Page 146 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2025 THAILAND

with everything a local farming family For an immersion into traditions from
would need to eat, use to build and repair hundreds of years ago and immortalized in
the homes and barns, or treat maladies modern movies, we strolled through the
with local medicines. Before boarding our famed Nagamachi District in Kanazawa,
bus for the trip to Kanazawa, we hiked for the historic home to Samurai. The district
some 20 minutes up a curving road at Shi- has a calming, historic feeling, with pre-
royama, to a hilltop with views of the val- served Samurai mansions along narrow
ley and village below that gave us pause lanes, with private entrance gates, earthen
to imagine life in that era, including having walls, narrow lanes between the streets,
to repair the roofs regularly, which was un- and water canals. We tiptoed in stocking
derway on several homes as we left. feet through Nomura-ke Samurai House,
one of the area’s most elegant remaining
Kanazawa samurai villas and former home to a high-
ranking Samurai family.
On the Sea of Japan, Kanazawa is the
center of the Hokuriku Region’s economy, Fun with Kimonos
commerce, and culture. We stayed at the
modern Hyatt Centric, The next stop was
a fine property with the Higashi Chaya
excellent service, cen- District, the largest
trally located by and most famous of
Kanazawa Station. Kanazawa's preserved
Because we would be Geisha districts. For
traveling by train to total immersion and a
Kyoto two days later, lot of laughs, we vis-
our guide arranged ited a Kimono shop,
for our large bags to where we were
be shipped to our ho- dressed correctly, in-
tel in Kyoto for the cluding in wooden
next day’s arrival. We shoes. This made our
each had small short stroll through
overnight bags or the charming streets
small, lightweight a bit comical (we
spinner-wheel suit- looked stylish but
cases, with personal hobbled along, won-
items for two days. dering how much
This is typical in longer until we could
Japan and alleviates rest and change). We
the hassle of taking took a break for tea
bigger suitcases and enjoyed the tradi-
through the stations tional service by a
and onto the trains, where baggage space Geisha, including music.
is limited. This is a standard practice, han- Back in our western garb and comfort-
dled mainly by hotel concierges. able shoes, we visited Kenrokuen Garden,

146 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025