Nagamachi District, Kanazawa Travel Guide

Nagamachi, meaning 'Long Town,' is a beautifully preserved samurai district in Kanazawa, offering a glimpse into feudal Japan. Once the residential area for samurai and their families, the district boasts a historic atmosphere with remaining residences, earthen walls, private entrance gates, narrow lanes, and water canals.During the Edo period (1603-1867), Kanazawa flourished as the center of the Kaga Domain, ruled by the Maeda clan. The samurai, according to their ranks, lived in Nagamachi, close to the Kanazawa Castle. After the feudal system was abolished in 1869, samurai families had to sell or abandon their homes.Today, Nagamachi is an essential stop for visitors, providing a vivid idea of city life from a century or more ago. Key attractions include the Nomura-ke Samurai Residence, a restored home displaying the lifestyle and artifacts of a prosperous samurai family, and the Kanazawa Shinise Kinenkan Museum, showcasing the lives of the merchant class. The district also features the Ashigaru Shiryokan Museum, exhibiting the lifestyle of foot soldiers. The Onosho Yosui water channel, believed to be the oldest in Kanazawa, still runs through Nagamachi.