Kanazawa – Geisha City

Kanazawa is one of the lesser commercial cities of Japan, but certainly just as tasteful the rest of the country. Steeped in history it calls out to the more serious traveller wanting to discover Japanese culture in its subtle splendour.

Walking and discovering local architecture and people is the best way of making your way around its mystifying streets. Enjoy the feeling of being part of an ancient story. However, this is possible when it doesn’t rain. During rainy days, which are not too rare, tourist buses are available on rainy days that take you around the city’s attractions.

Kananzawa prides in its acute sense of aesthetics, like all its sister cities. Kenroku-en, translated the “Six Attributes Garden”, is one of the best three gardens of Japan. Higashi-Chayamachi is a renowned Geisha district. Noble entertainment houses still stand in memory of yore. An afternoon spent in these lanes remind you of the cultural excellence the district once hosted. You can even get an inside tour of the heritage buildings like the Shima House.

Museums are a part and parcel of the Kanazawa heritage. South of the Kenroku-en garden, an interesting combination of museums await their visitors namely: the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum for Traditional Products and Crafts, Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum,the Nakamura memorial Museum and the Honda Museum. Exhibits of calligraphy, armours and traditional arts and crafts guarantee your fascination. You can even witness a real tea ceremony and try some for yourself.

When you find yourself up for something off beat look up the Ishikawa Confectionery Culture Centre. Confectionary making in Japan is treated as a fine art, and here you not only learn the history of candy making, but also apprehend the Japanese passion for beauty with the museum’s intricate display of sweet-art. In case you’d like to go a step further and sample a few, there are exclusive shops to pacify a sweet tooth. Once you have your fill of museum musing, move on to sites like the 400 hundred year old Kanazawa castle site, located right at the heart of Kanazawa. An array of temples and shrines include the Tentoku-in, the largest temple of the city during the Edo epoque and the Oyama shrine.

While Japan has several popular cities that tourists prioritise, Kanazawa is as fascinating but in an unpronounced and understated grace. Like a Geisha.