Nomura-ke Samurai Residence — Attraction in Kanazawa

Nagamachi Samurai District: The Profound Aesthetics of Old Japan ​A visit to the Nagamachi Samurai District in Kanazawa felt like stepping onto a perfect Hollywood movie set, only entirely authentic. It's an insightful lesson in traditional Japanese aesthetics and the daily life of the warrior class. ​Simplicity, Restraint, and Quiet Beauty ​The district preserves a calm and intimate atmosphere. The narrow, stone-paved streets are lined with traditional earthen walls (Tsuchi-kabe) topped with tiled roofs. The subdued color palette—earthy browns, grays, and stone—creates a sense of timeless, restrained beauty. ​Just like in Japanese films, every detail here seems thoughtfully designed with a deep sense of harmony: ​The Walls: The contrast between the white plaster walls and the dark wooden elements is classic and precise. ​The Canals: Clear water canals flow alongside the streets, enhancing the feeling of tranquility and connection to nature. In winter, when the walls are covered with straw mats (Komogake) to protect them from frost, this aesthetic gains another layer of beauty. ​The Samurai House – An Enriching Architectural Lesson ​Entering one of the restored samurai residences (like the Nomura-ke House) was the highlight of the visit. This is where simplicity becomes a profound experience. ​The interior design—featuring natural wood, tatami mats, and sliding paper doors (Shoji)—reflects the samurai aesthetic code: restraint, honor, and appreciation for small details. The miniature, meticulously maintained landscape garden viewed from the veranda, with a tiny waterfall and sculpted stones, is a miniature work of art designed to inspire meditation and serenity. ​In Conclusion: Nagamachi is not just an "old district"—it's a gateway to a lifestyle where beauty and spirituality are intertwined. It's an experience that invites you to slow down, take a deep breath, and take home not just photos, but a feeling of inspiring...

The Nomura Samurai House is a beautifully preserved samurai residence. The Nomura family served as high-ranking retainers of the powerful Maeda clan during the Edo period. While many samurai homes were lost during the Meiji Restoration, the Nomura residence survived thanks to private preservation efforts and now operates as a museum open to the public.

The house showcases classic Edo-period architecture and refined craftsmanship, offering a glimpse into the elite lifestyle of a samurai family:

Jōdan-no-ma: The elevated formal reception room used by the head of the family to host important guests.

Fusuma-e: Elegant painted sliding doors created by an official artist of the Maeda family.

Ranma transoms: Intricately carved wooden panels above sliding doors that allow light and air to pass between rooms.

Tokonoma: A recessed alcove used to display seasonal decorations or artworks.

Tea Room: Located upstairs, this peaceful space was used for traditional tea ceremonies and overlooks the garden.

The interior is also decorated with original samurai armor, katana swords, and various household artifacts from the period.

Attached to the house is a beautifully landscaped Japanese garden, named one of Japan’s top three gardens by the Journal of Japanese Gardening. It features a stream, waterfall, granite bridge, and a 400-year-old myrica tree. The garden can be admired from the second-floor tea room.

Admission (April 2025): Adults ¥550, high school students ¥400,...

Kanazawa has many excellent sightseeing spots, but if you have limited time or need help finding where to look, this is the place to stop by. The original owner of this residence (a samurai family) was a man of high rank, and it is said that he had assets that could support 1,200 people at a time when the amount of rice owned was considered property. In Japan, where wooden architecture is the norm, such historical buildings rarely survive due to disasters and wars, and those that remain as they were in those days are extremely valuable. This samurai residence is only a part of the buildings from that period (it seems to be part of another wealthy merchant's building that has been moved and combined), but fortunately, this beautiful Japanese garden is a wonderful place to see what it was like in those days, and I highly recommend that you take the time to enjoy it. Some trees in this small, rich, beautiful garden are over 400 years old. I believe that time spent in this garden will be much more memorable than walking around the tourist attractions and getting tired. Incidentally, I recommend the sweets shop next to the samurai residence for its delicious and stylish modern interpretation of traditional Japanese...