KANAZAWA TO SAKAIMINATO

Kanazawa has a population of 466,029. I came once just to try out the new Hokuriku Shinkansen in 2015. This line will be extended to Fukui next year, with an eventual connection to Shin Osaka in 2045.

We decided to skip the tours on this stop. In fact, we might never take any, for we know enough about Japan, that we can get around by ourselves.

But about Kanazawa:

It is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture.
The weather is said to be similar to Seattle. A little wet.
There has so far been no population decline.
Kanazawa means marsh of gold, for legend has it that a peasant was digging for potatoes when flakes of gold washed up. For that reason, dating back over 400 years, the city's artisans are famous for creating gold leaf crafts.

Sister cities include Buffalo and Ghent, Belgium.
Kanazawa University is a national university, tracing its beginnings to 1862.
Kanazawa Castle was reconstructed in 2001
Kenrokuen Garden is one of three gems of Japan.
Located next door to the garden is their 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, an architectural masterpiece.
The Nagamachi Samurai District showcases how they lived.

Visit the Omicho Market for seafood.
The Geisha tradition continues.
The Higashi Chaya Tea House district is a UNESCO-designated site.

Perhaps during our Japan Railway Pass series we can drop by this city.

Arrival in Kanazawa.

Lunch.

Dessert of chocolate lava cake. Delicious.

Went to have photos taken in formal wear, followed by dinner with Wakoko and Bob at Kai Sushi.

Changed back into less formal clothes and had a strawberry margarita to match the color of my shirt.

Then to Kai Sushi.

From the left, beer, awamori on ice, hot sake and strawberry margarita.

I had a kaisen-don. Forgot to take photos of the dozens of sushi we had.

After dinner, some karaoke singing, then went disco dancing

Ended the evening tasting three Macallans.

That pedometer showed I walked 9508 steps, but that was for two days.

We arrived in Sakaiminato.

Looking the other way,

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