I am in Kanazawa and it is stunning. I know you have heard it all before but dear reader, Kanazawa really is! It has an imposing castle, it boasts a ninja temple, it is graced by one of Japan's most renowned and beautiful gardens, and to top it all off, there are samurai houses and a marvellous clutch of elegant geisha teahouses. Enough? Not by a long shot. As remarkable as the traditional arts are in Kanazawa, what is overwhelmingly amazing is that which is new. Modern Japan is well represented here and it has been fully embraced by the local population. Public art abounds and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, like a giant algebraic puzzle in itself, houses an amazing collection of permanent pieces. I know of nowhere else where you can walk into a swimming pool and look up at those from beneath the water...and remain dry! (Leandro Elrich's aptly named, Swimming Pool) Although Kanazawa is a sprawling city, it is paradoxically compact, thank goodness, and is easily accessed by foot. Taking my cue from this remarkable city, I have found a compact but perfect location to sprawl for my evening tipple...the uber special Mizuho "Junmai Daiginjo" sake. This tipple is locally produced at the Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery and has come highly recommended...it certainly lives up to its reputation.
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