Kanazawa: Love, Loss, and Lightning

What?
Kanazawa (金沢) is a mid-sized city with many sights to offer. Most famous is the Kenroku-en garden (兼六園), considered by many as the most beautiful in Japan. The historical Higashi Chaya (ひがし茶屋街) and Nagamachi districts (長町) remind one a bit of Kyoto, while the reconstructed Kanazawa castle (金沢城) is somewhat different from others. The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (金沢21世紀美術館) is a modern spot for art-lovers, and even casual visitors line up to see Leandro Erlich's Swimming Pool from downside up. The Omicho Market (近江町市場) teems with life in the morning and throughout the day while the Katamachi (片町) district has enough to keep you going all night long. There are myriad attractions in this city. Even its gateway – Kanazawa Station (金沢駅) – is worth a detour. And that’s without mentioning the city’s culinary richness; I’ve never once tasted anything I didn’t enjoy here. Most of all, the city has an intangible charm and mysterious allure that keeps me coming back.
Where?
As Ishikawa Prefecture’s (石川県) capital, Kanazawa has been connected with Tokyo since 2015 via the Hokuriku Shinkansen (北陸新幹線), which previously only ran as far as Nagano (長野). From Kyoto (京都) or Osaka (大阪), you can take the Limited Express Thunderbird (サンダーバード) train to Tsuruga (敦賀), where you transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The line is planned to be extended all the way to Osaka in the future.
URL
Japan Guide

Sometimes you just know when a place doesn’t want you to stay. My feelings for Kanazawa have always felt like a one-way street.

The first time I visited was way back in 2007. I was living in Matsumoto at the time, not sure where I wanted to go with my life, so instead I just went somewhere—physically. It was my first trip on my own, whether in Japan or anywhere else. I hadn’t chosen Kanazawa for any particular reason. Back then, there was still a direct bus connection between the two cities, so that’s where I ended up.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Of course, there’s the gorgeous Kenrokuen, but I also loved just strolling through town, soaking in the atmosphere. Kanazawa wasn’t exactly a big city, yet it had a metropolitan feel without the suffocating crowds and noise of the giant metropolises.
I didn’t have a camera or even a phone. I bought a disposable Kodak on the spot to capture some of the sights, but I eventually lost it—probably took the “disposable” part a bit too literally.

When I got back to Matsumoto, I told my friend about Kanazawa and my plan to return with a camera. And so, not much later, I went back—this time with both a camera and my friend in tow. He felt the same way I had. We explored the old neighborhood, a trickster temple, and some gardens, but more than the attractions themselves, it was the city’s atmosphere that drew us in.

Years later, I landed a job near Osaka, and I was thrilled to get another chance to visit my old love—this time through work. Beyond the city’s vibe, I discovered its incredible food: the seafood, the sake, the oden, the shochu, the curry… literally everything was amazing. Unfortunately I didn’t have any chance to get out and around – Kanazawa always seemed to have rain to welcome me.

In 2017 and 2020 during the corona crisis, I finally returned as a tourist again, this time with my wife. I wanted to show her why I thought it was only natural that the Nagano Shinkansen had been extended in 2015 to this city of wonders. We visited the garden, the castle, and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art with an impressive special exhibition by Michael Borremans and Mark Manders. Kanazawa had become noticeably busier—thanks to the Shinkansen—but some of the old magic was still there. Not all of it though, as both times relentless wind and rain spoiled much of the fun.

The reconstructed Kanazawa Castle does not comprise the tower.

Beautiful Kenrokuen garden in good weather.

Beautiful Kenrokuen garden in good weather, Part 2.

Tricky stuff at the Tentokuin temple.

This year, I thought it was time for revenge. My favorite football team Matsumoto Yamaga FC had an away game at the new stadium of the local Kanazawa team. We arrived around noon to perfect weather and enjoyed strolling through the Omicho market. There were plenty of other Yamaga supporters, and so much good food around. It was a great start.

We headed back to the station to catch the free shuttle bus to the stadium, which was already buzzing with fans. Both groups of supporters were loud and lively during warm-up. The atmosphere was electric, and I thought, “Well, it can’t get any worse than last year when Yamaga lost here 6–1.” The players disappeared inside for a quick change and final pep talk before kickoff.

And then we saw a flash in the distance.
Then another.
The whole right side of the sky turned pitch black while the left side was still clear.
Another flash. A rumble. Then another series of flashes.
A light rain started, but it was mostly thunder and lightning raging across the sky.
The officials delayed the game. Supporters were told to move higher up the stands where the roof provided more protection. Half an hour later, it started pouring—rain so heavy it would have soaked you to the bone in seconds. Thunder and lightning never stopped.
After another half hour, the game was officially canceled. We had to leave the stadium and queue outside in the open for the shuttle bus back. The weather gods never once showed mercy.

Eventually, we made it back to Kanazawa Station and grabbed a bite near our hotel. When we left around 10 p.m., thunder and lightning were still raging—four straight hours without a break.
So yeah… maybe Kanazawa is telling us not to come back. A pity though given its natural charm.