Kanazawa

About Kanazawa

Kanazawaza.wa, ka.na.(d)za.waꜜ.ɕi]) is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan. As of 1 January 2018, the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was 468.64 square kilometres (180.94 sq mi).

The name "Kanazawa" (金沢, 金澤), which literally means "marsh of gold", is said to derive from the legend of the peasant Imohori Togoro (literally "Togoro Potato-digger"), who was digging for potatoes when flakes of gold washed up.

The well in the grounds of Kenroku-en is known as 'Kinjo Reitaku' (金城麗澤) to acknowledge these roots. The area where Kanazawa is was originally known as Ishiura, whose name is preserved at the Ishiura Shrine near Kenrokuen. The area around Kanazawa was part of ancient Kaga Province.

During the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573), as the power of the central shōguns in Kyoto was waning, Kaga Province came under the control of the Ikkō-ikki, followers of the teachings of priest Rennyo, of the Jōdo Shinshū sect, who displaced the official governors of the...

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.