Thanks to the expansion of the shinkansen, Kanazawa (金沢) is a quick ride from Tokyo. The capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture retains much of its charm due to being spared from the air raids of WWII. Boasting several historic districts and one of the top-ranked gardens of Japan, the land original held by the Maeda Family in the Edo period has much to offer.

The name Kanazawa, which literally means marsh of gold, is said to be originated from a legend that the peasant Imohori Togoro washed gold dust in a local marsh. It is also said that the name is originated from the fact that the present Kenrokuen Garden area was called Kanazawago and Kanazawanosho in ancient times.

1. Be greeted by one of the best train stations

Which way is sacred? The trip you’re about to go on, or the adventure you are entering out in town? Torii Gates normally mark the separation between the divine and the mundane but at Kanazawa Station it has been incorporated into the aesthetics.

The legs of the Torii gate-like structure are shaped to resemble tsuzumi, a type of drum used in Noh theater. The name comes from this characteristic, “Tsuzumi-mon” or “Tsuzumi Gate”. Make sure to look at it from the outside back in.

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Historic Geisha Districts

Let’s just jump straight into the Chaya (茶屋) or what English speaking people call Geisha districts. Chaya, which literally translates as “tea house”, and Kanazawa has three!

To top that off, two of Kanazawa’s historical rows of teahouses along with Kyoto’s Gion have been designated as Japan’s cultural assets.

The chaya buildings are distinguished by the beautiful wood latticework called 木虫籠 (きむずこ, kimuzuko) or sometimes 紅殻格子 which is literally red latticework. For every 1.8 meters, there are 70 vertical lattices. They are given a reddish hue from the type of wood they are and upon closer inspection, they are actually trapezoidal with the long side on the outside.

This not only adds to the aesthetic but is brilliant at protecting the privacy of those inside while still allowing them to see out. Watch out for them while you are walking around.

2. Higashi Chaya District (東茶屋街)

Higashi Chaya (東茶屋, literally the “east tea shops”), is one of the designated national cultural assets. Of the three in Kanazawa, this is the largest and has all these cute little back alleys near it.

You can sometimes see geisha or Maiko (geisha apprentices) walking these streets on their way to work.

The “real deal” Chaya you need a special invitation to but you can go to a restored chaya house where visitors can explore, Shima. A great sneak peek at the real deal!

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3. Kazue-Machi District (主計町街)

Kazue-machi (主計町), named for Todakazue, a samurai family of the Kaga region. (Machi means town). Located along the Asanogawa river it is less touristy and more “private” than the other geisha areas of Kanazawa, don’t take that as you shouldn’t see it though! It’s gorgeous.

Kanazawa’s second national cultural asset chaya district, spared from WWII, has a lot of the streets retaining their ancient charms. This is some of feudal Japan at it’s best.

The “street” view along the water of Kazue-machi. This pathway is quite wide for Japan and I’d imagine it was that way due to the waterway usage back in the day.

4. Nishi Chaya District (西茶屋街)

Much smaller, this is literally the “West” Tea District. It’s on the complete opposite side of town from the other two geisha districts. However, it is a good place to stop along with when you go to the Samurai District, Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District (長町武家屋敷) and see the Nomura Samurai House.

5. Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District (長町武家屋敷)

Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District (長町武家屋敷) is full of streets lined with mud packed walls and located just to the west of the castle. Naga machi just is the name of this part of town as best I can tell. Though “naga” can mean long, I didn’t see anything that would distinctly make it called that but the streets are pretty long and narrow!

The second half of the name is “samurai residence” and two of the chief retainers of the Maeda clan (back to Kanazawa castle) lived in this area.

The area is distinctive in winter with the straw lining on the walls. The name for this? “Komo” (薦) and they protect the walls from the massive amounts of snow that Kanazawa gets.

6. Nomura Samurai House

While you are checking out the samurai town of Nagamachi (長町), why not see what one actually was like? This is where the wealthy samurai and their families lived!

