THE HIDDEN CHARMS OF JAPAN -2-

Higashi Chaya District is one of the most popular destinations in Kanazawa.

As I wrote in my previous post, we went there on the first night. And we visited again, on the second day of our trip. I wanted her to see the different view of the townscape in Higashi Chaya District.

This area is called Higashi Chaya District. Higashi (ひがし/東) means "east", and Chaya (ちゃや/茶屋) means "a tea house". There're several Chaya districts in Kanazawa city, where Geisha (do you know Geisha?) entertains people by performing traditional dances. It may remind you of Kyoto, right? Yeah, Kyoto is the most famous area for foreigners to see Geisha! Kanazawa isn't as big and famous as Kyoto at all, but it's been called "小京都（しょうきょうと）" which means "Little Kyoto". You know why? ；）

It takes about 10 minutes by bus from Kanazawa station to Higashi Chaya District. Maybe less than 30 minutes on foot? Kazue-machi Chaya District is also a small Geisha district. I think there're a few guest-houses in this area. The riverside scenery is really pretty especially at the evening twilight time.

You can buy some souvenirs, try on a Kimono (Japanese traditional cloths), have a cup of Macha (Japanese green tea) with sweets... Oh, I almost forgot to say about 金箔（きんぱく） /kinpaku/ "gold leaf".

If you've been to Kyoto before, you must have seen 金閣寺（きんかくじ）, Kinkakuji, the temple of the Golden Pavilion. (Google it if you haven't seen it yet!) It's covered in 金箔, gold leaf. You can see the very gold leaf in Kanazawa because 99% of metal leaf in Japan are produced here! Also, you can try gold leaf pasting!　：D

Can you believe that gold leaf is less than 0.0001mm thick?

Can you see gold leaf floating on the surface of the tea?

Don't forget to explore back streets when you go to Chaya districts!! ：） Don't rush, don't hurry, take your time to see around town. This is the most important tip to enjoy sightseeing in Kanazawa.

THE HIDDEN CHARMS OF JAPAN - 1 -

The ticket gate in Kanazawa station is not automatic like in Tokyo and Osaka. You have to show your ticket to the station staff when you go through the gate.

Okay, now you got to Kanazawa. You may have a big luggage. If the place you're going to stay is near the station, you can leave your luggage there, but if not, there're also lockers in the station.

The first place we headed for was, Omicho Market. We bought one-day tickets and get on a bus to go there. You can walk to Omicho Market as it only takes 15 minutes from the station. Or you can rent a bicycle. >> Bus Information

I used to go to this market with my grandma when I was small.

写真提供：金沢市

Seafood in Kanazawa is really fresh and delicious. (Though I don't like fish very much...) We enjoy walking around the market and had a rich 海鮮丼（かいせんどん）, a seafood bowl.

Then we walk around Tatemachi Street, a shopping avenue for young people. There were only a few people walking there because it was a weekday. It wasn't a busy avenue at all. If you prefer bustle town, I recommend you to go there on weekends.

After shopping, we went to Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District. Buke means samurai families, and Yashiki means residences.

I felt as if I had been transported to samurai era!! XD You can find some Japanese confectionery shops and tea houses there. Why don't you have a cup of 抹茶（まっちゃ） green tea, and a small cake?

I strongly recommend you to go to Nomura-Ke, the old house of samurai. I love their garden. Can you believe that such a beautiful garden is hidden inside of the plain and simple mud wall? It's gorgeous!

写真提供：金沢市

We leisurely walked, took many photos. It was already evening when we headed for our next destination. After seeing the old district, we enjoyed modern art!

写真提供：金沢市

But we had only 30 minutes to see the museum because they close at 6 p.m. So we decided to go there again the next day.

写真提供：金沢市

写真提供：金沢市

Then we went to Higashi Chaya District and Kazue-machi. It already got dark and I couldn't take photos well. But this is the place worth visiting at night, too. It's so calm and mysterious.

This was the first day of our trip. I'm going to write about the 2nd and the 3rd day on my next post. ：） I hope you enjoyed reading this entry. See you soon!


**The photos with the caption "写真提供：金沢市" are provided by the official website of Kanazawa city.

Let's Connect!

I'm back in Taiwan! It was a wonderful stay for 2 weeks in Japan. ：）

Kanazawa Station at night

How to get to Kanazawa?

My friend took a plane from Taipei to Nagoya Airport, then took the JR train to Kanazawa station. As for me, I always take a low-cost airline from Taipei to Kansai Airport.　Both Nagoya to Kanazawa, and Kansai(Osaka) to Kanazawa take about 2.5 ~ 3 hours by train.


Since 新幹線（しんかんせん）, Japanese Bullet Train, is scheduled to open on 14 March this year, people in Kanazawa are very excited and looking forward to having more sightseers. You'll be able to get to Kanazawa from Tokyo for 2.5 hours!

Free Wifi Service is available!

You can use the service free of charge by registering your name and e-mail address. Or, if you have Japan Connected-free WiFi App, you can easily use wifi in major stations, airports, and tourist facilities throughout Japan.

Transportation

The major tourist areas in Kanazawa city are all close to each other. You can walk, use a bicycle sharing service, or take a bus.

>> Kanazawa Tourist Information Guide (Modes of Transportation)
>> Eye on Kanazawa (Bike-Sharing Machi-nori)

Speaking of which, it was snowing at that time so we bought a one day ticket of bus.

