Kanazawa
A C i t y o f R i c h,Vibrant Culture

How has Kanazawa’s culture endured since the Edo Period
When the age of the samurai came to an end, the Maeda clan — nolonger feudal lords — and many of their vassals left Kanazawa. However,Kanazawa’s Edo-period culture still lives on to this day. How did thiscome to be?
During the Edo period, the castle town of Kanazawa’s feudal lorddecided that cultural activities like Noh plays and the tea ceremony would
be promoted not just among the samurai, but among merchants andartisans as well, thus allowing these traditions to thoroughly permeate
Kanazawa’s culture. The culture of the samurai class was closelyconnected to psychological discipline, providing an emphasis on theimportance of highly developed aesthetic tastes and mental richness to
the lifestyle of those living in the castle town. Even after the samurai left
Kanazawa, the people of the town, including powerful merchants,
preserved and passed down that culture to this day.

The Origins of This Cultured City
The city of Kanazawa became a base for the propagation of theJodo Shinshu, sect of Buddhism in the middle of the 16th century,and for that reason it was home to a temple. This marked thebeginning of the development of Kanazawa’s deeply religious
populace. Following that, about 400 years ago, the feudal warlord
built a castle in the ruins of this temple. From that point on,
Kanazawa developed as a castle town dominated by samurai.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Maeda clan, the feudallords of the Kaga domain, constructed Kanazawa Castle and wassecond in financial influence only to the Tokugawa clan, which
controlled the entire country at the time. Additionally, before theTokugawa clan unified Japan, the Maeda clan placed itself inopposition to the Tokugawa clan. Because of this, the Tokugawa clanconsistently kept a close watch on the Maeda clan in case they
instigated a rebellion. To avoid this supervision, the Maeda clan
invested their financial resources not into military might, but instead
into cultural and artistic endeavors as part of a “cultural policy”
which was intended as a way to protect themselves. Eminent scholarsof all fields, literary figures, masters of the tea ceremony, and artisans
were invited to Kanazawa from Kyoto and Edo, in order to allow thefirst-rate culture of the time to take root in Kanazawa. As a result of
this, Kanazawa developed its own unique culture, as influenced by
Kyoto’s court culture as it was by Edo’s samurai culture.

Noh and Tea Ceremony
Noh and the tea ceremony are part of Japan’s unique traditional culture
developed with the support of the samurai class. In the age of the samurai,
Noh and the tea ceremony were considered samurai accomplishments.
Both have been heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism and are forms of art
that eliminate the unnecessary and communicate emotion throughminimal movement and preparations. Noh and tea ceremony culture arestill alive in Kanazawa today.

Noh
Noh is a unique Japanese performing art. It consists of stylized
Noh theatre, dance-based performances accompanied by chants
and music, and kyogen, spoken farce pieces. The distinctive
characteristic of Noh is how simple it is. Stylized movements anddances with songs and music tell a story in a simplified space. It
is one of Japan’s traditional cultural heritages and was the first ofJapan’s cultural assets to be recognized as a UNESCO intangible
cultural heritage.

History of Noh
The archetype of modern Noh is said to have taken shape around the14th century, mixing elements such as music and dancing popular among
common people from around the 8th century and dances directed towards
the gods and being influenced by Zen. After that, Noh was protected andrefined by influential samurai and aristocrats. In the 17th century (Edoperiod), Noh plays were organized by shoguns to enliven various
ceremonies, bringing it to its peak, and it was considered a samurai
accomplishment. It was during the Edo period that the five main schools ofNoh (Kanze, Komparu, Hosho, Kongo and Kita) that have been passed
down to today came together.

Noh of Kanazawa
Toshiie Maeda, who became the first feudal lord of the Kaga domain
centered around Kanazawa at the end of the 16th century, performed Nohand kyogen under the influence of those in power, and his son revived
Jinji-noh (Noh performances at shrine festivals) at the Onominato Shrine.
Jinji-noh has been passed down from generation to generation to today.
In the Edo period, the reigning shogun promoted Noh, so the lord of theKaga domain also worked to protect and develop Noh. The lord of thedomain hired professional actors, had merchants serve as town actors, hadartisans from craft studios (workshops) serve as actors, and had Nohpresented at various ceremonies within the domain. The lord himself also
enjoyed performing Noh. As a result, in the Kaga domain, performing Nohand kyogen and reciting lines from Noh became popular not only among
the samurai but also among the townspeople. In the Edo period there wereseveral schools of Noh, but in the Kaga domain the lord was fond of theHosho school in particular, so it was this school that spread within thedomain. After the end of the Edo period, the lord and many of the samurai
who were his vassals left Kanazawa, and Noh in Kanazawa, which wasknown as “Kaga Hosho,” fell temporarily into decline.
However, Kanazawa merchant Kichinosuke Sano learned from Nohactors in the Kaga domain and carried on the traditions of Kaga Hosho. Heinvested his own funds to construct a Noh theatre and collected costumes
and masks. As a result of his efforts, Kaga Hosho became popular among
the citizens again, and to this day there are regular Noh performances oncea month.
❖Noh program: There are 240 or so songs (numbers) that have been passed down,
and they are divided into five genres.
❖Characters:

