refreshing finish, and it also goes well with Ishikawa local sake or white wine.
Winter Limited Kobako Crab À La Carte Menu Overview
Period: Saturday, November 7, 2026 to Sunday, December 27, 2026
Hours: 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM (last order 9:30 PM). Available at both lunch and dinner.
Location: Hotel Kanazawa 1F Restaurant "DINING TSUZUMI"
Price: Kobako Crab Spaghetti ¥3,600 (tax included) / Kobako Crab Shell Plate (Kanimen) ¥3,500 (tax included)
Reservations & Inquiries: 076-223-1201 (reception hours: 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM)
Reservations are accepted by phone or online.
*Note: Photos are for illustration purposes. Content may change depending on supply and other circumstances.
DINING TSUZUMI
1-1 Horikawa Shinmachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Hotel Kanazawa 1F
Business hours: 6:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Seating: 95 seats / Private rooms available (up to 16 people)
Website: https://www.hotelkanazawa.co.jp/tsuzumi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dining_tsuzumi
