I took a bus from Kanazawa Station.
It was the Kanazawa sightseeing loop bus (周遊バス) — I can’t remember if it was the left route or the right route. Either way, the bus pulled out of the station and started rolling down the main road. It passed Omicho Market (近江町市場), then a place called Korinbo (香林坊), which has an oddly cute name.
Maybe five or six stops later, the bus pulled in at Katamachi (片町). I stepped off, suitcase in tow.
Kanazawa turned out to be more of a proper city than I’d expected. My previous trip had been to a small town of only 100,000 people, so the contrast probably made it feel even bigger — but Kanazawa really was a lively place, full of tourists and energy.
I stood at the crosswalk of the main intersection, suitcase still in hand. It was a busy intersection. On each corner sat a FamilyMart, a Lawson, and a 7-Eleven. That’s when it hit me. This has to be the most famous intersection in the city.
That was my first encounter with Katamachi.
I’d deliberately chosen a hotel in this area. I like to drink, and when I’m traveling I often end up out late. Having the hotel nearby means I can walk back instead of grabbing a taxi. Genuinely useful tip for fellow drinkers.
That’s why I tend to book hotels near the nightlife district rather than the station.
I’d made a note before the trip that Katamachi was Kanazawa’s nightlife district.
How do you find that kind of thing? Search for izakaya or bars on Google Maps or Tabelog, and in most mid-sized cities the results cluster in one area. That’s about as clear a sign as you’ll get.
The Katamachi intersection, with its three convenience stores, was somewhere I passed multiple times a day throughout the trip. I stopped by 7-Eleven almost daily to use the Seven Bank ATM, and naturally ended up picking up snacks along the way.
Late at night, you’d sometimes get approached right at that intersection.
A middle-aged man crossing the street alone, and suddenly some flashy young guys come up: “Hey, where are you headed?” “Want another drink?” I’d just say, “I’m done drinking, heading for ramen.” And they’d go, “Oh, you’re going to that ramen place? Good choice. Take care!” Cool about it, really.
Head from the Katamachi main strip toward Kiguramachi (木倉町) and you get a busier, more raucous nightlife vibe. But cross the street to the back alleys on the other side, and the atmosphere changes.
Then there’s the street connecting the back of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art to the Korinbo intersection — 21st Century Road Kakinokibatake (21世紀ロード柿木畠). That stretch has more polished boutiques and restaurants. My guess is the original name was just Kakinokibatake.
Dashing out late at night because I suddenly wanted ramen. Fidgeting at the bus stop when the bus didn’t come. Pretending not to notice a tour group so I could let their bus go. Walking all the way back from Higashichayagai (ひがし茶屋街) after the last bus, and feeling genuinely relieved when Katamachi finally came into view. Wandering from bar to bar with a Japanese guy I’d just met, drunk, until we stumbled out onto the main road and realized — oh, we’re right in front of Katamachi.
This place collected a lot of my time, and a lot of my memories, throughout the trip.
I’ll be showing you the back alleys of Katamachi — Shintenchi (新天地) and Kiguramachi (木倉町) — before long. My heart is actually more drawn to those streets than to the main boulevard.
Either way, Katamachi gave me a lot of good memories on this Kanazawa trip.
Leave a Reply