THREE OLD SAMURAI HOUSES IN KANAZAWA

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Three old Samurai houses in Kanazawa

In the Nagamachi Samurai district just off the main area of Kanazawa, middle and low-ranking Samurais’ houses remain to this day. You get a feeling of the old Samurai life from the mud walls, water to prevent fires and stone-paved streets.

Ashigaru Museum

Ashigaru was a lowest-rank Samurai who went to fight during the war. Two valuable Ashigaru houses from the Edo period were relocated to the museum, where you can learn about the duties and lifestyles of Ashigaru. The stone roofs of the houses evoke the atmosphere of ancient times.

Photo: Kanazawa City

Remains of the House of the Takada Family

Nagaya-mon, the gate of row houses, was renovated and is open to the public. Experience the feel of the Edo period in the beautiful Chisen Kaiyu-style garden (a style of Japanese garden built with a path around a central pond containing a spring).

Nomura Samurai Family House

In 1583, when Maeda Toshiie, founder of the Kaga domain, moved to Kanazawa Castle, the family of Nomura Denbei Nobusada followed him as his retainers and the family held their magistrate positions through eleven generations.

The house’s two-star Michelin garden features the Kyoku-sui (winding stream) style, around which you will see a number of lanterns. In 2009, it was ranked third among Japanese gardens by the American gardening magazine “Journal of Japanese Gardening”, and it now enjoys an excellent reputation around the world.