Kanazawa (金沢市, Kanazawa-shi) - The capital
city of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan.
Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan
Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National
Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its
total area is 467.77 km².
Kanazawa's weather is temperate though rainy. Average
temperatures are similar to those of Tokyo though slightly
cooler. Mean temperatures are approximately 4°C in January,
15°C in April, 25°C in July and August, 15°C in October, and
5°C in December. The minimum temperature on record was
-2.3°C (2002), with a maximum of 37.5°C (2002). The city is
relatively wet, with an average humidity of 73% and 178
rainy days in an average year. Precipitation is highest in
the autumn and winter; it averages more than 250 mm / month
November through January.
As of November 2006, the city has an estimated population of
455,351 and a density of 973.45 persons per km².
Hyakumangoku Matsuri and Asano-gawa Enyukai are the major
festivals held in Kanazawa.
Kanazawa-Haku is gold which is beaten into a paper-like
sheet. Gold leaf plays a prominent part in the city's
cultural crafts, to the extent that there is a gold leaf
museum (Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum). It is found
throughout Kanazawa and Ishikawa, and Kanazawa produces 99%
of Japan's high-quality gold leaf: the gold leaf that covers
the famous Golden Pavilion in Kyoto was produced in
Kanazawa. Gold leaf is even put into food! The city is
famous for tea with gold flakes, which is considered by the
Japanese people to be good for health and vitality. Kanazawa
lacquerware (Kanazawa shikki), a high-quality lacquerware
traditionally decorated with gold dust, is also well-known.
Kanazawa was one of the few major Japanese cities to be
spared USAAF fire bombing during World War II. As a result,
Kanazawa's considerable architectural heritage has been
preserved.
Kenrokuen Garden is by far the most famous part of Kanazawa.
Originally built as the outer garden of Kanazawa castle, it
was opened to the public in 1875. It is considered one of
the "three most beautiful gardens in Japan" and is filled
with a variety of trees, ponds, waterfalls and flowers
stretching over 25 acres (100,000 m²). In winter, the park
is notable for its yukitsuri — ropes attached in a conical
array to trees to support the branches under the weight of
the heavy wet snow, thereby protecting the trees from
damage.
Outside Kenrokuen is Ishikawa-mon, the back gate (karamate-mon)
to Kanazawa Castle. The original castle was largely
destroyed by fire in 1888 but part of it has been partially
restored as of 2001, with more to come. There are currently
plans to re-create much of the original castle grounds,
including some surrounding areas.
The Seisonkaku Villa was built in 1863 by a Maeda lord、Maeda
Nariyasu (13th Lord) for his mother, Takako. Originally
called the Tatsumi Goten (Tatsumi Palace), it Much of the
villa has been dismantled, but what remains is still one of
the most elegant remaining feudal lord villas in Japan. The
villa stands in a corner of Kenrokuen, but separate
admission fees (¥700) apply. Notable features are the
vividly-coloured walls of the upper floor, with purple or
red walls and dark-blue ceilings (red walls, 'benigara', are
a Kanazawa tradition), and the custom-made English carpet in
the audience chamber.
Kanazawa also boasts numerous Edo period (1603-1867) former
geisha houses in the Higashi Geisha District, across the
Asano river (with its old stone bridge) out from central
Kanazawa. Nearby is the Yougetsu Minshuku which sits at one
end of one of the most photographed streets in Japan. This
area retains, almost completely, the look and feel of
pre-modern Japan, its two-story wooden facades plain and
austere. The effect is accentuated by the early morning
mist. Late at night, the street is lit by recreated
Taisho-period streetlamps.
The Oyama-jinja shrine , which is considered an Important
Cultural Asset, is also in Kanazawa. It is noted for its
imposing three-story "Shinmon" gate influenced by Dutch
design, built in 1875, with its brightly-coloured
stained-glass windows.
Kanazawa's Myoryuji Temple or ninja dera (ninja temple) is a
fascinating amalgamation of traditional temple architecture,
hidden doors, passageways, and hidden escape routes.
Although the temple is often referred to as ninja dera, it
is in fact not connected with ninjas at all (this does not
stop local tour operators and shops from selling ninja
trinkets). Local legend has it that the temple, with its
hidden doors and passageways, was intended as a secret
refuge for the local rulers in the case of an external
threat.
Kanazawa is well-known throughout Japan for its traditional
cooking, which is called Kaga Cuisine. The seafood is a
speciality, the jumbo shrimp in particular. Sushi and
sashimi are also excellent. The Japanese sake produced in
this region is of high quality, smooth and sweet. The
quality of the local sake derives from the excellence of the
rice grown in Ishikawa Prefecture as well as the
considerable precipitation of the Hokuriku region, allowing
for an ample supply of clean, fresh water. Omicho market is
an open-air market in the middle of the city which dates
back to the Edo period. Most of the shops there sell
seafood. The market is a favorite place to purchase the best
that Kanazawa has to offer.
Information source: “Kanazawa, Ishikawa.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 22 Feb. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 4 Mar. 2008 <Kanazawa, Ishikawa>. |
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