I took a ninja-themed high-speed ferry from Chubu Centrair International Airport to Tsu, then caught a taxi from Tsu Port. The shopping streets around Tsukannon Temple were quite quiet, completely unlike the lively areas around Sensoji Temple and Osu Kannon. Once inside the temple grounds, however, the vermilion five-story pagoda, main hall, Kannon statue, and ceiling paintings were all impressive, lending the temple an even more solemn atmosphere.
The decorations and ceiling paintings inside the main hall are also worth examining closely. The colorful celestial maiden paintings on the ceiling add a gentle, sacred feeling to the space. Other details include a dragon-shaped purification fountain, elements related to devotion to Kobo Daishi, and rubbing stones associated with the pilgrimage. They would be easy to miss on a quick visit.
The biggest surprise for me was the intricate paper-cut goshuin featuring patterns from the five-story pagoda’s murals. Its design draws from paintings and decorations inside the pagoda that are normally difficult to see. It is ornate yet dignified. I usually keep paper mementos from my travels in my journal, but this goshuin felt too special for that, so I chose to display it separately on my desk.
Tsukannon Temple may not be the liveliest temple, but it is where I most strongly felt a sense of peace and solemnity. Of the three major Kannon temples, this was the most personal and memorable stop for me.
Tsukannon Temple (Enichizan Kannonji Daihoin) | Review by Holly
Other Reviews by Holly
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Omicho Market
This is Kanazawa’s kitchen, which has been known as “Omicho” for about 300 years. It is always busy and vibrant, with approximately 170 stores selling fresh seasonal seafood, vegetables, prepared foods, souvenirs, and other items lined up in a narrow arcade.
Omicho Market is well worth adding to your Kanazawa itinerary. The first floor is the liveliest part of the market, with fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, and various local Kanazawa products all concentrated there. The Omicho Ichibakan building also has a basement level and a second-floor dining area where you can buy daily necessities, eat, or take a short break.
If your main goal is to explore the market, I recommend coming in the morning. Although this isn't a traditional morning market that only operates early in the day, many fresh fish shops start packing up in the afternoon, so there will be far fewer options if you arrive too late. Some shops also have shorter hours on Sundays and national holidays, so if you want to see the entire market, it's best not to come too late.
The first floor isn't just seafood; there are also many fruit shops. It's great for travelers who can't conveniently buy a whole box of fruit, since you can choose a portion to eat on the spot. The seafood shops still retain much of the feel of a traditional market. Most products are intended to be taken home and cooked, but some large fish shops also offer freshly grilled seafood that you can eat in the seating areas they provide.
If you're traveling with seniors, children, or a larger group, I would recommend going straight to the second floor to find a restaurant. Seating at some of the popular seafood rice bowl places on the first floor can be cramped, while restaurants in the second-floor dining area usually have more space and make it easier to find seating for groups. They also offer a wider variety of dishes. For example, the restaurant where I ate on the second floor had a kids' meal, making it a more child-friendly option.
Overall, Omicho Market clearly retains the feeling of being “Kanazawa's kitchen.” Although it's also a famous local tourist destination, it still feels very local and not overly touristy. The fruit and vegetable shops, fresh fish shops, food shops, household goods, and other non-seafood products actually give the first-floor market even more character. -
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Atami Heiwa Street Shopping District
Atami City, one of Japan's premier hot spring destinations, is renowned for its abundant natural hot spring water. Located right outside JR Atami Station, this shopping district serves as the city’s welcoming gateway.
If you're coming with luggage, I'd recommend storing it before exploring. There are several coin lockers around Atami Station, as well as staffed luggage storage services. I left mine at ATAMIX before walking around the shopping streets. Otherwise, with the crowds and stopping to browse the shops, dragging luggage around would be really tiring.
The shopping streets in front of the station, Heiwa Street and the neighboring Nakamise Shopping Street, are packed with stores, but their biggest feature is the huge amount of food. In addition to Atami's signature onsen manju and dried fish, as well as Atami Pudding, which has practically become synonymous with the city, there are also dessert shops that have become popular in recent years. Still, Atami Pudding remains the most popular dessert.
I originally wanted to try Atami Pudding too, but gave up as soon as I saw the line. I had more plans afterward and didn't want to spend too much time waiting. As I walked around, I noticed that it wasn't just the pudding—many famous shops can have long lines during peak hours, so I canceled my plan to eat here.
Overall, Atami Heiwa Street Shopping District has the lively atmosphere of a hot spring tourist destination, with long-established shops, souvenirs, and modern desserts all mixed together. It's quite a good place to buy souvenirs, so I'd recommend stopping here for some final shopping before leaving Atami. -
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Kanazawa FORUS
Located only a 1-minute walk from JR Kanazawa Station, this commercial facility operated by OPA features approximately 190 stores on each of its eight floors, offering a wide variety of goods from fashion items to interior goods, lifestyle goods, cosmetics, jewelry, etc. The lineup of stores has been renewed with the opening of new stores and the renewal of existing stores, and upgraded to the latest contents that show the "present" of Kanazawa.
At first, I actually only came to Kanazawa FORUS to buy shoes. The sole of my shoe suddenly came unglued during my trip, and if I didn't replace them, I probably wouldn't be able to keep walking for the rest of my itinerary. I asked some experienced travelers where they recommended buying shoes, and they mainly suggested this place because it had lots of styles at reasonable prices. That's why I came here. I never expected that what was supposed to be just an emergency stop would turn out to be such a surprisingly great place to shop.
First, I definitely have to praise the staff at ABC-MART. I have fairly large feet, so women's sizes aren't easy to find. A staff member told me that certain symbols on the labels of women's shoes indicate styles that come in larger sizes, so I could focus on those first. I ended up finding a pair that fit me really well. I relied on them for the rest of the trip, and they didn't rub my feet at all. They saved my itinerary.
After buying the shoes, I originally just wanted to find something to eat, but when I looked at the floor guide, I discovered that A Happy Pancake, which was very popular and always hard to book at the time, also had a location here. I could even be seated right away without a reservation, so I really felt lucky. Unfortunately, it's closed now, so there's one less place where you can easily enjoy A Happy Pancake.
The truly dangerous part was realizing after buying my shoes that you can't just casually browse this building. Besides the Pokémon Center on the 5th floor, there's also a large capsule toy and Ichiban Kuji area nearby, along with stores like MUJI, LOFT, JINS, and Sanrio. On other floors, you'll also come across familiar brands such as UNIQLO, KIDDY LAND, and L'OCCITANE.
I almost couldn't tear myself away from the capsule toy area next to the Pokémon Center. Then I went downstairs and saw LUSH, so of course I had to go in and restock my favorite shampoo bar. LUSH also offers tax-free shopping. Finally, there was a Starbucks on the first floor, but they didn't have the limited-edition Frappuccino I wanted at the time, so I managed to protect the last bit of money in my wallet.
Kanazawa FORUS is right next to Kanazawa Station, so it's very convenient to get to, and it has a fairly complete selection of brands. I only wanted to buy a pair of shoes in an emergency, but I ended up going from shoes and pancakes to Pokémon, capsule toys, and LUSH. This place nearly drained my wallet dry. It's kind of dangerous. -
