Introduction
 |
 |
Hello and welcome to the Kanazawa Newsletter website. Each newsletter presents the city's main tourist attractions, accommodation, restaurants and activities not to be missed. It allows you to explore Kanazawa according to a selection of themes, through a full day or half-day tour, to appreciate the charm of the town and enjoy it to the full!
Unaffected by recent natural disasters or the WWII air raids, Kanazawa possesses a number of remarkable sites and historical districts that bear witness to the culture of the Samurai and of the flourishing activity of a city which, in feudal times, rivalled the Capital.
Proud of its long history as an arts and crafts center, Kanazawa is today a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities network, as a City of Crafts and Folk Art. Its exceptional heritage comprises: 22 traditional arts including Kanazawa gilded work, Kutani porcelain, Kaga Yuzen dyeing, Kaga inlaying and Kaga Maki-e lacquerware (using gold and silver powder). Kanazawa is also a city that combines the use of modern technologies with aesthetics and traditional craft techniques, particularly in design and modern art. There is a "Craft Tourism" programme for discovering and trying out a range of artistic activities that only Kanazawa can offer.
Two rivers run through the city, the Saigawa and the Asanogawa, and with numerous canals, Kanazawa is also a city of water where life is sweet and the food is delicious. Kaga ryori, the local cuisine, is reputed for the diversity, freshness and quality of its produce, which includes vegetables just as much as fish and seafood. The Japanese consider Kanazawa as one of the most prestigious sites for gastronomy along with Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo.
Kanazawa is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan, and the region -Ishikawa Prefecture- is ideally situated for exploring Nature, in the Hakusan National Park in the south and Noto Peninsula National Park in the North, with its islets and wild coastline.
Kanazawa is certainly a perfect destination for exploring the rich diversity of Japanese culture.
4 hours by train from Tokyo and approximately 2 ½ hours from Osaka or Nagoya, you can spend one or more days visiting the city depending on the length of your overall trip. In 2014, Kanazawa will be even more accessible with the new high-speed shinkansen railway link from Tokyo via Nagano, which will take 2 hours and 30 minutes.
We hope you enjoy this newsletter, and have a pleasant trip!
