Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [231]
Kaga Yūzen Silk Dyeing
This kimono-dyeing technique is characterised by sharp colours (red, ochre, green, indigo and purple) and realistic depictions of nature, such as flower petals that have begun to brown around the edges.
It’s highly specialised, labour-intensive work. A pattern is drawn on the fabric with grey-blue ink from spiderwort flowers and the lines are traced over with rice paste using a cone like a fine pastry tube; this keeps the dyes from running as they are painted onto the silk. The colours are filled in and coated with more rice paste and then the entire sheet of silk is dyed with the kimono’s background colour.
Only then is the fabric rinsed clean (traditionally in a river) and steamed to fix the colours. White lines between the elements, where the initial spiderwort ink has washed away, are a characteristic of Kaga yūzen. To dye the fabric for one kimono takes about three months.
Gold Leaf
It starts with a lump of pure gold the size of a ¥10 coin, which is rolled to the size of a tatami mat, as little as 0.0001mm thick. The gold leaf is cut into squares of 10.9cm – the size used for mounting on walls, murals or paintings – or then cut again for gilding on lacquerware or pottery. Tiny particles find their way into tea, sweets and hand lotion. Kanazawa makes over 98% of Japan’s gold leaf.
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Kōtatsu (261-6310; 32-1 Daiku-machi; mains ¥700-900; dinner Mon-Sat) More sophisticated than your everyday okonomiyaki place, there’s a dark atmosphere and an assortment of sake and shōchū, and they’ll cook your okonomiyaki for you. Salads are also available, and there’s an English menu. It’s beneath Arroz Spanish restaurant.
Jiyūken (252-1996; 1-6-6 Higashiyama; most mains ¥785-2990; lunch & dinner, closed Tue & 3rd Wed of month) By Higashi Chaya-gai, this simple but welcoming spot has been serving yō-shoku (Japanese takes on Western cuisine; eg beef stew, grilled chicken, omelettes) since 1909. The teishoku is a steal at ¥920. There are plastic models in the window. Look for the stone front.
Janome-sushi Honten (231-0093; 1-1-12 Kōrinbō; mains ¥1200-3400, Kaga ryōri sets from ¥4000; lunch & dinner Thu-Tue) Highly regarded for sashimi and Kaga cuisine. One of our Japanese friends says that when he eats here, he knows he’s really in Kanazawa. It’s across a little stream from Siena clothing store.
Tamazushi (221-2644; 2-14-9 Katamachi; mains ¥1300-3300; dinner Mon-Sat) Down near Sai-gawa in Katamachi, this classic sushi counter, backed by a painting of a nō stage, is one of Kanazawa’s best. No English is spoken, but there’s a picture menu. It’s on your right as you enter from the main street.
Bistro Yuiga (261-0978; 4-1 Mizutamemachi; sets from ¥2575; lunch Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri, dinner Thu-Tue) There’s a gentle jazz soundtrack to accompany elegantly prepared French delicacies in this one-time private home. Set menus include treats like raw ham and – because this is Kanazawa – seafood. It’s a short walk off the main street from Katamachi, down the street opposite Kōtatsu. An English menu is available.
Hotaruya (251-8585; 1-13-24 Higashiyama; lunch/dinner courses from ¥3675/6300; lunch & dinner) To splurge on Kaga ryōri and step back in time, visit this shop in Higashi Chaya-gai. You’ll be rewarded with wood-beam and tatami room surroundings, and understated, standard-setting course dinners.
Drinking
Most of Kanazawa’s bars and clubs are holes-in-the-wall, jam-packed into high-rises in Katamachi. Some are straightforward bars, others are barely disguised girlie clubs. Here are some of the former. Weekdays can be slow, but weekends tend to hop. For a quieter scene, peek into the lovely little bars of Higashi Chaya-gai.
Polé Polé (260-1138; 2-31-30 Katamachi; 7pm-5am) In the same building (and sharing the same owners) as Legian restaurant, this dark, grungy