Kanazawa

Kanazawa is another city known as "little Kyoto". (Just how many of them are there?). Capital of Ishikawa prefecture, it was one of the few major cities in Japan spared from U.S. bombing runs in World War Two. As a result, it boasts some picturesque historical areas in the centre of the city where it was a real treat to walk beside canals flanked by old wooden houses.

Kanazawa is the first stop on my short summer camping trip, also stopping on a beach north of Kanazawa, Lake Norijiko in Nagano, and a mountain in Niigata.

More of Kanazawa at the an-fi gallery.













More of Kanazawa at the an-fi gallery.

Kyoto things

Ten things I spotted while on a short excursion to Kyoto today.

Shitennoji Temple, Osaka

What's a new year in Japan without a visit to the local shrine or temple?




It was a gorgeous day and I went to Shitennoji, the oldest officially administered temple in Japan. Built in 593 A.D. it is "fondly regarded as the Buddhist altar of Osaka," according to the Osaka Visitor's Guide homepage.

There are 28 pictures in the Shitennoji Temple photo album.

Izushi

Izushi is a 30 minute bus ride from Kinosaki. It's another small town dubbed "little Kyoto", complete with a canal, a dozen or so shrines, wooden houses and shops selling Japanese snacks and wares. To the south, there is a small hill with a path lined with flaming orange torii gates that lead to an aged, half-demolished castle, from which one can get a gorgeous view of the town and surrounding rice fields. Thick redwood-like trees abound, and there is the constant bird-calls of hawks black kites (see edit) that circle above.

Izushi's main fame is soba, noodles made from buckwheat. There are many restaurants specialising in soba; one could be forgiven for thinking it's all there is here. I spent only a few hours in the town, but would love to return another season.

The Great Buddha (Kotoku-in)

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kotoku-in) is, of course, Kamakura's main attraction. It was cast in 1252 and stands more than 13 metres tall. It is the second largest Buddha statue in Japan, the largest being the one in Todaiji temple, Nara. More information on Kotoku-in is here.

Yokohama Chinatown

Yokohama Chinatown, the biggest Chinatown in Japan. Big lights, big butamans, big prices.

Kamakura

With FC Barcelona due to play in the Club World Cup in Yokohama, I managed to get a game ticket for the big event on 17 December. So I spent the day before the game in Kamakura, a seaside resort town 30 minutes south of Yokohama by train.

There's a bit of everything to suit all kinds of visitors: long narrow streets lined with snack food vendors and shops selling crafts, rustic temples with gardens and cemeteries, bamboo groves, hiking trails with hilltop views, and a one-of-a-kind mammoth buddha statue that is the town's main attraction. Wherever I went, I wasn't far from two or three hawks black kites (see edit) circling above, constantly cawing.