Historic tea homes, throwing stars, retro cafes, and Kanazawa’s particular curry, all with none must e book a lodge.
In Half 1 of our article protecting his journey from downtown Tokyo to Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan aspect of Japan’s fundamental island of Honshu, our Japanese-language reporter Masanuki Sunakoma boarded the KB Liner in a single day bus at 11:15 p.m. The bus then whisked him to Kanazawa Station, arriving somewhat earlier than 7:30 within the morning and giving him loads of time to get a rental bike, hit up an area onsen sizzling spring bathtub, have a improbable sashimi bowl meal on the foodie-famous Omicho fish market, and stroll down the Hakuchoro pedestrian promenade whereas admiring the statues on show.
Not removed from the tip of Hakuchoro is the doorway to Kanazawa’s largest and most lovely attraction, Kenrokuen.
This backyard was initially a part of the personal property of the lords of the Maeda samurai clan which dominated the realm throughout Japan’s feudal interval. Since 1871, nevertheless, Kenrokuen has been open to the general public for a modest admission payment (320 yen [US$2.15] for adults), which is a discount for what’s broadly held to be one among Japan’s three most lovely gardens.
▼ The kotojitoro, a novel stone lantern that stands on two legs, is virtually an area movie star, with guests lining as much as take its photograph.
After leaving Kenrokuen, Masanuki determined to do some exploring, and he shortly stumbled throughout Bushoan, a memento store specializing in samurai and ninja-themed objects.
▼ Kenrokuen to Bushoan
Buying isn’t the one type of leisure Bushoan presents, although – additionally they have a shuriken throwing vary!
300 yen will get you 5 ninja stars to throw, or should you’re a quantity savings-minded shinobi you may go for ten throws for 500 yen.
After some temporary pointers from the employees (for greatest outcomes, maintain a degree of the shuriken between your thumb and index finger, then throw with a vertical/overhand movement), it was time for Masanuki to channel his internal shinobi.
These aren’t plasticky toys, both, however precise sharp, steel shuriken, which bury themselves into the goal backing with a satisfying influence.
For those who handle to hit one of many ninja, you win a prize of a snack pack and a 20-percent off coupon for the store’s merchandise, so that you’ll need to do your shuriken tossing earlier than you do your memento shopping for. The employees even minimize Masanuki a break by giving him the prize for almost-but-not-quite hitting the goal.
Together with Omicho Market and Kenrokuen, the Higashi Chaya historic district makes up Kanazawa’s large three journey sights.
Chaya actually means “tea store,” and a number of other streets within the neighborhood retain their conventional chaya exteriors. Genuinely, again within the feudal period “chaya” was typically a euphemism for institutions that made extra of their cash by way of offering alcoholic drinks or feminine companionship, however these days you really can get tea in Kanazawa’s former chaya, as lots of them now home cafes.
As beautiful as their atmospheres are, although, probably the most well-known chaya cafes are likely to have lengthy traces. So Masanuki was very completely happy when he turned down one of many neighborhood’s aspect streets and located Kingyoan, an apparently less-famous cafe the place he may get a seat immediately.
▼ Kingyoan inside
本日店内ゆったりとしています☕️
タイミング次第では、貸切状態でお楽しみいただけますので是非ご来店ください！ https://t.co/H6NkyI8ErX pic.twitter.com/lvFtz9PKxS— 大正浪漫喫茶 金魚庵＠ひがし茶屋街 (@cafe_kingyoan) October 8, 2024
本日も11時から開店いたします！
皆様のご来店お待ちしております。昨日は14時ごろから満席が続き、店内大変賑わいました。
夕方にご来店されると閉店までにご案内できない場合もありますので、確実にお席座りたい方はなるべく早くご来店ください🕰️営業時間/11時〜17時https://t.co/JsQUoTDK6p pic.twitter.com/dtbJxXGub2
— 大正浪漫喫茶 金魚庵＠ひがし茶屋街 (@cafe_kingyoan) October 13, 2024
▼ Bushoan to Kingyoan
Kingyoan is form of a double-dose of historic structure, since whereas its exterior seems to be like one thing from the samurai-era, the inside has a Taisho interval (1912-1926) vibe. That extends to the menu, so Masanuki ordered himself up a melon cream soda, which was a stunning shade of inexperienced and got here in a goldfish bowl-shaped goblet (the kingyo a part of Kingyoan means “goldfish,” in any case).
