osaka-kanazawa

The last time we visited Kanazawa was in 2010 and it was just to pass time until our train connection.

From Osaka, Kanazawa (which is in Ishikawa prefecture) is about 3 hours away.

We arrived close to 13:00 and luckily we were able to check-in. After unloading some of our things, we went in search of lunch.

Satoshi wanted to check out the Omi-cho Market, a huge shopping arcade filled with...seafood!

Since Ishikawa prefecture is near the Japan Sea, seafood is definitely abundant here.

Many vendors were doing brisk business as many shoppers were trying to prepare for the New Year.

There were many shops with customers lined up out their doors, but we decided to check out Mawaru-omi-cho-ichiba-zushi (a conveyor belt sushi shop).

Even though there was a small line, it moved quite fast because the interior of the shop is quite large.

You can eat the sushi from the conveyor belt, order the kinds of sushi you want (if you can't wait for what's on the belt) or order sushi bowls.

I ordered the kaisen don...1480 yen. This was just the perfect amount for me.

Satoshi ordered the omakase don...1890 yen, which he enjoyed very much.

After lunch, the rain came pouring down.

We had intended to see a garden but since it was raining, we didn't know what else to do, finally we decided to check out the Contemporary Museum.

But upon reaching the museum, we found out they were closed for the rest of the year...boo!

Cold and sopping wet, we flagged down a taxi to take us to the East Geisha district.

The roads are very narrow in this area and the taxi maneuvered scarily through.

Parts of this area reminded me of Kyoto.

After seeing this area, we caught a different bus back to the Kanazawa station area.

We bought some souvenir items for MIL as well as some sweets to try and headed back to the hotel to put these things down.

NOTE TO SELF: bring old newspaper on trips to stuff into wet shoes.

We then went in search of dinner and ended up at another conveyor belt sushi place called Sushi Tama.

Look at the size of this negi toro (onion with fatty tuna)...huge!

Even though we had sushi for two of our meals we enjoyed them both.

For dessert, we tried a sweet by Matsui, this monaka is in the shape of the Maeda clan's mon (family crest) and is filled with sweet bean paste. Apparently this sweet only appears in stores for the New Years, so we were lucky to be able to try this.

Satoshi wanted to try this...Ankoro, mochi (rice cake) surrounded with sweet bean paste. It didn't look pretty but he enjoyed this.

Even though it was a cold and rainy day, I think we did quite a lot (as well as eat a lot) for our first day in Kanazawa.

Mawaru-Omi-cho-Ichiba-zushi
28-1 Shimo-Omi-cho
Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Phone: 076.261.9330
Hours: 9:30-20:00

Sushi Tama
JR Kanazawa station Kutsurogi-kan 2F
Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Phone: 076.235.3238
Hours: 11:00-21:30

Matsui
JR Kanazawa Omiyage Annex