Thursday, 13 November 2025

Today was a day for just walking around Kanazawa. I wandered through the Nagamachi Samurai District, walked up to Kanazawa station to collect my next train tickets and have lunch and then came back via the Omicho Market, Kanazawa Castle Park and Kenroku-en.

I’m sure it’s just drainage but it felt like a moat.

First up the Takada Family House, which was really a stable and guards room but it had a nice garden.

The interiors weren’t all that interesting to look at but contained information panels.

Next up was the Nomura-ke Samurai Heritage Residence which was a beautiful residence but somewhat of a zoo due to the number of tourists. I guess this is on a tour itinerary as they came in waves and crowded into the house.

Nearby was the Kanazawa City Ashigaru Museum, which was just about deserted, an Edo period home & a garden of a samurai foot soldier. Simpler than the other residence but just as interesting.

There is a lot of running water. I don’t know if these were streams or they just created drains but it hasn’t rained and the water was flowing quite rapidly.

I walked past a couple of temples and one of them had a beautiful bell.

Finally got to Kanazawa Station. It is massive. In the history museum they had a photo of it when it was a small building facing onto a single line, not any more.

Out front there is a circular bus station and when they said get on bus 8 what they really meant was get on any bus that departs from gate 8. Downstairs lead in all directions and allowed you to pop up on the other side of the main road. There was also some exhibition down there.

While picking up my tickets I saw this on the queue for the ticket machines.

I don’t know what that meant, maybe a machine to divert the tourists and ensure there were machines where the queue moved? In any case there are two machines under that green sign in the middle of the photo where you can just pick up tickets. A much saner approach even if every damn railway has their own way of doing reservations and picking up tickets. JR West in this part of the country requires the credit card you used to purchase the ticket and a 4 digit code you provided in the process (so not your pin, unless you are a crazy person I guess).

Lots a food options at the station but I eventually found one with an interesting lunch set.

An eel rice bowl, with savory custard, pickles and miso soup.

Refueled it was off to Castle grounds via a quick pass through the market. Most of the fishmongers didn’t want you taking photos, no idea why.

I arrived at the Castle Park via the Kuromon Gate and did a bit of a loop around the park and out the Ishikawa Gate and across to Kenroku-en, one of Japan’s major gardens.

I’m not sure of the name of this gate but it had a small museum inside the gate and a viewing platform next to the museum.

Then it was through the Ishikawa Gate and across a bridge over a main road and into Kenroku-en. Even late in the day I was expecting a lot of tourists and they didn’t let me down. Lots of groups too lead around by a guide and lots of different European languages being spoken.

The Kotoji Toro (stone lantern) was very popular and there was a slow moving queue to take pictures, selfies, etc.

And it was interesting seeing a group of gardeners pruning the pines.

Sometimes when the red foliage has gone you’ve got to improvise.