Kanazawa is known for the rich cultural heritages emerged and bloomed in Edo period 17th to 19th centuries. The city’s glory got the fourth place as the largest city in Japan after Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto at the era and it had been along with Maeda family who governed the region (called Kaga 加賀 at that time) for 300 years since the end of 15th century. The cultures nutured in Kanazawa include traditional handiclaft arts; gold leaf (金箔, kinpaku), Kaga Yuzen (加賀友禅 Kimono dyeing technology), Urushi (漆Japan lacuqerware), Kutani Porcelain (九谷焼), as well as food culture, Kaga Ryori (加賀料理, its local cuisine) supported by advantage of geographical accessibility to fresh seafood and specialties from mountains, traditional sweets (Wagashi, 和菓子) developped with the tea ceremony culture which was appreciated by Maeda family.
Major tourist attractions (other than food)
Nowaday, in the 21st century, we can find clues of the golden era as tourist attractions as well as the newest wave of art.
* Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa Castel Park (兼六園と金沢城公園)
The beautiful Japanese garden, Kenrokuen, is the most popular tourist spot in Kanazawa.
*21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (金沢２１世紀美術館)
It is a "must-see" spot in Kanazawa, if you are interested in modern art museums.
* Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District and Nomura Samurai Family residence
(長町武家屋敷跡と武家屋敷跡野村家)
Where top and middle class samurais’ residences were located. In the district, Nomura Family’s residence has chaming Japanese garden, highly appreciated by French Michelin Guidbook.
* Chaya Districts (茶屋街)
Chaya (茶屋) is a house of feasts and entertainment in traditional style from Edo era, as mostly known by Geisha in Kimono playing music and dancing. Three Chaya districts are now preserved in Kanazawa central area; Higashi (East), Nishi (West) and Kazue. Some of Chaya houses are open to public during day time as museum, café, souvenir boutiques etc.
I believe now you understand why I traveled to Kanazawa and why I am writing up about the city on this blog. I will report furthre about the aspect of “food culture” and what we can have there.
How to get to Kanazawa
By train
From Tokyo – about 4hours journey by Shinkansen and Express trains (required to train transfer at Echigo Yuzawa (for Joetsu Shinkansen) or Maibara (for Tokaido Shinkansen)
From Osaka, Kyoto – 2.5hours by Express train without transfer
By Air
Accessible via two nearest airpots.
Komatsu Airport – 45 minutes by bus to Kanazawa
Domestic routes to/from Tokyo (both Haneda and Narita airports), Sapporo, Fukuoka, Naha (Okinawa)
*The route for Sendai is suspended so far because of the damage by the earthquake at Sendai Airport
International routes - Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei
Official site: http://www.komatsuairport.jp
Noto Airport – available between Noto and Haneda, Tokyo International Airport, then 2hours by bus to Kanazawa
Official site (Japanese only): http://www.noto-airport.jp
Useful links:
Kanazawa City Tourism Association http://www.kanazawa-tourism.com
Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism Guide http://hot-ishikawa.jp/f-lang/english/
Eye on Kanazawa (English free pare in Kanazawa) http://www.eyeon.jp/
Accommodations close to the sites mentioned on this post
I don't think Japan's woes can be so casually denifed as a failure of leftism. The current government is locally considered right of center and was recently re-elected with a mandate to privatize the post office (a huge deal, it's also their biggest bank). Their economic and legal system could be more accurately described as fascistic - crony capitalism intertwined with a massive bureaucratic nanny state. Is this their fault? Only partly. It's the system the Americans built for them after WW2, back when the New Deal still looked sexy.Their social problems really come from a pressure cooker society. There's no let-up, even in school, and their etiquette puts a lot of emphasis on keeping feelings bottled inside. As a result, the whole darn lot of them are half way to "going postal".
Posted by: Ahmad | 10 July 2012 at 15:47