20 October 2026 · Kanazawa
After yesterday’s long excursion, Anneliese and I wanted to take things a little more slowly in Kanazawa today. And it turned into a wonderful last day in this beautiful city.
In the historic samurai district, we visited a former samurai residence. What made it particularly special was meeting a lady who welcomed us as a descendant of the family. Suddenly, history has a face. You look at the old keepsakes and hear about people whose story lives on here to this day.
A magnificent samurai helmet recalled the martial past. Outside lay a garden of lush greenery, stones and water. We stopped, looked around and took our time.
Afterwards, we wandered through the neighbourhood. Old walls, wooden gates and, every so often, a glimpse into a garden. Along the way, we tried some Japanese sweets: small, carefully arranged bites with different toppings. It is often these unassuming little breaks that make a day of travelling especially lovely.
Then we went to the D. T. Suzuki Museum. Suzuki—the name first brings cars to mind. Here, though, it is about a philosopher and Zen.
The architecture alone changes your pace. Clean lines, understated spaces, light and water. Small circles appeared on the surface of the water. We sat down, meditated and enjoyed the quiet. After all the impressions of the past few weeks, it felt good simply to stay seated for a while, without already thinking about the next stop.
The subsequent outing to an Italian restaurant was less successful. A much too lengthy taxi ride took us through grey suburbs. The journey had not been worth it for the lovely meal in a special setting we had hoped for. Such detours are apparently part of travelling, too—although we could happily have done without this one.
With the rain, the afternoon became a quiet one. Back at the Hyatt Centric, we read and let the day wind down.
Now, one last beer to say goodbye. Tomorrow, we move on.
I will remember Kanazawa for its gardens, its old houses and that special encounter in the samurai district. And for a quiet moment by the water that, fortunately, we made time for today.
Tomorrow: Tokyo. Hauling suitcases, changing levels, finding the right train to Hakone. The two of us in the middle of the crowds—and Anneliese, who would happily skip this particular adventure. Which will last longer: our time buffer or our nerves? Tomorrow, we’ll find out.
