Kanazawa

We’re now on the Thunderbird Limited Express (cue music) from Kanazawa to Kyoto and we’ve very much enjoyed our couple of days in Kanazawa, an important city on the west coast.  It has a big fishing industry and the fantastic fresh fish in the market reflects this.  The retail market is huge with stall after stall of fresh food, mainly fish, but also Hida beef and vegetables and fruit.  Quite a lot of the fruit seems to be imported, particularly the more exotic tropical-type fruits like canteloupe, which sell for up to $40 each.   Many of the apples (quite large) sell for $5 each but the local fruit and vegetables seem to be around the same price as at home. 

Kanazawa is a very easy city to get around and a $5 (500yen) bus pass for any number of trips in a day, is quite economical.  There is a tourist bus loop which can be used as a hop-on hop-off bus and takes people to all the major sites and shopping areas.  The most important sites we visited were the gold/silver leaf traditional industry, the geisha district and the samurai district, Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Gardens, reputed to be in the top 3 most beautiful gardens in Japan – and they didn’t disappoint.

The tourist buses are restored 1950s buses seating around 20 people but with modern seating and amenities, stopping at approximately 20 spots on the loop.  Traffic is nowhere near as bad as Tokyo and most of the cars are tiny – looking like upright shoe boxes (size 3) so they can park them in tiny spots in front of homes.  Again, we’ve been blown away by the variety of food, but particularly here there is an enormous focus on seafood, which we both love.

The gold shops actually make the most beautiful pieces of tableware, ornaments, jewellery, etc., from micro-fine gold leaf and the shops are happy to take those interested, into the workshop and show off the method of producing the film – some 0.0001mm thick .  Needless to say, we finished up with a couple of small pieces to bring home. 

The geisha district and the samurai district are areas which have been restored and show how those people lived in the past.  The timber-work and art in the houses are particularly beautiful and the enclosed gardens which they all seem to have, are simple, elegant and restful, with stone ornaments, ponds, waterfalls and lovely greenery.

Kanazawa Castle is spectacular, beautifully restored and dominates the northern part of the central city.  The grounds are extensive and lovingly cared for and the whole estate is adjacent to the Kenrokuen Gardens.  Jules will wax lyrical about the beauty  of the gardens and even I must admit, they’re amongst the most beautiful I’ve seen, with ponds, waterfalls, trees which are hundreds of years old, all lovingly trimmed in the Japanese (or bonsai) style and paths and walkways, steps and stepping-stones winding through many acres of garden.  Spectacular!