You’ll feel like you’ve been wisped back to Edo-period Japan! Walk past the gate into the Nomura Samurai House (武家屋敷跡 野村家) to see exactly the splendor they lived in.

While inside, you can experience one of the best private gardens in Japan! Also, make sure to have matcha tea in a tea ceremony room!

7. Kenrokuen (兼六園)

I use to not be a big garden person. You see gardens like this and you change your mind!

Kenrokuen (兼六園) is one of the three most famous gardens in Japan. The other two are Korakeun in Okayama and Kairakuen in Mit.

The kanji mean “concurrent” and “six” and “garden or park”. Again, Japan and the literal names! This comes from the Chinese that there were six features that make an ideal garden.

• spaciousness
• seclusion
• artifice
• antiquity
• water
• panoramas

This park DEFINITELY hits all the widgets. It’s massive. Expect to spend a fair amount of time here.

8. Kanazawa Castle

The honmaru, 本丸 or main bailey, of Kanazawa castle doesn’t have any structures on it anymore. But it does have this lovely view through to the mountains!

Like most of Japan’s wooden build castles, they burned down a lot over the years. The most recent being 1881 with the only surviving original structures of two storehouses and the Ishikawa-mon Gate. The gate dates from 1788!

The main feature, however surprisingly as you should know my feeling on most rebuilds by now, is a rebuilt section of the two turrets with a long storehouse that would have made up part of the castle walls.

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Rebuilt using all traditional methods, it’s a feat of architecture that needs to be seen! Oh, and don’t forget, this is one of the 100 finest castles so bring your stamp book!

9. Try a Kaiseki Dinner

If you are going to have Kaiseki (懐石) or kaiseki-ryōri (懐石料理), a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner, Kanazawa is a great place to do so! I highly recommend Kotobuyika. (Not sponsored, I just really enjoyed it!)

The building is some 150+ years old, it is a designated a city of Kanazawa cultural property. Originally it was a kimono shop. At the turn of the 20th century, it was turned into a restaurant.

10. Visit Oriental Brewing: Craft Beer in Kanazawa

One of my favorite things to do in a new town is to try the local craft beer! Oriental Brewing has three pubs located around town (Higashiyama, Kohrinbo and Kanazawa station), you’ll definitely be able to try out a few!

Getting Around Kanazawa

The best option for tourists is to use the loop bus. One of my favorite Japanese inventions, most cities have one.

For information and a free map, there is a Tourist Information Center inside Kanazawa Station or at the Transportation Information Center by the bus stops on the East gate side.

For a 200 yen flat rate you can take the right or left route that will take you to all of the major attractions. The buses depart from bus stop #7 (head out the east exit of the station) every 15 minutes from 8:30 am to 6 pm.

Getting to Kanazawa

Train travel almost always wins when traveling in Japan! Heading from Tokyo? The Hokuriku shinkansen is a direct shot, making the trip super convenient. Don’t forget about some possible stopover locations on your way though like Matsumoto and Takazawa.

Hitting the western circuit? The JR Thunderbird limited express line will get you from Kyoto. It’s also one of my favorite liner trains!

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Located to the west of Kanazawa Castle, one of the 100 finest in Japan, resides the wonderfully well-preserved area of Nagamachi (長町). In the castle‘ day, this is where the wealthy samurai and their families lived. You’ll definitely feel like you’ve been wisped back in time walking these small winding roads. Then walk past the gate into the Nomura Samurai House (武家屋敷跡 野村家) to see exactly the splendor they lived.

Who were the Nomura’s?

Originally, Kanazawa belonged to the Kaga domain, it’s founder Maeda Toshiie and his successors are responsible for turning the town into one of the largest castle towns in feudal Japan. To this day, it’s quite a large city, but generally unknown on the “Japan Circuit” most tourists follow.

The founder of the house was Nomura Denbei Nobusada who was already a retainer for Maeda when he moved to Kanazawa. They were bestowed 1,000 koku of rice by the Kaga Clan and served the Maeda family until the end of the Edo period in 1868.

