Journeys in Japan

From Kaga Yuzen silk dyeing and Kutani porcelain to teahouses, traditional culture dating back more than 400 years is alive in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Every June, the Hyakumangoku Matsuri Festival takes place in honor of Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of the Kaga domain, who laid the foundation of Kanazawa's rich culture. The festival features various traditional performances passed down for generations, including taiko drumming, a ritual lion dance and Kagatobi, an acrobatic spectacle of firemen atop ladders. Traveler Daniela Shiga meets many people who are upholding Kanazawa's rich traditions while also introducing innovation. She visits a family that has been making a rare local delicacy known as Fugunoko, which is blowfish ovaries preserved in rice bran. She tries her hand at the preserving work, using methods that go back nearly 200 years. As a food researcher, Daniela has fun developing new recipes that incorporate this traditional food. Kanazawa is a popular tourist destination. Next spring, it will become even more accessible with the launch of the new Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train.