Page 167 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

Must See

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Sakuda Gold Leaf Store
⌂ 1-3-27 Higashiyama
# 9am–6pm daily
∑ goldleaf-sakuda.jp
Despite Japan’s reputation as
the home of minimalism, gold
leaf decorates everything from
folding screens to chopsticks.
For over 400 years, Kanazawa
has been the center for gold
leaf production, and the city
still crafts over 98 percent of
the country’s output. The city’s
humid climate is perfect for
production because it mini-
mizes the build-up of static
electricity, which can tear the
Did You Know? delicate sheets. At the Sakuda
Gold Leaf Store, master crafts-
At Sakuda Gold men demonstrate how gold
Leaf Store, visitors leaf is applied to all manner
8 "- can try a cup of tea of traditional crafts. Here, you
Ochaya Shima with shimmering can take a tour of the factory,
Geisha House flecks of gold in it. view the production process,
and even try applying some
⌂ 1-13-21 Higashiyama
# 9am–6pm daily of the gold leaf to an object
∑ ochaya-shima.com of your choice.
This museum is dedicated 9 "=
to preserving the history of Fukushima Sargenten
Higashi Chaya-gai. Established ⌂ 1-1-8 Higashiyama
in 1820, this was the grandest § (076) 252-3703 SHOP
pleasure district outside Kyoto # 8:30am–6pm Mon–Sat
and Edo, and was frequented ¢ 2nd & 4th Sat of month;
by rich merchants and nobility. public hols Kutani Kosen
The area is still full of atmos- Pottery Kiln
phere, with old-fash ioned For those interested in The only surviving kiln
street lamps and wooden- traditional Japanese music, in Kanazawa has been
lattice windows, but these a visit to this shop where the producing porcelain
now hide elegant restaurants Fukushima family have been since the mid-19th
and crafts galleries. hand-crafting three-stringed century. All pieces sold
At the center of the area, shamisen since the early 20th here are handmade. Old
the Ochaya Shima Geisha century is a must. All geisha Kutani-ware uses deep,
over-glazed blues,
House is still much the same must master this instrument
greens, reds, and
as it was in the Edo era. On during their training and ochers, while modern
the upper floor are guest the haunting sound of the work has more delicate
rooms with small stages shamisen is one of the most and varied designs. You
where the geisha sang and evocative experiences in can design your own
danced for their customers, Japan, conjuring up cold piece at the Kutani
while downstairs are modest winter evenings. At Fukushima Kosen Pottery Kiln,
living quarters. The museum’s Sargenten, for a small fee, which can be shipped to
collection displays items once visitors can learn to play one you once it is fired.
used by the geisha who lived of these instruments and ⌂ 5-3-3 Nomachi
here, including tea ceremony learn how they were made. # 9am–5pm daily
utensils and musical instru- But this tutorial is not for ∑ kutanikosen.com
ments. After exploring the everyone – the most tradi-
collection, you can relax with tional shamisen are crafted
a cup of matcha here. from cat and dog skin.
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