You’d think you would have nothing to do when it’s raining in Kanazawa but this is actually the furthest thing from the truth. As a matter of fact, I greatly enjoyed a walk through the city’s Higashi Chaya District while it was raining and during the winter of all times. The place is definitely charming and interesting at the same time.
Higashi Chaya District: Full of Well Preserved Buildings and Shops
I think the best way to enjoy Higashi Chaya is by actually walking there. Getting rained on while you do so though, isn’t really ideal. That said, I had to make do with the situation and I did end up enjoying the whole walk there. More importantly, I actually got this nice shot of the Asano River. This shot was actually taken near the entrance of the Higashiyama Riverside Parking Lot. If you have access to a car then you’re probably going to want to have it parked there.
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From the entrance of the parking lot, you’ll then just need to turn right on the first corner you’ll see. I followed this road and eventually found myself at the entrance of the Higashi Chaya District. As you can see, it was raining when I got here. Thankfully I checked the weather app earlier and saw that there was a chance that it might rain so I decided to bring an umbrella. As for this picture, I took this near a souvenir store called Hakuichi. The red building pictured on the other hand, is the Kanazawa Shitsurae Sabo Yanagian Cafe.
One thing that I think you should check out when in Kanazawa is Hakuichi’s gold leaf ice cream. The store has multiple branches all over Kanazawa and this one at Higashiyama is actually just one of them. If I remember correctly, there’s also a gold leaf museum that showcases the gold leaf process.
I’ve finally reached the Higashi Chaya District proper. As you can see, there were plenty of people here even with the rain pouring down (albeit the downpour wasn’t too intense). Moreover, some of the shops here were actually closed though not because of the inclement weather. Rather I came here rather late at around 3PM which is probably when shops here close (for breaks like some restaurants or for the day). If you want to see these shops, then make sure to come here when they open in the morning (around 9AM.)
If you’re in the area where the map of Higashi Chaya is, just turn to your right (assuming you’re facing the map) and you’ll find this tea and confectionery shop called Kazu Nakashima. On this particular day, it looked really warm and welcoming. I did a little research on the shop and learned that it’s been around since 1881 and it’s actually run by the 4th generation Kazu Nakashima.
This is the map of the Higashi Chaya District that I was talking about. It’s on the side of the Sabo Yanagian cafe. It features a short history of the area that I think is a must-read. More importantly, there’s a marker on the map to indicate where you are exactly in the area. I actually thought the area would be smaller but as it turns out, it’s rather large. After a little digging, I found out that it’s actually considered the largest of Kanazawa’s three geisha districts.
I must say, the buildings here look really well preserved (just like the Nomura Samurai House). I’ve read that the district was established in the early 1800s (about the same period when Oyama Shrine was built) which means some of the buildings here might be around (or more than) 150 years old. Some may even be nearer to being 200 years old at this point. So far you’ve seen mostly confectionery and tea shops, but there are also shops for various crafts (like pottery) here.
Other street nearby
Here’s a much narrower side street that’s not as busy. The building to the left is where you’ll find the Fujitoshi teahouse or tea shop. From what I understand, you won’t be able to get inside here if you weren’t introduced by a regular customer. I think it’s a lot like those shops in Kyoto where you need an invitation before you’re allowed to get inside and avail of their services.
More shops nearby
The rain did eventually stop and just in time for me to come across this Sawawa. If you’ve ever been to Kyoto then you’re probably already familiar with this store. As evidenced in the picture, it specializes in matcha-flavored sweets. Much like the business itself, its storefront isn’t particularly traditional. Additionally, this is a bit farther away from the main Higachi Chaya District pictured in the map earlier and is much closer to the main road (Johoku Dori Avenue).
What’s great about Japanese food culture is that it’s not wasteful. Rather than let their products go to waste/expire, they tend to hold sales like the one pictured above. These are warabi mochi and according to the sign, their expiration date was that day. As such they’re being sold relatively cheaper than if they were freshly made. A 120g cup would have set you back JPY389 for take out while a 250g box was selling for JPY648.
It’s not just Hakuichi that has gold leaf ice creams. When I took a glimpse inside the Sawawa store, I saw this poster advertising a matcha gelato covered in gold leaf that costs JPY1188 (tax inclusive). On a side note, this is one of the more modern looking shops in the district.
Here’s a sign highlighting the other matcha-flavored sweets and beverages being sold in the store. The warabi daifuku and matcha macarons looked absolutely delicious and I feel like they’d be great to bring and eat while you’re out walking.
A little further from the Sawawa shop (heading toward Johoku Dori Avenue), you’ll find another shop that’s also selling mochi, castella, and other sweets. The main selling point of the shop is that it makes use of Ishikawa Prefecture’s regional produce in its offerings.
Well, that ends my walk around tour of Kanazawa’s Higashi Chaya District. It might have rained but it was an enjoyable walk nonetheless. I definitely get the appeal of the place and were it not for the weather I might have actually stayed longer (not to mention gone there earlier). It can get expensive if you end up going to each and every shop to eat so you should definitely search up the stores you’d like to visit in advance. If you’re just there for street photography though then there are plenty of nice buildings and street views waiting for you and your camera. Ever been to Higashi Chaya District? Share your thoughts of the place with us!
