Kanazawa has 22 kinds of traditional arts, including kutani-yaki (pottery), urushi (lacquerware), Kaga yūzen (silk kimono dying) and Kaga zougan (inlay metalwork). It is also the national capital of the production of kinpaku (gold leaf) and the many glittering things made with it, from Buddhist shrines to facial masks. Throughout history, Kanazawa’s promotion of crafts has been guided by a yearning for peace. Soon after World War Two, the Kanazawa College of Art was founded with the philosophy of “contributing to the peace of mankind through the creation of beauty”. In 2009, following a successful application that argued that the city could contribute to “international cooperation and world peace through the promotion of craftwork”, Unesco named Kanazawa Japan’s first City of Crafts and Folk Art.
To learn more about this enigmatic city that chose art over war visit BBC on-line.
The Village Market 
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