The charming town of Yamanaka Onsen, near Kanazawa, offers more than hot spring resorts and lovely landscapes: it’s a treasure trove of traditional Japanese arts and crafts. I visited for the first-ever Yamanaka Onsen Arts & Culture Festival, which showcased contemporary art installations dotted around the city.
The highlight was an extraordinary dining experience that brought together local culinary talents and artisans. Hiroki Matoba’s (@tempura_matoba) tempura was simply exquisite, while Kotaro Kitamura of @yamanakaonsen_meigetsuro presented refined kaiseki dishes. Kazayuki Kuchide and Junichiro Mitani (of Enuma Station and Kocho) surprised with innovative fusion creations.
Each dish arrived on handcrafted tableware, introduced by the artisans themselves, and Yusuke Shimoki from @washubar_engawa_yamanakaonsen brought everything together with brilliant sake pairings.
Many thanks to organizers @hanamurasaki_official!