*Japanese Word of the Day*
つながる！広（ひろ）がる！金沢（かなざわ）！
/tsunagaru! hirogaru! Kanazawa!/
Connect! Spread! Kanazawa!

*つながる /tsunagaru/ (can) be connected, (can) be linked
 --- つなぐ/tsunagu/ to connect, to link　＝つなげる /tsunageru/

ネットにつながる。 /netto ni tsunagaru/
It can be connected to the internet.
ネットにつなぐ。 /netto ni tsunagu/
＝ネットにつなげる /netto ni tsunageru/
I connect it to the internet.

Can you see the difference in the two sentences above? つなぐ is a verb which shows your action (transitive verb), and つながる is a verb which shows the change of the state of itself (intransitive verb). Hmm.. it's hard to explain!!

*広（ひろ）がる /hirogaru/ (intransitive verb) to spread, to widen, to expand
 --- 広（ひろ）げる /hirogeru/ (transitive verb) to spread, to widen, to expand

うわさが広がる。 /uwasa ga hirogaru/
The rumor spread.
うわさを広げる。 /uwasa wo hirogeru/
I spread the rumor.



I'll write about the places we went to during the stay.　；）

Why Japanese people, WHY?!

It's so cold in Japan!! I heard that we'll have snow tomorrow. Agh, I need to hug my fluffy friend...

Hello, my fluffy friend!

By the way, I found a nice Podcast for learning English. The title is <American Hot Topics>. As you see, they introduce some hot, trending topics mainly in English, sometimes in Japanese. Maybe it's also good for upper intermediate Japanese learners.

Here's <American Hot Topics> Facebook page!


I was listening their latest show this morning, and I came to know a funny comedian in Japan, who's from America. See the video below! I like it!! XD

You got it?


*Japanese Word of the Day*
Today I'm going to tell you some Kanji which is shown in the comedy video.

大　― big
太　― fat, chubby
犬　― a dog

一、二、三、四　― 1,2,3,4
触　― to touch / 角　― a horn, an antenna + 虫　― an insect, a bug, a worm
始　― to start  / 女　― a woman + 台　― a stage, a platform, a rack,

憂鬱　― depression, gloom, to feel miserable
※ Most Japanese people can't write its Kanji! It's too hard. Me? Of course not!!



Well, my friend will arrive in Japan tomorrow. Our special tour's gonna start the day after tomorrow. :) Next week, I'll write about it. I hope it won't snow heavily!

Enjoy It Fully!!

I'm going to go back to Japan tomorrow!! Yay! XD

My Taiwanese friend's coming to my hometown, so I'll show her around. I hope she'll enjoy her stay in Japan. I'll write about our tour maybe next time, as much detail as possible, so that you can plan your sightseeing in Kanazawa.

Here's my previous posts written about my hometown, Kanazawa:

→ About My Hometown

→ My Holiday in Japan

*Japanese Word of the Day*

ニッポンを、遊（あそ）びつくせ！

/nippon wo, asobi tsukuse!/

Enjoy Japan fully!

*ニッポン（にっぽん）/nippon/ = にほん/nihon/ Japan

*遊（あそ）びつくす/asobi tsukusu/ to have fun as much as possible, to fully enjoy

遊（あそ）ぶ/asobu/ to have fun, to play, to enjoy

つくす/tsukusu/ to do everything, to use up, to do one's best

つくす is often used with verbs, like 食べつくす(to eat up), 話しつくす(to talk about everything), 出しつくす(to give all you can), 燃やしつくす(to burn out), etc.

遊びつくせ is the imperative form of 遊びつくす.

Well, 書きつくしたかな？ Have I written all I need to?

Kenroku-en, one of the most famous garden in Japan

Stay tuned! ；）

Flip Book Animation

Have you made a flip book before? I have. I used to draw a picture in the corner of a notebook during a class. (Sorry teacher!) Math textbooks were best for flipping. That's why I wasn't good at Mathematics, I guess.

I found an interesting video on Youtube. It's a flip book animation made by a Japanese comedian (is he still working as a comedian? I'm not sure..).

During the New Year's holidays, I went to see this movie ―Big Hero 6.
Just so you know, it actually isn't a flip book animation movie, but it's the latest film from Disney. You know, the story is set in a fictional town which is a mash-up of San Francisco and Tokyo, and the protagonist is a Japanese boy. But don't worry, they all speak perfect English, not Japanese. haha

It was much more exciting than I expected. I love this movie.

If you're interested in the music of it, this Youtube video (click here!) would be helpful for you to know its lyrics and its English translations. This song also has a English version.

*Japanese Word of the Day*

休（やす）みのあいだ、勉強(べんきょう）サボってた。

/yasumi no aida, benkyou sabotteta/

I was slacking off on study during the holidays.

*休（やす）み /yasumi/ day-off, holidays

*～のあいだ /...no aida/ between, during, among

*勉強（べんきょう） /benkyou/ study, work

*サボる /saboru/ to slack off, to goof off, to bunk off

―サボった /sabotta/ is the past tense of the verb サボる.

:P

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Year of the Horse (2014) was over, and now Year of the Sheep (2015) has started. :D
Sheep is the 8th animal in 12 zodiac signs. Well, I'll write more about it later. ；）

I went to see fireworks in Taipei on New Year's Eve. It was fabulous!


*Japanese of the Day*
あけまして　おめでとう　ございます
/akemashite omedetou gozaimasu/
Happy New Year!

Wish you all a fantastic and fun filled New Year!! XD