There are “shite,” the lead characters, “waki,” sidekicks to the main characters,
and “tsure,” which are accompanying characters. There are also “jiutai” in chargeof songs and “hayashikata” in charge of instruments.

❖Masks:There are approximately 200 different Noh masks, called omote (literally “face”),
mostly based on sixty types. Each mask signifies a characters' gender, age, andsocial ranking, and by wearing masks the actors may portray youngsters, oldmen, womene, or nonhuman (divine, demonic, or animal) characters.

History of Tea Ceremony
Tea was introduced to Japan from China in the 9th century. In the 13thcentury, a Japanese monk named Eisai brought Zen from China and withit the custom of drinking tea, which had died out in Japan. By the 15thcentury, people of high standing began to hold tea ceremonies using tea
sets imported from China (karamono). Once tea and Zen were establishedin Japan, a uniquely Japanese tea ceremony reflecting the teachings ofZen and emphasizing spirituality was born. The 16th century was a timeof warring between samurai in Japan. The tea ceremony, which calms themind, became a pleasurable pastime for samurai. At the same time, the tea
utensils used in the ceremony were given as rewards, and the teaceremony was used as a symbol of authority. In the later age of thesamurai, the tea ceremony continued to be a samurai accomplishment as aspiritual exercise.

Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony)
Also called “chado” or “sado.” The name varies depending on theschool of tea ceremony.
The tea ceremony is one of the symbols of Japanese culture. It
emphasizes the teachings of “Wakei Seijaku” (where the host andguest calm each other’s minds, show mutual respect, and purify theceremony’s atmosphere and tea utensils) through a cup of tea.
During the ceremony, each person lifts their own spirits. Arts andcrafts, cooking, architecture and other forms of Japanese culture
have been greatly influenced by the tea ceremony.

Tea Ceremony of Kanazawa
The successive lords of the Maeda clan who ruled over the Kaga
domain which had centered around Kanazawa had a deep interest in the tea
ceremony. Toshiie Maeda, the first lord of the domain, and his son wereintroduced to the tea ceremony directly by Sen no Rikyu, the famous
master of the tea ceremony. The third lord and his descendants continued
to learn from leading masters of the tea ceremony like Enshu Kobori.
Because they widely promoted the tea ceremony, not only the samurai
vassals but also Kanazawa merchants and artisans became familiar with it.
Tea ceremony rooms and roji (gardens next to tea ceremony rooms) wereconstructed at the homes of samurai and merchants of high standing. The
merchants of Kanazawa remained fond of the tea ceremony after the age ofthe samurai came to an end and passed on the culture. Today many people
have an interest in various schools of tea ceremony, and the spirit ofhospitality is ingrained in their daily lives.

❖Green tea: This is the most popular tea in Japan and includes sencha, hojicha, and matcha.
Matcha is powdered green tea made by grinding tea leaves that have been steamedand dried.
❖Matcha:There are two kinds of matcha used in the tea ceremony: usucha (thin tea) andkoicha (thick tea). Usucha is made for each person in individual cups, but koicha ismade for more than one person in a single cup that is passed around to eachperson. Chaji refers to tea gatherings where guests are invited for kaiseki cuisineand served koicha and usucha, but lately many tea gatherings where only usucha isserved are being held.

❖Teishu:The host of tea gatherings is called the “teishu.” The teishu selects hanging scrolls
and flowers to decorate the tea ceremony room according to the season andpurpose of the gathering, prepares food and sweets and provides the tea utensils toentertain the guests. The tea ceremony is a composite art that requires extensive
knowledge and a high sense of beauty.

