Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture is a great city to explore. A loop bus stops at all the major areas of interest:
samurai houses, the old geisha district, the vast grounds of Kanazawa Castle, the beauty and symmetry of the nearby
castle garden (a must for horticulture lovers) and the contemporary art museum. And any visit will be enhanced with a trip
to the centrally located Omicho market to buy fishcakes, grilled fish and eel, raw scallops, mackerel sashimi, fat oysters,
succulent crab and local vegetables. We bought little samples of lots of seafood, complete with sake (of course) for an
inexpensive picnic dinner in our room at the Nikko Hotel. The hotel is directly across the road from Kanazawa Railway
Station with its famous Tsuzumi (drum) Gate.
Kanazawa’s Omicho Market is a great place for the culinary curious. Left: Buri Sashimi Centre: Matsutake mushrooms
Right: Scallops. We bought ultra-fresh seafood delicacies and veggies and brought them to our hotel room for a gourmet picnic.
Left: The Nagamachi Samurai District Middle: Simple calligraphy that evokes “truth” with Ikebana Right: Kanazawa Castle
Left: A scene from the Kenrokuen Garden, known as the most beautiful feudal lord gardens (the Maeda Clan) in the country. The
name means “having six factors” that bring out the perfect landscape of the garden: spaciousness, tranquility, artifice, anti quity,
water courses and magnificent views.(Kanazawa-tourism.com) Middle: The Higashi Chaya District: The old Geisha area of the
city. Right: There’s always time to try a new Izakaya. Maasantei is in the downtown area with very tasty food!