DAY 8 (3/6): PEACEFUL STROLL ALONG ASUNO RIVER, Kazuemachi District (主計町茶屋街), Kanazawa (金沢), Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県), Japan, 2018.06.01

After SANAA’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, it was about time for us to go back in time again to Edo Japan.  In Kanazawa, there are three well preserved geisha tea house districts that draw visitors from close and afar.  Out of the three, Kazuemachi District (主計町茶屋街) is the smallest one and receives far less tourists than its more prominent sister Higashi Chaya.  Although small in size, sleepy Kazuemachi along the peaceful Asuno River (浅野川) is a very pleasant place to wander around after lunch.  Only a handful of tourists would come to check out the elegant timber houses and take in the relaxing air of this geisha distinct, despite Kazuemachi is conveniently located between Omicho Market and Higashi Chaya.  After having a delicious sushi lunch at Kourin Sushi, we walked over to Kazuemachi on our way to Higashi Chaya District.

Topping the restaurant recommendations on Tripadvisor.com, the small restaurant Kourin Sushi (香りん寿司) is highly popular with foreign visitors.  We made our reservations days in advance via email, otherwise, our chance of getting a table would be slim.

Kourin Sushi (香りん寿司) is slightly bigger than Sushi Ippei.  It was another wonderful sushi meal in a reasonable price.

Kazuemachi is pleasantly located along the waterfront of Asuno River (浅野川).

Approaching from the west, the elegant Nakanohashi Bridge (中の橋) signified our arrival at the Kazuemachi District (主計町茶屋街).

Near Nakanohashi Bridge, a small park named Ryokusui-en ( 主計町緑水苑) also marks the beginning of Kazuemachi.  Inside the park, a bit of the former castle moat has been preserved.

Kazuemachi was peaceful and sleepy in early afternoon.  We walked on the riverside path for a bit.

The air was relaxing and we hardly saw any people, except occasional locals passing by, including a few high school kids riding on their bikes.

The back lane of Kazuemachi away from the river was even more peaceful.

Posters on the walls of the timber houses reminded us the sense of traditional Japan at Kazuemachi.

We passed by the administration building of Kazuemachi District in the back lanes.

At the end of the lane a small stepped path named 暗がり坂, or the Slope of Darkness brought us to a small shrine on the hill.

A small Inari Shrine (久保市稲荷社) awaited us at the top of the stepped path.

Returned down to the Kazuemachi District, we saw a poster of the Hyakumangoku Matsuri (百万石まつり), the three-day festival that commemorates entry of the Lord Maeda Toshiie into Kanazawa in 1583.  We were lucky to have the chance to check out the pretext of the festival known as Kaga Yuzen Toro Nagashi when floating lanterns are placed into the Asuno River later that night.

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CHUBU (中部地方) 2018, Japan, 2018.05.25 – 06.03
Introduction

Day 1: Tokyo (東京)
1.1 TSUKIJI OUTER MARKET (築地場外市場)
1.2 TSUKIJI INNER MARKET (築地中央卸売市場)
1.3 MORI ART MUSEUM (森美術館), 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT & CAFE KITSUNE

Day 2: Matsumoto (松本)& Kamikochi (上高地)
2.1 MATSUMOTO CASTLE (松本城), Matsumoto (松本)
2.2 “ALL ABOUT MY LOVE”, Yayoi Kusama’s Exhibition at Matsumoto City Museum of Art (松本市美術館), Matsumoto (松本)
2.3 MATSUMOTO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (まつもと市民芸術館), Matsumoto (松本)
2.4 FROM MATSUMOTO (松本) TO KAMIKOCHI (上高地)
2.5 ARRIVAL IN KAMIKOCHI (上高地), Chūbu-Sangaku National Park (中部山岳国立公園)

Day 3: Kamikochi (上高地)
3.1 MORNING WALK IN KAMIKOCHI (上高地), Nagano Prefecture (長野県)
3.2 DAKESAWA HIKE (岳沢), Kamikochi (上高地)

Day 4: Kamikochi (上高地) & Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)
4.1 TAISHO POND (大正池), Kamikochi (上高地)
4.2 RETREAT IN THE JAPANESE ALPS, Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)
4.3 MOMENTS OF ESCAPE, Tsuruya Ryokan (つるや旅館), Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)

Day 5: Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.1 CITY IN THE MOUNTAINS, Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.2 HIDA BEEF (飛騨牛), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.3 SAKE (日本酒) BREWERIES, Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.4 YOSHIJIMA HOUSE (吉島家住宅), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.5 HIGASHIYAMA WALKING COURSE (東山遊歩道), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)

Day 6: Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山), Shirakawa-go (白川郷) & Ainokura (相倉)
6.1 MIYAGAWA MORNING MARKET (宮川朝市), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山), Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県)
6.2 OGIMACHI IN THE RAIN, Shirakawa-go (白川郷), Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県)
6.3 SOBA, TEMPLE & LOOKOUT, Shirakawa-go (白川郷)
6.4 RAINY AFTERNOON IN AINOKURA (相倉), Gokayama (五箇山)
6.5 GASSHO MINSHUKU, FLOWER BEDS & RICE PADDY FIELDS, Ainokura (相倉), Gokayama (五箇山)
6.6 CROAKING FROGS AND MOONLIGHT REFLECTIONS, Gokayama (五箇山)

Day 7: Kanazawa (金沢)
7.1 DEPARTURE IN THE RAIN, Ainokura (相倉) to Kanazawa (金沢)
7.2 A SEAFOOD PARADISE – OMICHO MARKET (近江町市場)
7.3 D T Suzuki Museum (鈴木大拙館)
7.4 Kenroku-en Garden (兼六園)
7.5 Oyama Shrine (尾山神社) and Nagamachi Samurai District (長町)
7.6 Nomura Samurai House (武家屋敷跡 野村家), Nagamachi Samurai District (長町)
7.7 Sushi Ippei (一平鮨), Katamachi (片町)

Day 8: Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture (金沢, 石川県)
8.1 Iki Iki Tei (いきいき亭) and Higashide Coffee (東出珈琲店), Omicho Market (近江町市場)
8.2 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (21世紀美術館)
8.3 Kazuemachi District (主計町茶屋街)
8.4 Higashi Chaya District (東山ひがし茶屋街)
8.5 Kaga Yuzen Toro Nagashi (加賀友禅燈ろう流し), Asano River (浅野川)
8.6 AFTERMATH OF KAGA YUZEN TORO NAGASHI (加賀友禅燈ろう流し)

Day 9 & 10: Tokyo (東京)
9.1 Marunouchi (丸の内) & Nihonbashi (日本橋)
10.1 OEDO ANTIQUE MARKET (大江戸骨董市), Tokyo Forum (東京国際フォーラム)
10.2 FARMER’S MARKET, United Nations University (東京国連大学), Aoyama (青山)