It was a rainy day in Kanazawa when I decided to head over to the Nagamachi district and check out the Nomura Samurai Estate (House). I had heard that this house was not to be missed, so even though it was pouring, I got on the bus and made the trek out there. I took the Left Loop bus from Kanazawa Station to Korinbo and walked down into the neighborhood.
Though I'm sure all of Kanazawa is pretty on a sunny day, I really enjoyed walking around there in the rain. The cobblestone streets take on a glittering sheen and the colors of flowers seem to brighten when everything around them is dark and wet with rain.
I was really charmed by the old buildings and canals and wondered who had walked along them over the past several hundred years. I love that the area had been preserved, and people still take good care of it.
But I was on my way to the Nomura Samurai Estate, so I kept on walking. I wanted to see this house that belonged to the Nomura family, a family of samurai who served the ruling Maeda family in Kanazawa in the 16th century.
If you may remember, I used the Maeda family name in my Nogiku Series! Yes, they were a ruling family way back in the day. This house belonged to the Nomura family all the way through the end of the Edo Period at the end of the 19th century. It changed hands a few times, but it's now owned by the city of Kanazawa.
Its garden was listed in 2003 by the Journal of Japanese Gardening as one of the three top gardens in Japan so people come from all over to see it. I spent a good amount of time sitting on the wooden porch, just breathing in the lush smells and listening to the rain fall.
If I ever need to find peace again, I know where to look in my memories. I'll find it here, in the gardens of the Nomura House.
Inside the house, I fell in love with the tatami mats, sliding wood doors, and beautiful screens that divided up rooms.
The quiet opulence of these rooms makes you appreciate the excellent craftsmanship of the time when the house was built.
In a separate area of the house, you can view the Nomura's samurai swords and other artifacts left behind.
But really, I just wanted to wander the house and look at the garden over and over.
You can wander the house with me! I took some video while I was there, a little walking tour of this beautiful estate. Be sure to put on your headphones and listen to the quiet rain of the garden. Something about this house, and this day, kept people from talking, so the video is a true treasure. I hope you enjoy it.
If you're ever in Kanazawa, definitely do not miss this wonderful estate!
