-- While movies like The Last Samurai and Shogun bring viewers back in time to a distinctly important period in Japanese history, visitors to Kanazawa can take it a hundred steps further and fully immerse themselves in what it truly meant to be an elite warrior. Even if it’s just for a few hours.
One of Japan’s most alluring aspects is the ability it delivers for travelers to go beneath the modern surface and discover a vibrant array of heritage homes and neighborhoods from the Edo Period (1603-1867) along with martial arts and Kanazawa is the ultimate destination for those wanting to discover what remains of the Samurai lifestyle.
Nagamachi is the neighborhood one wants to explore fully beyond the castle- a picturesque area made of earthen walls, where mini-canals wind their way through it against cobblestone streets that are lined with traditional Samurai homes that can be explored, many still well intact and dressed up with traditional artifacts, handiwork and decor with lush manicured gardens below verandas that are replete with carp-filled ponds.
Once the atmosphere is soaked up, it’s time for action which often begins with becoming a Bushido devotee for a day at Shijimaya Honpo, just 15 miutes from Kanazawa Station. Here, in a centuries-old wooden house surrounded by a beautiful garden is the studio of Mr. Masahisa Shijimaya, a 16th-generation samurai descendant, and a third-dan master of iaido which is a martial art centered around swordsmanship. He proudly shows off his collection of blades and explains the intricate patterns and inscriptions that run along them.
And finally, it’s time to absorb kendo and gear up for “battle”. To fully embrace the Samurai spirit, it is said that one must become a warrior and kendo is a Japanese martial art that required Samurai to utilize bamboo swords to preserve their skills during times of peace. Saishikan is a kendo school led by head master Toshihiro Enoki who’s been practicing kendo for 50 years. The day includes lessons on the basics of kendo etiquette such as bowing, learning the essential stances and how to properly hold and wield the bamboo sword, photo ops included while donned in traditional dress and a distinctive facemask.
For more information on Kanazawa’s tourism opportunities, please visit
www.facebook.com/visitkanazawaofficial
@kanazawa_kankou
www.instagram.com/kanazawa_kankou/
Contact Info:
Name: Gabriella A Ribeiro
Email: Send Email
Organization: Ishikawa Prefecture Japan
Website: https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/
Release ID: 89149283
If there are any deficiencies, problems, or concerns regarding the information presented in this press release that require attention or if you need assistance with a press release takedown, we encourage you to notify us without delay at error@releasecontact.com (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our diligent team is committed to promptly addressing your concerns within 8 hours and taking necessary actions to rectify any identified issues or facilitate the removal process. Providing accurate and trustworthy information is of utmost importance.
