Take the bullet train to 'Little Kyoto' and its marshes of gold

If you think a trip to Japan is all about the hyper-futurism of its megacities, head to Kanazawa for a more enlightening experience. Known as "Little Kyoto" for its preserved teahouse districts, Kanazawa was until relatively recently a difficult place to reach, the journey involving a long schlep on an ancient railway line whose engines trundled through the countryside at a snail's pace.

The arrival of the bullet train in March means the journey is now quick and easy from both Tokyo and Osaka, putting the city within reach of even the most casual traveller without much time on his hands, though, as there is much to experience, a longer stay in the city will be amply rewarding.

Since one of the nation's most impressive ornamental gardens is here, along with a massive medieval castle and a top-class modern art museum, Kanazawa holds plenty of picturesque appeal. A unique culinary culture, some bohemian backstreets and a shockingly grungy nightclub district are other reasons why this easily navigable city of Central Honshu should be on every traveller's wish list. Hot-spring towns and the rugged Noto Peninsula are within spitting distance too.

The name Kanazawa means "marsh of gold" and refers to the myth of a peasant who discovered gold flakes when washing his foraged potatoes at a local well, and the city has been an important site for gold-leaf handicrafts for the past 400 years, along with silk-dying and lacquerware. The "Little Kyoto" tag is partly a reference to geisha, since the historic teahouse districts that line the town's twin rivers are still frequented by geisha today; in fact, Kanazawa is the only place outside Kyoto where geisha are still trained traditionally.

The best chance of sighting geisha comes in the highly atmospheric Higashi Chaya, on the banks of the Asanogawa River in the northeast of the city; to meander through this characterful area of ancient wooden teahouses in the twilight of an evening is mightily evocative, especially with the river reflecting the hues of the setting sun. On the south side of the Ohashi Bridge, the Kazuemachi Chaya district is equally riveting, with a few of the old houses offering examples of locally produced fine art.

In contrast, the smaller Nishi Chaya, located near the Saigawa River at the city's southern edge, feels like a much more lived-in neighbourhood, despite the smattering of old tea houses that survive there. Yet, compared to the Disneyfied feel of Kyoto's Gion, where you are more likely to find tourists in geisha outfits than geisha themselves, Nishi Chaya comes up trumps on the authenticity front. It gives a sense that this city of 465,000 people has managed to adapt to changing times, rather than devolving to become a touristic theme park.

Smack-dab in the middle of town are the dual delights of Kanazawa Castle and its attendant gardens, Kenroku-en. The castle had its heyday in the mid-16th century, and although much of it was destroyed by fire in 1888, the buildings that remain and the Ishikawa Gate that frames its entryway are mightily impressive, giving a sense of how important Kanazawa was during an era when it was Japan's fourth largest city.

Over the road from Ishikawa, Kenroku-en, the "Six Aspects Garden", is rightly ranked one of the three Great Gardens of Japan. Most Japanese visitors to the city head straight here, and once inside, it's easy to understand why. Developed over a 200-year period by the Maeda clan, who once ruled from Kanazawa Castle, the sprawling garden's name denotes the six horticultural elements that make it so captivating, namely spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, waterways, and panoramic views. Home to more than 180 species of plant and some 8,750 trees, all of which are laid out with an incredible amount of devotion to detail, it also features the oldest water fountain in Japan that operates by natural pressure, as well as the Ganko-bashi or "Flying Geese Bridge", its red stones displayed to resemble a flock of the winged creatures in flight, and the Kotoji-toro, a two-legged stone lantern that is an iconic representation of the city. One could easily spend the better part of a day here, such is the scope of the place.

A short stroll away from Kenroku-en, and you reach another realm entirely, with Kanazawa's version of the Tate Modern, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Housed in a tastefully constructed circular glass building with an appropriately futuristic sheen, the Museum's permanent collection dates from 1980 onwards, Leandro Erlich's The Swimming Pool and Anish Kapoor's L'Origine du Monde being among the most noteworthy pieces.

Being a culture vulture leads to a hungry belly, so it's time to search out Kanazawa's creative cuisine. A visit to the bustling Omicho Ichiba market at the lunch hour reminds how close we are to the Sea of Japan, with an array of ultra-fresh fish and seafood on offer. After sampling sea urchins, oysters, and what I later learned was eel's liver, I feasted on clam soup along with conch and prawn sashimi at one of the many small eateries that fringe the space. All over the city, dinner was equally delightful: at a series of small, informal restaurants, I ate exquisite Kaga-ryori dishes such as hamachi kama (broiled yellowtail collar), sazae no tsuboyaki (giant turban shell, grilled at the table), steamed kurodai (the regional sea bream), and the wholesome yet otherwise unknown vegetables that make up the local Kaga-yasai delicacies, such as hyacinth beans, shungiku leaves and taro stems.

After dinner I made regular pilgrimages to Katamachi, a convoluted warren of nightlife backstreets squeezed between the city's main shopping district of Korinbo and the northern bank of the Saigawa. There are dozens of dicey booze spots here, some of which are crammed into anonymous-looking tower blocks, and each has a particular bent, from the Stratocaster excesses of the Sturgis Rock Bar to the Caribbean theme of Natty One. Just beware of places offering dubious floorshows, and avoid the "hostess" clubs at all cost.

Though sake and whiskey are the city's most popular tipples (head to Itaru Honten for the former, Machrihanish for the latter), beer hounds also have a niche in this city since Korinbo Jibiruba offers at least eight craft ales on tap, several of which are brewed locally; friendly staff make drinking a pleasure here, and there's nary a tattoo or hipster beard in sight.

With cherry blossoms in spring, illuminated paper lanterns and fireworks on the river in summer, stunning foliage displays in autumn, and an acrobatic new year's parade in winter, you can come to Kanazawa at any time of the year and be assured of experiencing something special. And with the bullet train's ability to whisk you there in a flash, there's now more reason to do so than ever.


How to get there: Direct bullet trains from Tokyo and Osaka each take two and a half hours.

Where to stay: Avoid business hotels near the train station and find a traditional ryokan in Higashi Chaya; alternately, a few hotels near the castle have on-site hot spring baths.

What to eat: Sea of Japan delicacies are unmissable here, and Kaga-yasai vegetables make fine accompaniments.

Don't miss: Aside from Kenroku-en, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and the geisha districts, the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum for Traditional Products and Crafts has fine examples of local craftwork, while vinyl heads will savour a visit to the Kanazawa Phonograph Museum.

Nearby diversions: Yuwaku hot springs is 40 minutes by bus; rent a car to explore the scenic Noto peninsula.

While you're there: Visit the Shima Geisha House in Higashiyama, the design of which hasn't changed since its opening in 1820

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer

Team

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go