Kanazawa or Fukuoka

[tk101]

hi,

I'm doing a summer abroad program in japan in july. i wish to know which would better to visit for a 4 week visit...in terms of history culture etc....

thank you

[Oracle]

Kanazawa is extremely cool. It was an important city back in the feudal period so it has lots of history and culture. It has a castle (well, the walls are still there, they've reconstructed a sort of castle on the same spot), a 'Noh' theatre, it has a great garden called Kenrokuen (兼六園) which is (apparently) one of the best three Japanese gardens in Japan, part of town is kept in the style of the feudal period and also has a "geisha" district which has Japanese tea houses. It also has a temple/house with lots of trapdoors and hidden entrances which is called "Ninja Temple" 忍者寺 (ninjadera) ! And all of that is in easy walking distance. It's a great city to get around by bike or foot. I don't think there were be many other places in Japan (well, kyoto maybe) where you could get such a cross section of Japanese culture in one place in such a short time.

I lived there for a few years and HIGHLY recommend it!

Only problem might be is that the local dialect is very different from standard Japanese so it may not be the best place to learn Japanese with a standard accent.
But still, I would say definately go for Kanazawa.

[AJBryant]

If you like seafood, Kanazawa is heaven.

It was the seat of one of the wealthiest daimyo of the Edo era (something that is still mondo-important culturally, as everywhere you go you'll see references to "hyaku-man-goku" this and "hyaku-man-goku" that). No other house besides a Tokugawa had the pursestrings that the Maeda had.

Great place. I only went there two or three times, but I loved it.

Tony

[clay]

If you go to Kanazawa be sure to eat at Hot House (a great Indian curry shop!).

food trumps culture, right?

[Oracle]

clay wrote:
If you go to Kanazawa be sure to eat at Hot House (a great Indian curry shop!).

food trumps culture, right?

I used to go there! Their hottest curries are to be feared..

[kanadajin]

It also has a temple/house with lots of trapdoors and hidden entrances which is called "Ninja Temple" 忍者寺 (ninjadera) ! And all of that is in easy walking distance.

Sweet I've heard of that place befor..


I don't know much about Fukuoka But I know Kanazawa must be a great place! Two of my friends went and loved it!

[clay]

I've never been, but I believe you have to make an apointment to visit the Ninja temple. (or at least it is a good idea) There should be English (or Japanese) tourist information at the station.

Oracle - glad you enjoyed it! It was my favorite place to eat in Fukui, but when they closed the Fukui branch I occasionally made the trip to Kanazawa just for Hot House!!

I took a Brazilian friend to Hot House once and even though I warned him '2 hot' was quite hot, he ordered what I ordered any way. He took one or two bites and then just kept asking the waitress for water after water.

2 hot is extremely hot. They have half hot, 1 hot, 2 hot and the sizzling 3 hot. I have never had the 3 hot, but 2 hot is enough to wake you up in the morning.

[kanadajin]

Lol!!

2 hot is enough to wake you up in the morning.

That was great

[Oracle]

clay wrote:
I took a Brazilian friend to Hot House once and even though I warned him '2 hot' was quite hot, he ordered what I ordered any way. He took one or two bites and then just kept asking the waitress for water after water.

2 hot is extremely hot. They have half hot, 1 hot, 2 hot and the sizzling 3 hot. I have never had the 3 hot, but 2 hot is enough to wake you up in the morning.

This thread has made me hungry! I *really* feel like going back up there right now just for a curry at Hot House! Pity I'm in Australia..

[kanadajin]

lol oracle.. Most threads end up talking about food somehow.. and always make me hungry -_-"

[CrazzyWarrior]

well from the responces it sounds like kanazawa. So what is Fukuoka like?

[zelda780]

I really like Fukuoka. It's a little small-town; if you're outside the city centre people point and stare, uttering 'oooh, gaijin....' But if you can overlook this then there are loads of really great places to visit and it's a good city for commuting. It's really cheap and easy to get to places like Nagasaki, Oita, Beppu, Miyazaki and even Korea. Within Fukuoka, you have the historic town of Dazaifu, with its shrines and onsen. There's Hakata, which has Japan's first Zen temple (and a very good shopping centre!) There's Fukuoka castle, Momochi seaside park, and the bustling Tenjin - the centre of Fukuoka's nightlife.

Hope that helps!!

[tk101]

thanks everyone for your input. It seems Kanazawa is more popular than fukuoka.
also i would like to note that langaugesabroad.com says "relatively undiscovered by Foreigners." hmmm i wonder what they mean by that?....

anyway. I never tried curry before so that will be something interesting...

i'm going to japan also for college credits in japanese language....which place would be best for language.

Kanazawa -1
Fukuoka - 0

有り難う!!!!!

[CrazzyWarrior]

tk101 wrote:
langaugesabroad.com

just a note for thoes trying to visit the site its actually, like myself, heres the actual address

languagesabroad.com

[keatonatron]

Fukuoka is pretty awesome, I really like it there. But, if you're only going for 4 weeks I would recommend Kanazawa just because there's so much to see and do. Fukuoka is a fun place to visit if you've already seen and gotten used to Eastern Japan.