Latest News
Thursday, 7th May 2015
In Japan Travel News,
The magic of Kanazawi is now accessible by train
Kanazawa is a provincial city in Japan the locals resort to in order to get away from it all. To get in touch with their authentic selves. The magical city where zen traditions seamlessly flow into modern art and where fish restaurants are nevertheless still affordable, is now being serviced by the fabled shinkansen bullet train; the world’s fastest train.
A one way journey from Tokyo to “Little Kyoto” as the locals name Kanazawa, takes only 2.5 hours, decidedly less time than the 5 hours the trip took before the shinkansen train included the city in its itinerary.
Tucked in between mountains, beaches and with the Noto peninsula countryside 30 minutes away, the town has something on offer in every season.
Life is not as fast-paced as for instance in Tokyo, but that is not to say that Kanazawa, which has seen a dramatic increase in visitors in recent months, has less on offer. For starters, the city boasts one of the top three official Great Gardens of Japan. Called Kenrokuen, the garden was originally created as early as the 17th century and counts around 9.000 trees, many of which are cropped in the yukizuri style.
There is also a 16th-century castle and a ninja temple called Myoryuji, complete with false floors, hidden doors and a dedicated hari-kiri room. Art lovers can indulge without restraint in the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
Food wise, Kanazawa is a paradise of sorts too. Some people even believe it is in this town that you will find the best sushi restaurants in the country, which says enough.
The city’s geisha and samurai districts are relatively traditional, which contributes to the authentic Japanese atmosphere that makes the locals flock to this town in their droves.
You could argue that the first time visitor to Japan’s primary choices are Tokyo and Kyoto, but that Kanazawa has now joined the ranks of the cities that would be second-tier destinations such as Osaka, Sapporo, Nara, Okinawa and Himeji.