What’s a 石, koku? Literally, it’s a unit of measurement of about 180 liters. However, it can be used to understand how wealthy someone was as that is how they were paid back in the day.

Just like very few castles survived, not many samurai houses made it into the Meiji Era that followed. The Nomura Samurai House in Nagamachi was luckily only sold but began to fall into ruin. Eventually, it was restored (though the tea room is a new addition) and is now owned by the city.

Quick Japanese Lesson

Japanese facinates me so I like to break down the parts. You can learn a lot about history by looking at just the words to describe things.

Did you know there are kind of two words for Samurai? 侍, さむらい, samurai is directly the military retainers of daimyos in the Edo period. However, there is also 武家, ぶけ, buke. Which directly can mean “warrior family” but also can mean “samurai”.

Historically, buke refers to the upper, privileged class such as samurai. It’s a gender-neutral term. Did you know samurai only applies to men? Don’t worry, there were female warriors as well! 女武芸者, おんなぶげいしゃ, onna bugeisha, literally “female master of martial arts”, fought along side the samurai.

The Japanese name for Nomura Samurai House is 武家屋敷跡 野村家. The first part 武家屋敷, ぶけやしき, bukeyashiki, being “samurai residence”. 跡, あと, ato, means “site” or “remains”. 野村家, のむらけ, nomura–ke is “Nomura family”.

Inside the Nomura Samurai House

The rooms are set up simplistically, as you would have found them. There are artifacts from the samurai days including a suit of armor.

Architecturally, the ceilings are made with a special type of cypress wood. Above the doors are intricately carved 欄間, ranma, which honestly, just means “transom”. This is the space above sliding doors you will find in Japanese homes which allowed for airflow when the doors are closed. Good for cutting down on mildew and mold with so many natural features.

The sliding doors have a name as well, 襖, fusuma. They can be beautifully painted or plain. The vertical, rectangular panels can be slide from side to side and though generally, you would think of them as doors, they are also used often to change the shape or size of a room. They are the same size as a 畳, tatami, the traditional straw mats of Japanese homes.

High Ranking Garden

The Jul/Aug 2003 Issue of Sukiya Living Magazine Journal of Japanese Gardens ranked all house gardens in Japan (because we have to distinguish these things) and the Nomura Samurai House garden is ranked number 3. Further, in March of 2009, the Michelin Green Guide Japon awarded the garden two-stars.

One of the trees is said to be over 400 years old and there are cute koi swimming around in the pond. If you look closely, you’ll notice that there is more than one level to the garden itself. The stone lanterns add to the aesthetic.

Have Japanese tea in the tea house

Make sure you make your way to the stone stairway in the back of the property. After the Nomura’s had to sell their property, the house had begun to fall into disrepair until it was purchased by a man named Kubo Hikobei in the early 20th century. A few features were added by him, including this upstairs tea room.

Treat yourself to a simplistic tea ceremony and enjoy some green tea as you gaze out on the loveliness of the gardens from above.

How to get to Nomura Samurai House

Nomura Samurai House is easily accessible by the Kanazawa Loop Bus. If it is a nice day, it’s also not that bad of a walk from Kanazawa Station or the nearby Kanazawa Castle, which if you are into castles and working on completing the stamp rally, maybe why you are here in the first place! My preference is walking when I can as you get a good feel for the place you are in.

The Kanazawa Loop Bus leaves from the East Exit of the station, get off at the Korinbo bus stop. All trips on the loop bus are a flat rate of 200 yen. It is a 5 minute walk to the Nomura Samurai House through Nagamachi.

More to Do Near by

There is so much to do in Kanazawa! Definitely check out the three tea districts of the town that will transport you back into the Edo period. They are some of the best–preserved in Japan. Of course, don’t miss Kanazawa Castle.

There is a small beer scene in Kanazawa so if that’s your thing, you’ll definitely be able to find something. Lastly, I highly suggest getting a reservation for a kaiseki (会席) dinner. Kotobukiya is a great option.

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