Kanazawa 金沢市, Ishikawa Prefecture

Kanazawa (Japanese: 金沢市) is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan. The city faces the Sea of Japan to the west, with the Japan Alps behind it. It has a population of 460,000 as of January, 2010.

The name Kanazawa means "marsh of gold". The name comes from a local legend, where a peasant named Imohori Togoro (Togoro the Potato Digger) was digging potatoes when he chanced upon gold flakes.

At the centre of Kanazawa is a replica of the feudal-period Kanazawa Castle. The original burned down in 1888, with only some of its side buildings still standing.

For a few centuries until the late 16th century, Kanazawa - then known as Kaga - was ruled by the local peasant in the form of a republic. This came to an end in 1580, when a general named Sakuma Morimasa took over it. His rule was shortlived. Three years later, the powerful shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his guard Lord Maeda Toshiie invaded and captured the town.

The 16th to the 17th centuries Kanazawa was pretty much under the rule of the Maeda family. It was a prosperous time for the city, and the vast wealth was channelled into the arts and crafts. Gold-leaf work, lacquerware and calligraphy were refined during this period.

The Meiji Restoration disbanded the feudal system and all the trappings that went with it. Castles were victims of the Restoration, being symbols of the outmoded systems. Kanazawa Castle escaped the fate, for a brief period, as it was the base of the Ninth Division of the Imperial Army.

Kanazawa, Japan

Planning your trip to Kanazawa

Perhaps the most practical way to reach Kanazawa is by train. And you will be arriving at the futuristic Kanazawa Station.

From Tokyo Station, you have two options. Firstly, you can take the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari train, and then transfer at Maibara to the Shirasagi limited express to reach Kanazawa. The entire journey takes 4 ¼ hours and a regular ticket costs ¥15,000. You can use the Japan Rail Pass for the journey.

The other option is to take the Joestu Shinkansen train to Echigo-Yuzawa, and change to the Hakutaka to reach Kanazawa. This takes just 4 hours and costs ¥13,000. The league between Echigo-Yuzawa and Naoetsu is on a non-JR line. Holders of the Japan Rail Pass has to pay a ¥1450 surcharge each way. The Rail Pass covers your ride on the Shinkansen and the Hakutaka to Naoetsu, beyond that to Kanazawa is an additional ¥5,500.

Planning your travel within Kanazawa

The best way to get around in Kanazawa is to take the bus. There is a tourist bus that makes a loop connecting the major sights. A single trip costs ¥200. Daily passes are available for ¥500. You can also hire a bicycle at the JR Kanazawa station to ride around.

Gyokusenen Garden, Kanazawa

Places of Interest in Kanazawa

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