Birthday trip to Kanazawa - Day 1

I've been wanting to go to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a village of gassho-style houses (traditional Japanese farmhouses characterized by steeply pitched thatched roofs designed to resemble hands pressed together in prayer). The village is nestled in the mountains along a clear river. My original plan was to stay in Nagoya and take a bus tour to the village. But, after doing some research, I found that staying in Kanazawa is better. Kanazawa is much closer to Shirakawa-go, so I could spend more time exploring the village. Plus, the bus to the village was cheaper.

I've never been to Kanazawa, so I looked up other places to visit while I'm there. The Kanazawa Station boasts a massive yet stylish wooden gate, built in the form of a traditional torii gate (gates standing at the entrance to a Japanese shrine). There was also a fountain that alternates between showing the time, spelling out Welcome and Kanazawa. It was pretty cool.

As usual, my day started dark and early to catch the bullet train from Tokyo. First thing I did when I got to Kanazawa was to head to the hotel to drop off my suitcase so I won't have to lug it around while I went sightseeing. The map said the restaurant to booked for lunch is on the way to the Omicho Market, a bustling market which is the largest market in Japan since the Edo period. There are stalls after stalls that specialize in fresh local seafood and produce, but there are stalls offering flowers, clothing, kitchen tools and more. There were long lines in front of shops offering grilled Noto beef skewers. It was too early for the market to open, so I headed for the Kanazawa Castle Park. I thought I could walk around the park before I had to go back to make the lunch reservation. But the walk to the park took longer than I thought it would, so I only saw a bit of the park and the Oyama Shrine, a shrine dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of the powerful, local Maeda Clan. This shrine is known for its unusual gate, designed by a Dutch architect, with stained glass windows. I definitely was not expecting to see stained glass at a shrine. One of the cute objects I saw was a big sculpture of a lotus leaf with frogs on it.

I decided to treat myself to a Noto beef lunch. I got to the restaurant a bit early, but they showed me to my seat right away. I ordered a steak and roast beef box. The box has rice topped with slices of grilled Noto beef steak and roast beef and comes with miso soup, Japanese pickles, and an appetizer. Can anybody say foodgasm? The steak was grilled medium rare and so, so good! The meat was tender and flavorful. My taste buds were very happy! I ordered a glass of red wine from a winery in Noto (a peninsula off the coast of Ishikawa Prefecture). The red is a raw wine, high in tannins. It was . . . interesting. Not something I would buy from a shop, but ordering it by the glass will do just fine. I mentioned that it was my birthday and the restaurant served me complimentary gelato. It was a scoop of simple vanilla, but it was rich and creamy, garnished with a bit of gold leaf.

Fortified by a divine lunch, I decided to so a bit more sightseeing. I headed for the Higashi Chaya District, one of Kanazawa’s largest geisha districts. The district includes facilities where tourists can see the interior of a geisha house that was built almost 200 years ago, but I didn't go inside. There were a few old buildings that were refurbished into restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops. Although, I didn't see any geishas, I did see a shishimai (lion dance) performance. The troupe of the flutist, drummer, and shishimai dancer were going from one storefront to another, offering a performance to ward off evil spirits, bring good fortune, and pray for prosperity.

Kanazawa is also known for kinpaku (金箔) (not to be mistaken with kinbaku), extremely thin and brilliant gold leaf, producing over 99% of Japan's supply. The gold leaf is used for decorating temples like Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto and now widely in food, cosmetics, and costume jewelry. There were lots of souvenirs with a bit of gold leaf embedded. I didn't get a souvenir, but I did get some soft-serve ice cream with kinpaku flakes. The ice cream was rich and yummy!

I was pretty tired from walking around all day so I headed back to the hotel, checked in, and went to my room to freshen up before I went out to scrounge for something to eat for dinner. Man, was the tub in the bathroom tiny! So much for a relaxing soak. I ended up picking up a few things at a supermarket and eating in my room. Not glamorous, but I was pretty tired and didn't feel like eating out. I also bought some yogurt and bread for breakfast.

I was snuggled in bed and out like a light not soon after.

 Jan 23