I got so excited during my exploration of Kanazawa’s Fish Market, that I nearly didn’t leave enough time for seeing other things the area has to offer. It was hard to pull me away from the fresh seafood market with far too many delicious things to try but alas I did. (Be sure to see the photos I took of the market as well as a video I shot of the experience on the ground).
The more renowned part of Kanazawa in western Japan, is the Geisha area of the city, otherwise known as the Higaschichaya Machi District. Historical and well manicured, the wooden houses, stone paved streets and preserved teahouses still remain an aura of mystery and seduction.
Women walk around with umbrellas perched over their heads (Japanese women always seem to be carrying an umbrella to protect their skin, something I noticed in nearly every town and city I stopped at), especially during the summer months.
The streets were narrow and the main two drags boasted shops, cafes and restaurants. It’s a bustling and colorful bazaar of 200 shops and stalls selling everything from seafood to kitchen tools.
I really couldn’t get away from the umbrellas. They were everywhere…
There were plenty of cultural and historical examples throughout the streets as well.
The policeman who helped me navigate my map on more than one occasion.
Beautiful silk art — you could purchase these in one of the nearby shops.
They had plenty of silk and material options to choose from and the beautifully colored bags, handbags, scarves and everything in between were available at nearly every shop in the city.
Tea pots too of course.
For more posts on Japan, see our Japan section and on Tokyo, visit our Tokyo Japan / top things to do in Tokyo section.
Note: the trip to Japan was hosted by Princess Cruises, including the stop in Kanazawa, however all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
