A Love Story (With A Brief Betrayal by a Capsule Hotel): Kanazawa To Nagoya
There comes a time in every great travel adventure when reality smacks you in the face. It’s often in the form of rain, bad sleep, and overpriced transport. Welcome to our Kanazawa to Nagoya chapter.
Kanazawa: Rain, Gold, and a Betrayal in a Pod
After weeks of clear skies, Kanazawa greeted us with our first real rain. And not the polite drizzle that whispers, “You should probably grab an umbrella,” but the kind that says, “Oh, you thought you’d be dry today? That’s cute.” But Kanazawa was charming enough to make up for it.
Kanazawa isn’t exactly the first city that comes to mind when you think of Japan, but honestly, that’s what makes it so charming. Nestled along the coast, it’s a city that quietly blends tradition and modernity. With its historic districts, preserved samurai houses, and stunning gardens, it feels like you’re stepping into a living museum.
We spent a good amount of time wandering through Higashi Chaya District, one of the most famous geisha areas in Japan. The narrow streets, lined with traditional wooden buildings, have this magical charm. It was like walking through a picture-perfect postcard, with a slight chance of running into a geisha, though we didn’t get that lucky. What we did get was an abundance of quaint teahouses, artisan shops, and an odd but delightful feeling of being in the past while still being in the present.
Next, we visited Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s top three gardens. Picture this: perfectly manicured trees, serene ponds, and picturesque bridges. It’s not hard to see why it’s so revered. But what struck us most was the fact that the garden felt so timeless, as if it had always existed and always would. It’s like the garden had this serene way of telling us, slow down. Take it all in.
And then there’s the gold. The gold.
Kanazawa is home to Japan’s gold leaf production, and it’s so integral to the city’s identity that you’ll find gold leaf on just about everything. Not kidding. Gold leaf ice cream? Absolutely. Gold leaf on souvenirs, tea cups, even face cream? Yup. The significance of gold leaf here is both historical and artistic. In the 16th century, during the reign of the Maeda clan, Kanazawa became the leading producer of gold leaf in Japan. The region’s unique climate and skilled artisans made it the perfect place for crafting the delicate, shiny sheets of gold that now grace everything from temples to everyday objects.
So, of course, we had to try some gold leaf ice cream because why not? But let’s be honest, gold leaf doesn’t add much in terms of flavour. It’s more about the visual experience. You’re eating ice cream covered in gold! It felt like the most luxurious and absurdly extra thing we could possibly do, and we loved every second of it. It’s just the kind of quirky thing Kanazawa pulls off effortlessly.
Then came our fateful decision: the capsule hotel.
We won’t say it was a disaster, but let’s just say it wasn’t our cup of tea. The concept of sleeping in a tiny pod, where everything feels sleek and space-age, seemed fun at first, like you are in a sci-fi movie.
Then you actually try to sleep.
First, the mattress is about as soft as a plank of wood that lost a fight with another plank of wood. Then, there’s the whole sleeping separately situation, which was not our best idea. After months of sharing space, it turns out we actually… miss each other? Wild concept. So instead of drifting off into a peaceful, futuristic slumber, we spent the night texting each other from our respective pods like long-distance lovers separated by about five feet of hallway. After one night of trying to sleep separately, cramped in our little futuristic cubbies, we quickly realised that capsules are best enjoyed by solo travellers.
By morning, our backs ached, our hearts ached, and we checked out so fast we might have broken a record. A real bed, together? Say no more. We booked a proper hotel and never looked back.
Kanazawa, for all its small-town vibe, is a hidden gem, with layers of culture, history, and a touch of gold (literally) that make it unforgettable. Sure, it rained on us. Sure, the capsule hotel didn’t quite work out. But the city’s charm and the fact that we got to eat ice cream made of gold made it one of our most memorable stops.
Shirakawa-go: A Snowy Fairytale (With a Paywall)
Feeling refreshed and reunited, we ditched the trains for a bus ride into the mountains to visit Shirakawa-go, the picturesque village famous for its thatched-roof houses and heavy snowfall. And boy, did we get the full snow experience. It was the kind of snow that makes you question your shoe choices and consider the possibility of never feeling your toes again.
The village was stunning, like stepping into a snow globe. But there was a catch, many of the best walking paths were closed due to the snow, and the observatory overlooking this snow globe? Off-limits unless you took the mandatory shuttle. Of course, they charged for it because why let a little thing like public access get in the way of a good business model? But we made the best of it, trudging through the snow, taking in the views, and quietly judging everyone falling over.
Nagoya: Rest, Recovery, and Unexpected Romance
By the time we reached Nagoya, we were ready to slow things down. We had big plans by which we mean not having plans for a little while. Nagoya was the perfect place to recharge, with its big-city energy and just the right balance of things to do without the pressure of a packed itinerary.
We explored Nagoya Castle, which was equal parts impressive and an excellent excuse to justify trying our first Ichiran ramen. We spent a magical day at Studio Ghibli Park, where Ash lived out his animated childhood (adulthood) dreams. And I geeked out watching the new Captain America in a Japanese cinema.
But what really made our time in Nagoya special? Valentine’s Day.
Now, Ash and I don’t do Valentine’s Day. We’ve always found it a little too commercialised and one of those holidays where suddenly love comes with a price tag. But in Japan, we’ve seen the Valentine’s hype build for weeks (a prelude to Sakura season!) Every shop window screams chocolate, hearts, love, and somewhere between watching salary men carrying little boxes of chocolates and flowers and spotting adorable Valentine’s displays in convenience stores, we had a realisation:
After the capsule hotel fiasco, we had survived our lovers’ separation. And now, here we were, back together, well-rested, and laughing over the fact that one night apart had made us sentimental fools.
So while we still didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day in the traditional sense, there was something about simply being together again - after our brief but disappointing pod-imposed separation - that made this week feel a little extra special. We might not have bought into the overpriced chocolates, but we did have a coffee date, just the two of us, in a tiny book café that didn’t need hearts and glitter to make it romantic.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on the past week, it had everything - history, bad weather, weird sleeping arrangements, an absurd amount of gold, and a soft spot for Valentine’s Day that we weren’t expecting. This week felt like we finally struck the right balance in our travels. We’ve been figuring out how to pace ourselves - when to explore, when to push for adventure, and when to slow down and just be. This mix of history, nature, food, and city life felt right, like we had finally settled into a rhythm that works for us.
Next week, we head to Nara, where we’ll attempt to befriend some deer (or at least avoid being mugged for crackers), and Osaka, where we’ll probably consume more food than should be humanly possible. It’s going to be chaotic, delicious, and full of surprises, just the way we like it.
