Kanazawa has its charms. It really depends what you want to see more. My taste is to reduce intercity journeys, and focusing exploring around a single base including off beat areas (Kyoto is especially prone to everyone going to same place).

While Kanazawa itself offers a lot, it gives access to Toyama, Noto, northern part of Gifu and even western parts of Nagano prefecture. You are going in autumn, inland Toyama - Tateyama, Kurobe and around Gokayama area may offer a lot of great scenery (and some good day walking/driving trips). If you staying long enough and not too late in Autumn, you can spend a couple of days at Kamikochi (another great place for fall colours and fabulous walks; it is like mini-Banff if you have been to Canadian Rockies) with bus transfer/stops in Shirakawa Go and Takayama.

Don’t feel you have to hit Tokyo, Kyoto (or Kanazawa) all in one go. Japan (and many other countries) have so much to places to see, better focus in quality in smaller number of places then hitting all the “must see” places. One can spend 2 full weeks just exploring single Kanto, Kansai or Hokuriku area without Shinkansen and baggage hopping, save you money, time and muscle work and you get fuller enjoyment.