Secret City

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Geo: 36.56, 136.64 - Kanazawa

Our new best friend the taxi driver in Hiroshima told us that Kanazawa was a smaller version of Kyoto. He was certainly acurate about that when it comes to first impressions.The railway station was in a way a smaller version of Kyoto station in that the roof is a massive globe shaped steel framed structure. The Kanazawa version doesn't have quite the same impact but the similarities don't go unnoticed.

This city appears on the surface to be like any medium sized city in this country. Innovative and modern, obsessed by food and consumerism as a distraction from everyday life. On a daily basis we are left gobsmacked by some amazing gadget or idea that we have never seen before.

Today we hit a sushi place for lunch. To our delight it was a train type set up which although being a great idea is clearly well known all over the world. But this place was full of other great ideas. We ordered from an electronic board (also not that uncommon) but the fun part was how your order was delivered. It arrived via a mini shinksen that pulled up at your table and then returned to the kitchen after you unloaded your order. How good is that! We could make our own green tea at the table via pumped boiling water taps at each table. Even better was when it was time to pay our bill and the waitress used a scanner to count our plates. One flick and it was done, bill calculated and we were on our way!

The only concern that comes to mind is how far away is this from totally automated service delivery. Perhaps some time sooner than we think the food and beverage attendant will become obsolete. There are already small robots in some hotels, restaurants and department stores but at this stage they are just for the cuteness factor and to provide information.

I am also still in awe of the range and variety on offer when it comes to shopping. I am continually amazed by the opulent and inviting displays that beckon you to inspect the wares within. Its almost impossible to walk through a department store and not stop to look. Even the most jaded shopper would no doubt eventually become hooked on retail therapy if they lived here for long enough. I'm starting to think that this obsession is perhaps a means to compensate and enhance a life a little short on some of the things Australians take for granted as having in and around our cities. Like open spaces for instance and the abundant natural beauty, birdlife and wildlife that we all love so much that is not so easy to come by here.

So here we are in an average city in some ways perhaps but If you go searching you will find that things are a little different. Kanazawa is like a poker player keeping her hand close to her chest. With the possible exception of the castle which looms white and large for some distance its easy to miss something special in this place even though it may be only metres away. The spectaclar Kenroku-en gardens for example are not visible from the busy main road. You disembark the bus and are drawn to the entrance not by its grandeur but by the visitors mingling nearby. Once inside the beauty is awe inspiring and ambience is one of peace and serenity.

The Omicho seafood market which has been compared to Tsukiji in Tokyo is to be found down a side steet off a main road filled with shiny department stores. Not where you would expect to find a fish market. With virtually no signage one wrong turn could mean it is missed altogether. We were impressed by the abundance of large snow crabs for sale here among other things. We visited late in the day but could imagine the chaos early in the morning.

Kanazawa is known for it Samurai history. The powerful Maeda samurai clan ruled here for about three hundred years until the late 1800s. This history is certainly not evident on the surface but if you specifically go looking there is alot to see and you can immerse yourself in the history and the culture of those times. The Nagamachi district is well hidden in a fairly non descript area of the inner suburbs. You know you have finally found it when you see the ancient earthen walls and the canals that supplied the enclave with water. It appears the water was chanelled in to their homes to irrigate their beautiful miniature gardens and ponds well hidden behind those same impenatrable walls. The next thing you see are the quaint old wooden buildings with their tiled features iconic to Japanese architecture.

You can stroll the steets here for a couple of kilometres and enter many buildings that display as they were historically. Some buildings are visible simply as samurai homes and some are museums displaying swords and armour used in battle. These people were the middle and upper classes so their homes were some of the best of their time. As well as keeping pictureseque gardens they also indulged in tea ceremonies, caligraphy and flower arranging. The appearance of their former homes reflects their penchant for the finer things.

It appears this part of the city remains a fairly affluent district. It could quite easily be compared to any of the old towns you find in many European cities. In fact some of the areas just adjacent to the original walled enclave have an exceptionally European feel and I wouldn't be at all suprised to learn that it is popular with European ex pats.

After only a few days in Kanazawa I feel I have seen alot. We may well have discovered a mere fraction of this city's well kept secrets. From my point of view however what we have uncovered has been well worth the effort.

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Comments

[Jenny]

Wow want one

[andjulbed]

Would look great in your front yard!