Quick facts
Kanazawa overview
Kanazawa (orange) and the other large cities of Japan
Kanazawa lies in Ishikawa in Japan at 36.6°N, 136.62°E, about 1 m below sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Tokyo (UTC+9); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Fukuyama (468,812) and larger than Amagasaki (459,593). The largest city in Japan is Tokyo with 9,733,276 people; the capital, Tokyo, has 9,733,276.
The national capital, Tokyo, is about 294 km away; the nearest large city is Matsutō, 10 km from Kanazawa.
Japan as a whole has a live population of 122,222,547 (-0.6% a year) and ranks #12 of 238 countries — see the Japan population page for the full statistics and the Japan atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Kanazawa
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Matsutō Ishikawa | 10 km | 110,408 |
| Komatsu Ishikawa | 26 km | 108,509 |
| Toyama Toyama | 55 km | 415,844 |
| Fukui-shi Fukui | 69 km | 262,328 |
| Gifu Gifu | 132 km | 402,557 |
| Nagahama Shiga | 139 km | 113,636 |
| Nagano Nagano | 140 km | 372,760 |
| Ichinomiya Aichi | 145 km | 380,073 |
Largest cities in Japan
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kanazawa?
Kanazawa has about 466,029 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kanazawa the capital of Japan?
No. The capital of Japan is Tokyo (9,733,276 people), about 294 km away. Kanazawa is the 28th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Kanazawa compared with the rest of Japan?
Its 466,029 residents are 0.4% of the 122,222,547 people living in Japan today. Tokyo is larger with 9,733,276 people.
Where is Kanazawa?
In Ishikawa, Japan, at latitude 36.6 and longitude 136.62, 1 m below sea level. Nearby large cities include Matsutō (10 km), Komatsu (26 km), Toyama (55 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kanazawa Population 2026 — Japan. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/japan/kanazawa/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/japan/kanazawa/">Kanazawa Population 2026 — Japan</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.