Arts and Crafts of Kanazawa
Among the cultural measures enacted by the Maeda clan during
the Edo period, what has especially impacted modern day
Kanazawa is the promotion of arts and crafts. In the Edo period, theShogunate and the lords of each domain had weapons repaired andfurniture manufactured at workshops called “osaikusho.” Theosaikusho of the Kaga domain was larger than that of the Shogunate
and other domains, and the artisans were also required to do Noh. Inthe Kaga domain, highly skilled artisans were recruited from among
the townspeople, given high standing in the community along with agood livelihood and made to produce works. Skilled artisans werealso invited from Kyoto and Edo to produce works and instructartisans. This developed excellent techniques and gave rise tovarious kinds of crafts, including raised lacquer, lacquer work, andinlay work. The “Hyakko Hisho” (“hyakko” means various crafts
and “hisho” means a comparative reference) collection of crafts
materials gathered from around Japan by the lord of the domain toserve as a reference for artisan techniques also had a major impacton arts and crafts in Kanazawa.
Artisans of the Kaga domain were also encouraged to study Nohin addition to their regular jobs. They were asked to learn the skillsof jiutai (chorus) and hayashikata (instrumental accompaniment)
rather than shite, the lead character, so that they could support theperformance of the lord and help him practice.

Kanazawa Subayashi(Instrumental Music Performance)“Hayashi” refers to the music performed on Japanese instruments such as
kotsuzumi (small hand drum), taiko (stick drum) and fue (flute) as well as tothe performers. There are different kinds of hayashi, such as kabuki-hayashi,
no-hayashi, and matsuri-bayashi. Kanazawa subayashi developed fromkabuki-hayashi. Shamisen performances were added to kotsuzumi, okawa(large hand drum), taiko, and fue for subayashi to become what it is today.
From the Edo period to the Meiji era, kabuki was popular among thecommon people in Kanazawa. Performances were held frequently atshibaigoya (theatres for kabuki), and many outstanding actors emerged.
That kabuki actors living in Kanazawa often taught dances to geiko (geishagirls) is one of the reasons that Kanazawa subayashi, which are largely
performed by geiko, were influenced by kabuki-hayashi. Geiko are womenwhose job is to liven up parties by singing, dancing, and playing instruments
like the shamisen.
Kanazawa currently has three chayagai (an area with several tea houses
with geiko that are dispatched to ryotei and other places). These geiko carryon many high-quality traditional performing arts. Among the artistic skills
possessed by geiko in Kanazawa, subayashi is exceptionally elegant andgraceful.

Experience Kanazawa’s Rich Culture for Yourself❖Ishikawa Prefectural Noh Theater ❖Kanazawa Noh Museum

New Culture
The culture developed by the Kaga domain has been absorbed into
the activities of people living in Kanazawa over a long period of morethan 400 years. The rich cultural life breathes life into the Kanazawa
area while incorporating modern culture.
At the “Utatsuyama Craft Workshop,” a workshop for training
young artisans, and the “Kanazawa Citizen’s Art Center,” a facility
for citizen art, theatre, and musical activities, new and old culture
exist side by side in an environment where traditional culture is
carried on and new culture is created.
The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa is asymbol of new Kanazawa culture. Thanks to the existence of thismuseum of contemporary art, which has attracted worldwide
attention for its architectural beauty, the citizens of Kanazawa areexposed to traditional Japanese beauty and cutting-edge beauty in thecourse of their daily lives.

When there is no performance, the Noh stage andthe exhibition space is open to visitors(9am to 5pm).

The Kanazawa Noh Museum exhibits Kaga Hosho’s
precious Noh masks and costumes handed downover generations.

Address: 4-18-3 Ishibiki
Contact: Tel. 264-2598
Open: 9 am to 10 pm
Closed: Mondays and holidays, Dec. 29 to Jan. 3.

Address: 1-2-25 Hirosaka
Contact: Tel. 220-2790
Open: 10 am to 6 pm (Visitors must enter by 5:30 pm)
Closed: Mondays (Next day if the Monday falls on a holiday)
and Dec. 29 to Jan.3, and during exhibition preparation periods.
Admission fee: Adult: 300 yen; person of 65 years
old or over: 200 yen; person below high-school age: Free❖Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art ❖Kanazawa Nakamura Memorial Museum

The Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art exhibits
antique art objects, articles possessed by theMaeda family, Japanese paintings, oil paintings,
sculptures, and modern handicrafts related toIshikawa Prefecture.
Address: 2-1 Dewa-machi
Contact: Tel. 231-7580
Open: 9:30 am to 6 pm
(The café is open until 7pm)
Closed: Dec. 29 to Jan.3, and during exhibition
preparation periods.
Admission fee: (Permanent collection) Adult: 360 yen; university
student: 290 yen; person of high school age or below: FreeThe Kanazawa Nakamura Memorial Museum
exhibits calligraphic works, paintings, lacquerware, and pottery. There are a number ofJapanese tearooms used for tea ceremonies.
Address: 3-2-29 Honda-machi
Contact: Tel. 221-0751
Open: 9:30 am to 5 pm (Visitors must enter by 4:30 pm)
Closed: Dec. 29 to Jan.3, and during exhibition
preparation periods.
Admission fee: Adult: 300 yen; person of 65 years old or over:
200 yen; person below high-school age: Free

❖Utatsuyama Craft Workshop❖Kanazawa Yasue Gold-Leaf Museum

Utatsuyama Craft Workshop exhibits works oflocal craft artists, and visitors can observe
ceramics, lacquerware, dyeing, metalwork, andglass workshops.

The Kanazawa Yasue Gold-Leaf Museum focuseson and exhibits gold beating tools and artistic
handicraft articles.

Address: To-10 Utatsumachi
Contact: Tel. 251-7286
Open: 9 am to 5 pm (Visitors must enter by 4:30 pm)
Closed: Tuesdays (Next day if the Tuesday falls
on a holiday) and Dec. 29 to Jan. 3, and during
exhibition preparation periods.
Admission fee: Adult: 300 yen; person of 65 years oldor over: 200 yen; person below high-school age: Free

Address: 1-3-10 Higashiyama
Contact: Tel. 251-8950
Open: 9:30 am to 5 pm (Visitors must enter by 4:30 pm.)
Closed: Dec. 29 to Jan.3, and during exhibition
preparation periods.
Admission fee: Adult: 300 yen; person of 65 years old orover: 200 yen; person below high-school age: Free❖21st Century Museum ofContemporary Art, Kanazawa❖The Kanazawa Citizen’s Art Center

The Kanazawa Citizen’s Art Center is used as aplace for art activities for residents centeringon the special features of the red brickwarehouses that used to be spinning mills.

The museum exhibits experimental
contemporary artworks that visitors can touchor sit on. It includes zones where visitors canenter for free. Both adults and children canexperience an exciting time in the museum.

Address: 1-1 Daiwa-machi
Contact: Tel. 265-8300
Open: 24 hours a day and 365 days a year

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Address: 1-2-1 Hirosaka
Contact: Tel. 220-2800
pm (closes at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays)
Open: 10 am to 6 乙丸町
Admission fee: The fee varies with the special exhibition.
鳴和
Closed: Mondays and Dec. 29 to Jan. 3. Visitors can enter
thefree zone from 9 am to 10 pm everyday including Mondays.

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二口町

Nakabashi● Ishikawa Ongakudo
Hon-machi 2

Higashi-betsuin Temple Hikoso-machi●Musashi
Bakuro-machi
Meitetsu ● ●M’za
Omi-cho MarketSanja

大豆田大橋

The Kanazawa
Citizen’s Art Center

Motoguruma

igawa

RiverMikage Ohashi
Bridge至小松

Oyama Shrine

Asanogawa Ohashi
BridgeHashiba-cho

Korinbo Shiinoki
CulturalKorinbo 109 ● ●Daiwa Complex●Korinbo●Kata-machi

Hirosaka

卯辰トン
ネル

鈴見橋

Kenrokuen Garden

21st Century Museum of● Contemporary Art, Kanazawa●● Dewa-machi●

Ishikawa Prefectural Noh Theater
Ishikawa Prefectural
Museum of Art

Nomachi-Hirokoji
Uroko-machi

157

Tenjinbashi
BridgeKanazawa Noh Museum

Kanazawa Nakamura
Memorial Museum

Nishi Chaya-gai District

Umenohashi
BridgeKenrokuen-shita

Naga-machi Buke Yashiki District

Saigawa Ohashi
BridgeShiragiku-cho

Utatsuyama
Craft Workshop

Kanazawa Castle Park

●Naga-machi●●Ote-machi

Minami-cho

Shinbashi
Bridge増泉Higashiyama

Kamitsutsumi-cho●SaHigashi Chaya-gai District

Kanazawa Yasue
Gold-Leaf Museum

Rokumai

大豆田橋

Hikoso Ohashi
BridgeIshibiki 1

Sakurabashi
BridgeKasamai 3

下菊橋

Compiled and published by:

三口新町

Cultural Affairs Section, Kanazawa City Hall
寺町11-1-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa 920-8577
Telephone: (076) 220-2442
Fax: (076) 220-2069

平和町

泉野

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