Although the frequent knowledge in Japan is {that a} lengthy line means an excellent restaurant, a shorter line doesn’t imply dangerous high quality, and Masanuki’s drink was scrumptious, making Kingyoan an ideal choice for someplace somewhat off the extra well-beaten vacationer path.
To stroll off a few of these ice cream energy, Masanuki subsequent strolled over to Utasu Shrine.
▼ Kingyoan to Utasu Shrine
To the untrained eye, this may appear like simply one other shrine, however along with his heightened powers of notion Masanuki was capable of spot…
…a ninja beneath the railing?!?
That’s not the one shock hiding at Utasu both, because the shrine additionally has an upside-down komainu (guardian canine) on its grounds.
As we talked about earlier, sashimi and sushi are Kanazawa’s most well-known meals, however there’s one other dish that locals love too, so Masanuki began strolling again in direction of Omicho Market to make it his subsequent meal. His route took him alongside the Asanogawa River, which was wanting slightly picturesque within the long-shadowed daylight of the late afternoon.
▼ Utasu Shrine to Omicho Market
Again on the market, it was time to attempt some Kanazawa curry!
Particularly, it was time to attempt the curry at Omicho Market’s Curry Champion, the restaurant which is alleged to have kicked off the Kanazawa curry increase within the Nineteen Fifties. Kanazawa curry has a thicker, stickier consistency than common Japanese curry, and it’s accompanied by shredded cabbage. If you order Kanazawa katsu curry, the pork cutlet is served on prime of the rice and roux, however is drizzled with tonkatsu sauce, which is analogous to a candy Worcester sauce. Oh, and true Kanazawa curry ought to all the time be served on a stainless-steel plate.
▼ It was wealthy, hearty, and immensely pleasing to Manasuki’s palate.
Because it’s good manners in Japan to deliver again souvenirs for mates and coworkers after taking a visit, Masanuki determined to pop by Kanazawa Station once more to take a look at what the close by outlets had on provide. Whereas there, he additionally acquired to see one of many quirkier native landmarks, Yutaro, the “Mailbox Boy” native mascot who was created in 1954 to commemorate the station’s completion.
▼ The unique Yutaro mailbox is exterior the station’s west entrance, however you may spot his likeness in different decorations and indicators round city too.
Following up on his Taisho-style cream soda break from earlier within the day, Masanuki felt himself being drawn in to this espresso store referred to as Charuda, which has a Showa-period (1926-1989) really feel to it.
▼ Kanazawa Station to Charuda
After which, as additional proof of simply how superior Omicho Market is for foodies, Masanuki went again yet one more time for some oden and beer to cap his whirlwind tour of the city he’d arrived in that morning.
▼ How Masanuki’s day in Kanazawa began…
▼ …and the way Masanuki’s day in Kanazawa ended.
With that, Masanuki nonetheless had time to make it again to Kanazawa Station by 9:45 p.m. and catch the other route of KB Liner in a single day bus he’d ridden right here from Tokyo, which might get him again to downtown Tokyo’s Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal at 6:15 the following morning for under about 4,500 yen, so sure, it actually is feasible to journey from Tokyo to Kanazawa, see the sights and eat the scrumptious meals, after which head again to the capital all with out utilizing a practice or reserving a lodge room.
Nonetheless, should you do need to spend the evening in Kanazawa, however nonetheless preserve your journey very budget-friendly, there’s a means to do this too…
…which you’ll learn all about in Masanuki’s report on the Kanazawa Capsule Resort Musashimachi, which is able to put you conveniently near Omicho Marketplace for breakfast the following morning.
Associated: KB Liner web site
Pictures ©SoraNews24
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